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Quote by Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a prominent figure in American history, serving as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a statesman, scientist, inventor, and writer, born on January 17, 1706, and died on April 17, 1790. Franklin is renowned for his contributions to electricity, his support for the American colonial independence movement, and his successful diplomatic efforts in France. more

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“I am my connectome—my brain network. There is no “will” that is free from physics and biology, no “soul.” If I were born into a different family, with different genes, my connectome would be different, and I would be making different decisions and ending up in a very different situation. At the same time, my connectome constantly chooses its subjective values and courses of action. So here they are. 1. I choose to be kind. No natural (or supernatural) law tells me this. Humans simply get to choose which world they want to live in. My understanding of the fact that I am just my connectome helps me feel humility and compassion for others. Because it could have been me. Always. I also choose to feel compassion for myself when things are tough. And when things are good, I choose to replace the feeling of pride with gratitude because… hello? 2. I also choose to seek truth and base my actions on objective truth. The reality. Whether I like it or not. This is what reason and rationality mean to me now. The scientific method is the pursuit of this objectivity. Beliefs in the supernatural (soul, god(s), afterlife, synchronicities, telepathy, etc.) are understandable but have no evidential basis. The burden of proof lies with those who make such claims. Such beliefs can easily lead to injustice due to their subjectivity, against which rationality and facts are helpless.”

ReasonScienceJusticeBrainCompassionKindness
Book:Just City
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