Much of human history can, I think, be described as a gradual and sometimes painful liberation from provincialism, the emerging awareness that there is more to the world than was generally believed by our ancestors. We have done it in the name of patriotism and “national security,” so no one is supposed to question it. But, the great thing is that when we were together, for nearly twenty years, we lived with a vivid appreciation of how brief and precious life is. "I'm going to die." 242-243). Chapter 14, “The Common Enemy” (p. 157). "We must have courage to bet on our ideas, to take the calculated risk, and to act. In addition to being the most important human virtue, it is the most important business virtue, as well. It can be misused. I believe that even a smattering of such findings in modern science and mathematics is far more compelling and exciting than most of the doctrines of pseudoscience, whose practitioners were condemned as early as the fifth century B.C. Chapter 10, “The Sun’s Family” (p. 183). Why is it the richest continent with every kind of resource and yet the poorest by every standard? Chapter 11, “Ambush: The Warming of the World” (p. 116). I think the ratio, R, of the time to sense the dose taken to the time required to take an excessive dose is an important quantity. There is in the lovely Martian landscape not a footprint, not an artifact, not even an old beer can, not a blade of grass, not a kangaroo rat, not even, so far as we can tell, a microbe. And the asking of tough questions has an ancillary benefit: political and religious life in America, especially in the last decade and a half, has been marked by an excessive public credulity, an unwillingness to ask difficult questions, which has produced a demonstrable impairment in our national health. There is no guarantee that the universe will conform to our predispositions. This will in turn lead to a dereliction of the democratic governance that we are enjoying currently, thereby throwing the government into disarray as a result of the cowardice and timidity on the part of the followership to actively demonstrate to put the leaders on their toes as well as the insensitive attitude of the leaders towards responding to the grievances of the civilians. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! They care only about the time they are in power. I was caught in a state of ambivalence because, seeing the massive turn out in some of the regions gave me an indication that the culture of demonstration is not entirely lost. The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been committed by zealots in the name of God, Jesus and Mohammed than has ever been committed in the name of Satan. Many interesting possibilities simply turn out to be wrong. We make our World Significant by the Courage of our Questions and the Depths of our Answers! The steps in a reasoned argument must be set out for all to see. I wish to propose a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. Whether we believe in God depends very much on what we mean by God. And unalloyed right-hemisphere doctrines, particularly when they are invented during new and trying circumstances, may be erroneous or paranoid. We give little thought to the machinery that generates the sun light that makes life possible, to the gravity that glues us to an Earth that would otherwise sent us spinning off into space, or to the atoms of which we are made and on whose stability we fundamentally depend. Abstract-“We make our world significant by the courage of our questions”- Carl Sagan.Human brain functions constantly for 24 hours per week and brain drain can only occur when the “fuel” for the brain is cut down. For his political activities, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but he was released to lead a free South Africa. “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present” was, The integrity of the experimenters in the face of this unexpected finding is breathtaking. Skeptical and critical thinking is not a hallmark of the right hemisphere. It’s a possibility, you know. Science is based on experiment, on a willingness to challenge old dogma, on an openness to see the universe as it really is. For instance, Arthur Jensen, who is a psychologist and belongs to the northern project, brought out a study that said that Africans are genetically inferior. This is a question that has been deliberated on by many experts and authorities in the field of economics, governance and politics, environmentalists, etc. The concept of governance and democratic rule is incomplete without leadership and followership fully incorporated and appreciated. Chapter 5, “Night Walkers and Mystery Mongers: Sense and Nonsense at the End of Science” (pp. Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013) Nelson Mandela had the courage to fight against the unjust system of apartheid. I think people in power have a vested interest to oppose critical thinking. 58-59). Barak Obama, president of the United States of America, on his visit to Ghana after his election said “Africa does not need strong leaders, Africa needs strong institutions.” On one hand, the leader is the forerunner and everything revolves around him. But if that's their purpose, they can keep their paltry icons. The difficulty in being entrepreneurial in this country is as a result of government policies and bureaucracies and this must be taken care of if the playing field will be fair for the local entrepreneurs to also be competitive. It has two rules. In terms of strike, poor citizens and followers suffer the deprivation of services by the labor force on strike. The admissions office, unknown to me, sent my application to Carl Sagan. Every new set of discoveries raises a host of questions which we were never before wise enough even to ask. ...A process that happens quickly is a process that is in some sense likely... this evidence suggests that. It is very obvious the followership has virtually no say in decisions taken for and on their behalf; thus, issues affecting them directly are relegated and the leaders build portfolios for themselves as long as the decisions they take are good, yet not necessarily essential at the point of implementation as far as the students are concerned. You simply turn your mind off and say God did it. 17 : The Marriage of Skepticism and Wonder. This phrase was created by reporter Sharon Begley in the end of a 1977 Newsweek article with an extended profile of Carl Sagan. James 3:5-8 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. The genesis of conscious activism is built in every generation from their childhood, for some years the only generation that has