Posts Tagged ‘imagination’

A Puzzling of History

The recent celebration of The Girl’s first birthday gave me cause to take a couple hours to look back over the mountains of photographs we’ve accumulated over that short time. For those who don’t know me personally, one of my hobbies (outside of blogging) is amateur photography, and the introduction of that new, wee little subject has made for an incredible year for both. But in looking back over these photos recently I was given to (again) wonder at the complex fallibility of our limited perceptions — and particularly, how that relates to thinking about critical thinking and my own imagination — if only because I couldn’t believe how much change had happened over that short year. And in seeing The Girl, daily, I would have sworn — perhaps imagined — that she had always been a walking, babbling, little bundle of curiosity.

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Full text from September 26, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: Skepdad thoughts

Toys for (Really) Young Scientists, Bug Jug

I think it would be fair to say that I have something of an askew fascination with insects. Having (unofficially) minored in entomology in university, I took every undergraduate course offered by the school filling the gaps in my schedule left whilst studying the arguably less critter-filled world of molecular genetics. Had I been gutsy enough to pursue the passion over the practical (a conversation for another day) I might today be writing a more scientific exploration of some rare lepidopteran mating habit instead of a sure-to-be overlooked fluff editorial on plush, bug-shaped children’s toys. But, alas, such is life. And being in the curious position of father, writer, and science-buff I thought it useful to put otherwise wasted talents to better gain and continue the mission of bringing critical thought to the next generation by looking at my own experiences locating toys for aspiring scientists.

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Full text from February 12, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: Encounters of the Mind, Reasoned Education

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An Imaginative Bonus Question

One would think that keeping a blog on the topics of critical thought, parenting, skepticism, and similarly related ideas is a difficult task — and one would be right. But, unexpectedly, when I set out to write here I was overwhelmed in a different way than I am now, having touched on a small handful of topics and researched twice again as many for future articles. The task is not difficult because there is a lack of subject matter. The task is difficult because there is far more to cover than I had ever anticipated. And I’ve been struggling not for lack of questions, but because I’ve been hesitant to ask the wrong ones.

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Full text from January 30, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: Meta-Skepdad, The Three Eyes

An Introduction to the Three Eyes

This is an introduction to skep/dad’s so-called “three eyes” — or as they are, plainly named, Independence, Integrity, and Imagination.

As I started work on this blog a big question burned in the back of my mind. Raising young kids is not about rational explanations, learned discussions, raucous debates, or balanced explanations. In fact, raising kids is anything but those methods. I have spoken with countless parents. I have discussed at length with friends and family the ‘tricks’ in raising kids. I have read numerous parenting books. Everyone has a solution. Everyone has an answer. Everyone has a method.

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Full text from September 6, 2007 by Brad
Filed as: The Three Eyes

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THE SKEPDAD BLOG is a place for rational, science-minded fathers to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas about bringing up kids to be critical thinking adults in a world filled with superstition, mysticism, and pseudoscience.

MINIBLOG: Obama Trend - What does the election of Barack Obama mean for the course of science and science education in the US in the coming four years? How will this impact internationally? Discuss.
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MINIBLOG: Purity - We watched a documentary last night on TLC about the Purity Movement. Nothing like a good old fashioned biblical excuse to wrap one’s daughter in a bubble of ignorance and second class gender roles like a “sign this contract with your dad re: sex” to set society back a couple centuries. It’s as if they’re [...]
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MINIBLOG: Brain Games - I’m researching. (Or that’s what I’m calling it.) I picked up one of those “intelligence” and “brain training” games for my PSP last week. How smart will I become thanks to this five dollar exercise? Look out world: I’m about to release unlimited potential of my hitherto confined mind. *sigh*
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MINIBLOG: Drinking Skeptically, October 22 - If you haven’t made plans to attend the Edmonton Skeptics’ Pub Night tonight, there’s still time. See you there.
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TWITTER: skepdad thinks you should check out the second edition of the Skeptical Parent Crossing, Blog Carnival... >> 13 hours ago
Brad adds: As of October 2007, I'm soliciting interest for skeptics in the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area who are interested in forming a skeptical society to contact me. Please do so through this blog or via Facebook (through the Edmonton Skeptical Society Group).

Or visit our new website: www.edmontonskeptics.org
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
- Mark Twain