Edward Library

  1. It is the role of science to let us know the facts. Mystics rejoice in riddles and wish for them to remain mysterious. Scientists rejoice in riddles for a different reason: they give them something to do. mobile e-book: 320p In the past, humans practiced totemism, animism, and shamanism, offering sacrifices to improve the weather, performing rain rituals, or, as in the legend of mantou from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms where twenty head-shaped buns were offered to a river god to calm its waters, taking various measures to appease the wrath of gods through sacrifice. However, because science has developed, modern humans can now predict, to some extent, why weather phenomena like the rainy season and typhoons occur and where they will strike. We can even induce rain through artificial rain technology. Thus, when we are ignorant of the facts, things may seem miraculous and be seen as the work of gods, but once we know the facts, we can understand them. It seems that humani...

  1. Let's Reflect on Ourselves "When you pay attention to your own experiences when you get angry at your child's behavior, you begin to realize how much your reactions have interfered with an ideal relationship with your children." (e-book p. 70) There are moments when I get particularly angry at a specific behavior of my child. I ask myself, "Why does this action make me so angry?" and "Why am I reacting so sensitively?" I reflect on whether I, too, received negative feedback for the same behavior in the past. By contemplating my anger and looking back at my past, I come to understand the root cause of my sensitivity to that particular action. I realize that my specific reactions are also responses stemming from past experiences. Therefore, to change my behavior, I must first acknowledge the origin of my reaction and then consider how to change. Through this process, I can restore my bond with my child and achieve deep self-reflection. My ingr...

 I recently explored the world of quantum mechanics through a book called "The Quantum Story." The book interestingly explains the history of quantum mechanics in a narrative format. Based on its contents, I've summarized my understanding of key quantum concepts and my personal thoughts. Schrödinger's Cat and Superposition The most famous thought experiment in quantum mechanics is undoubtedly "Schrödinger's Cat." Inside a sealed box, a cat is placed along with a single radioactive atom that has a 50% chance of decaying in one hour. If the atom decays, a device releases poison, and the cat dies. After an hour, what is the cat's state before we open the box to "observe" it? According to quantum mechanics, the cat is in a state where life and death probabilistically coexist—a state known as superposition . Until observed, its fate is not determined. Two Interpretations: Copenhagen and Many-Worlds There are several interpretations of this ...

  1. Life Is Yours "It is your chosen perspective that determines whether you can become the person you want to be and realize the value of your life." Mobile e-book: 27p Even when faced with the same situation, everyone reacts differently. I believe that life's outcomes are ultimately determined by our own choices. I think our current state is a result of our past choices. For instance, writing this book review is a consequence of my past decision to read the book. And my improving writing skills (though still lacking) are a combination of past writing experiences before starting the blog, plus the experience of writing more and more since starting the blog. This has led to the current result where I can now quickly write a book review in 1-2 hours (and marking important lines while reading helps reduce time spent on quotes). Similarly, your current state is a product of your accumulated past experiences, efforts, and trials and errors. No one is good from the start. Wha...

  1. The Paradox of Selfishness: A Path to Equality "Human selfishness can, paradoxically, create a more egalitarian world. The government should not suppress selfish individuals or human selfishness because it is a rich natural resource. Conversely, over-reliance on human compassion or altruism can lead people to become foolish and the nation to become impoverished." (Mobile e-book: 117p) People desire to become wealthy. Companies operating under capitalism leverage their "selfishness" to gain wealth by creating better products or services than their competitors, all to acquire consumer wealth. If the government or national laws impede this, it could lead to economic contraction, similar to North Korea or China, where corporate ownership and wealth creation are controlled. While excessive monopolization is certainly an issue, even monopolies arise because there are no comparable substitute goods or competitors. For example, Apple and Samsung, Samsung and LG, Google...

  1. A Father Should Be the Tutor of His Own Household Just as a mother is truly the one who should nourish a child, a father is truly the one who should be the child's tutor. Parents must agree on their parenting styles and respective roles. A young child should be passed from the mother's hand to the father's. Although a father's knowledge may be inferior to the world's most competent teacher, it is better for a discerning father to educate his child. (Mobile e-book: 92p) When considering the father's role while a mother carries a child for ten months, gives birth, breastfeeds, and raises the child, I believe, as Rousseau suggests in the book, that the father should become the tutor of his own family. A household is created by the father and his wife, and rather than entrusting it to other professionals, the goal should be for the father to learn more and become a proper teacher for his child. Educational institutions can handle a child's schooling, but wh...