“When I first was exposed to Buddhism in the mid-1960s, I said it was so practical and utterly pragmatic. That's what attracted me to Buddhism.” FirstsSaidBuddhismPracticalsExposed1960sPragmatic Author:Joan Halifax
“Intelligence is important in psychology for two reasons. First, it is one of the most scientifically developed corners of the subject, giving the student as complete a view as is possible anywhere of the way scientific method can be applied to psychological problems. Secondly, it is of immense practical importance, educationally, socially, and in regard to physiology and genetics.” WayGivingFirstsTwoImportantReasonProblemScienceViewsPsychologySubjectsStudentsImportanceRegardMethodCornersPracticalsPsychologicalImmenseGeneticsScientific MethodPhysiologyPsychological Problems Author:Raymond Cattell
“Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country.... I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this.... It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating. None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me.” WayYearsFirstsCountryBeautifulFoundInspiringClassDesignCollegeTenComputerDecidedHistoricalPracticalsSubtleFascinatingCaptureApplicationInstructionReedsMacintoshStanford UniversityCalligraphyMacintosh Computers Author:Steve Jobs
“One of my first experiences with the space program was with the memorial that was built for the Challenger. When I was in 7th grade my entire class spent the entire school year preparing to launch a spaceship all together. We all had our different jobs that we had to learn how to do, we learned the math that you needed, we learned the practical skills that you needed, and I thought that was really cool. So I think that if you can take a tragedy and find the gold in it and turn it into something positive, that's great.” IfsThinkingYearsFirstsDifferentSchoolTogetherJobsTurnsSpaceClassNeededSkillsBuiltProgramGoldTragedyMathPracticalsGradesPreparingMemorialReally CoolSpaceshipsDifferent JobsSpace ProgramSchool YearsPractical Skills Author:Jonathan Nolan
“Socrates ... is the first philosopher of life [Lebensphilosoph], ... Thinking serves life, while among all previous philosophers life had served thought and knowledge. ... Thus Socratic philosophy is absolutely practical: it is hostile to all knowledge unconnected to ethical implications.” ThinkingFirstsPhilosophyPhilosopherPracticalsEthicalHostileImplicationsSocratic Author:Friedrich Nietzsche
“Our practical choice is not between a tax-cut deficit and a budgetary surplus. It is between two kinds of deficits: a chronic deficit of inertia, as the unwanted result of inadequate revenues and a restricted economy; or a temporary deficit of transition, resulting from a tax cut designed to boost the economy, increase tax revenues, and achieve -- and I believe this can be done -- a budget surplus. The first type of deficit is a sign of waste and weakness; the second reflects an investment in the future.” FirstsBelieveKindTwoDoneChoicesI BelieveResultsEconomyCuttingAchieveTypeTaxesWasteWeaknessEconomicsIncreaseInvestmentDebtPracticalsBudgetsTemporaryTransitionTaxationRevenueDeficitInadequateBoostInertiaTax CutsSurplusUnwanted Author:John F. Kennedy
“The first and most practical step in getting what one wants in this world is wanting it. One would think that the next step would be expressing what one wants. But it almost never is. It generally consists in wanting it still harder.” ThinkingWorldWantFirstsStillsWould BeDesireNextStepsThis WorldHarderPracticalsNext Steps Book:Crowds: A Moving-picture of Democracy Source: Crowds: A Moving-picture of Democracy