successfully criticized any government and still actively does so have been those born during independence through to the 80’s. Chapter 10, “A Piece of the Sky is Missing” (p. 96), If we keep on with business as usual, the, Chapter 11, “Ambush: The Warming of the World” (p. 113). In the last two centuries abject slavery which was with us for thousands of years has almost entirely been eliminated in a stirring worldwide revolution. The neurochemistry of the brain is astonishingly busy, the circuitry of a machine more wonderful than any devised by humans. If we really are in deficit in a particular sector or production, we can have one or two trusted foreign companies come and support in meeting the needs of that sector or production. Where are we? But I see the emergence in our consciousness of a Universe of a magnificence, and an intricate, elegant order far beyond anything our ancestors imagined. Evolution often uses this strategy. We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it's forever. Far better, it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look Death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides. Many of these people come to make sure that issues of extreme poverty, environment, injustice, protection of children, and conflict, are firmly on the agenda. But fundamental changes can clearly be made, we're surrounded by them. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. I don't ever expect to be reunited with Carl. While the practitioners of such doctrines often wish there were no criticisms to which they are expected to reply, skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense. Although initially, the fight for Pan-Africanism began with only men such as Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, and William E. Burghardt Du Bois, there are some women who have contributed to Pan Africanism such as Yaa Asantewaa, Queen Nzinga, and Asma Maflous who is the new Pan-African Revolutionary leader of the African renaissance. Other important human characteristics—such as a large and complex brain, the ability to make and use tools, and the capacity for language—developed more recently. It is a good idea not to make up our minds prematurely on this issue. Or do your own thing to grapple with the issue that bugs you most, but do something. There is no question that religion provides a solace and support, a bulwark in time of emotional need, and can serve extremely useful social roles. Firstly, our personnel at the authorized entry points must be well resourced with all that is required to undertake a thorough screening before allowing people into the country. But if science is a topic of general interest and concern—if both its delights and its social consequences are discussed regularly and competently in the schools, the press, and at the dinner table—we have greatly improved our prospects for learning how the world really is and for improving both it and us. One of the popular words government has become famously known for using recently in all its speeches is ‘Sacrifice.’ Admonition the citizen to sacrifice for the betterment of the country is very much in line and necessary. The movie “Gran Torino” is an excellent example of how our own moral values define who we are as a person. You see, the religious people — most of them — really think this planet is an experiment. Both borderline science and many religions are motivated in part by a serious concern about the nature of the universe and our role in it, and for this reason merit our consideration and regard. It is astonishing in the face of such transparent evasions that this religion has any adherents at all. We humans appear on the cosmic calendar so recently that our recorded history occupies only the last few seconds of the last minute of December 31st. You know about the concern that chlorofluorocarbons are depleting the ozone layer; and that carbon dioxide and methane and other greenhouse gases are producing global warming, a steady trend amidst fluctuations produced by volcanic eruptions and other sources. My fundamental premise about the brain is that its workings—what we sometimes call “mind”—are a consequence of its anatomy and physiology, and nothing more. It is expedient therefore that constitutional and democratic education be taken to that level more rigorously to ensure effective participation in governance. The governments resort to the use of the word ‘sacrifice’ in demanding patriotism is very much welcomed. ...in some social situations, there is the sense that we are central, important. (Scripture reference: Exodus 7, 8 & 9). While ritual, emotion and reasoning are all significant aspects of human nature, the most nearly unique human characteristic is the ability to associate abstractly and to reason. Chapter 23, “A Sunday Sermon” (p. 335). I see the relative absence of these things and the distortions of scientific thinking often encountered in science fiction as terrible wasted opportunities. No, there’s one thing the Bible makes clear: The biblical God is a sloppy manufacturer. Science considers deep skepticism a prime virtue. Imagine how different our world would be if those discoveries had been explained and used for the benefit of everyone, if the humane perspective of Eratosthenes had been widely adopted and applied. Success of such an endeavor will enable the continent to be put in the rightful place in the world. I’d like to reflect on that today. Chapter 7, “Lovers and Madmen” (p. 193). It was a phrase of hers that he had adopted “It’s a lazy Saturday afternoon, and there’s this couple lying naked in bed reading the Encyclopaedia Britannica to each other, and arguing about whether the Andromeda Galaxy is more ‘numinous’ than the Resurrection. You comprehend some of its beauty and you gain access to its power in the understanding it provides. “Do you understand what’s going on?”, Humans are very good at dreaming, although you’d never know it from your. Many people don’t like that statement, but few can argue with it. These thoughts comfort me and lift me up out of my heartache. Apart from the few that stand out, the rest have not proven to be able to think outside the box; I can’t trust a leadership that has failed to be proactive in preventing many of the disasters we have suffered in this country though such disasters have been with us for some time now and should have been dealt with before now. God must be even greater than we dreamed"? We cannot begin with an entirely clean slate, since we arrive at this problem with predispositions of hereditary and environmental origin; but, after understanding such built-in biases, is it not possible to pry insights from