564. Philosophy and the Scientific Method

"It appears to me that those who, in proof of any assertion, rely simply on the weight of authority without adducing any argument in support of it act very absurdly. I, on the contrary, wish to be allowed freely to question and freely to answer you without any sort of adulation, as well becomes those who are in search of the Truth." - Vincenzio Gallilei, father of Gallileo Gallilei. The lesson here is to verify everything by experiment rather than simply accepting the conclusions of the so-called experts. In life, philosophical, material, scientific and financial you should follow the rule never to accept or reject blindly any proposition given but to attemtpt to put it into practice for yourself and see what the actual effects are.

9.Experiment with Life

Be courageous in your willingness to experiment with life. Do not let mundane considerations prevent you from asking the "What if...?" questions. Experimentation is natural to you as a child but as we grow older and take on more and more cares and worries we lose the ability to experiment. The tendency is to grow more fearful and to become rigid in our thinking. Resist this change. Take up painting and sculpture and know that there is a block of your time allocated each week where you go into your studio and practice your art, experimenting with new materials and techniques. This will help you to keep your mind flexible.