nature? Now, by courage I don’t mean recklessness, or taking excessive risks, or displaying unusually abrasive behavior. How to Develop Courage: Acknowledge and understand that it's not the absence of fear. If we seek... nature, then love can be informed by truth instead of being based on ignorance or self-deception. Well, I honestly don’t see where the sacrifice is as long as these cut-offs are paltry and do not make the grade to be called sacrifice. Accessing loan is virtually impossible for a start up, yet the few that can gather some amount to engage in production, also have to compete with giant companies from the developed industries for market as our leaders keep calling on them and encouraging them to come and do business in the country. This so-called ontological argument was more or less promptly attacked on two grounds: (1), Chapter 8, “Norman Bloom, Messenger of God” (p. 152). ...Six days was once a popular hypothesis. From an evolutionary point of view this would be quite extraordinary: why should it have evolved if it had no function? It is a god of a tiny world and not a god of a galaxy, much less a universe. We largely define our ideals by the heroes we choose, and our ideals -- things like courage, honor, and justice -- largely define us. The remark has worldwide application. Indeed, the standard evolutionary practice of increasing the amount of genetic information as organisms increase in complexity is accomplished by doubling part of the genetic material and then allowing the slow specialization of function of the redundant set. We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers. Thus, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the OAU, Africa‘s political leadership acknowledged past achievements and challenges and rededicated itself to the Pan African vision of ―an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”. One of the criteria for national leadership should therefore be a talent for understanding, encouraging, and making constructive use of vigorous criticism. Oh! ... That pure chance could be so generous and so kind. 15-16). On the other hand, mere critical thinking, without creative and intuitive insights, without the search for new patterns, is sterile and doomed. For instance, our poultry farmers have been crying out loud about the influx of foreign chicken and eggs that are imported into the country and as a result collapsing the local poultry business because the imported ones are presumably and preferably cheap. But this was not to be. How could she not? There are tiny grains between the stars, with the size and atomic composition of bacteria. Now that atmosphere, so thin and fragile, is under assault by our technology. It is, so far, entirely a human invention, evolved by natural selection in the cerebral cortex for one simple reason: it works. First: We are the local embodiment of a Cosmos grown to selfawareness. 67-68). From the Bible to fairy tales; ancient myths to Hollywood movies, our culture is … For Carl, what mattered most was what was true, not merely what would make us feel better. Those who possessed poorly programmed brains eventually did not live long enough to reproduce. I know of a world with a million moons. What is the smallest piece of matter, why we remember the past and not the future, and why there is the universe? Religions ought to be subject to at least the same degree of skepticism as, for example, contentions about UFO visitations or Velikovskian catastrophism. Chapter 23, “A Sunday Sermon” (pp. All of the books in the world contain no more information than is broadcast as video in a single large American city in a single year. I must, of course, admit that if such an. For a long time the human instinct to understand was thwarted by facile religious explanations. But it by no means follows that religion should be immune from testing, from critical scrutiny, from skepticism. The effective pursuit of knowledge requires both functions. Chapter 7, “Lovers and Madmen” (p. 183). Let us look now at a few ways in which we ourselves can begin living our lives with courage, so we can achieve our potentials and make our stamp on the world. Chapter 10, “A Piece of the Sky is Missing” (p. 88). This resonance, extracted by natural selection, between our brains and the universe may help explain a quandary set by Einstein: The most incomprehensible property of the universe, he said, is that it is so comprehensible. For Carl, what mattered most was what was true, not merely what would make us feel better. This page was last edited on 30 October 2020, at 21:38. A demon had been exorcised. Courage is regarded as an admirable personal trait, providing benefits for … Their perspective is so narrow, so...brief. These meetings are important because a complex world requires collaboration. That simply suggests that the dissatisfaction of the masses that accompanies a particular regime at its peak could likely result in an interference by the military, as was the case of Egypt in the overthrow of its elected president Mohamed Morsi in just a year after democratic rule by the military in response to popular protest by civilians, and was previously the case in our early days into independence. At any rate, both because of the clear trend in the recent history of biology and because there is not a shred of evidence to support it, I will not in these pages entertain any hypotheses on what used to be called the. In this excerpt from her recent book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown examines the drive for perfection and considers what truly connects us to the self we want to be. The Agenda will make an important contribution to regain the dignity and restore the spirit of African Renaissance. There is a place with four suns in the sky — red, white, blue, and yellow; two of them are so close together that they touch, and star-stuff flows between them. Sometimes attributed to Contact (1985), but the quote does not appear in that book. Reflections on a Grain of Salt” (p. 21). Society corrupts the best of us. I’m not any more skeptical about your religious beliefs than I am about every new scientific idea I hear about. Developing, implementing and monitoring the Agenda are a daunting task that will engage the full energies of Africa and its citizens. In order for Pan-Africanism to be fully realized in Africa, there is the need for a new generation of scholars who are grounded in indigenous African knowledge. The old appeals to racial, sexual, and religious chauvinism and to rabid nationalist fervor are beginning not to work. No life force, no spirit, no soul seems to be involved.

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