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Practically Idealistic blog
 
The title for this blog originated with use of the term “practical idealist” in this 1996 opinion piece, which asked: “To what kind of work should a practical idealist aspire?” A century and a half earlier, Emerson, in his 1841 essay Circles, wrote: “There are degrees in idealism.  We learn first to play with it academically. . . .  Then we see in the heyday of youth and poetry that it may be true, that it is true in gleams and fragments.  Then, its countenance waxes stern and grand, and we see that it must be true.  It now shows itself ethical and practical.”  John Dewey and Mahatma Gandhi embraced practical idealism in the 20th century, as did UN Secretary General U Thant.  Al Gore invoked it in a 1998 speech. In the context of this blog, the term is meant to convey idealism tempered but not overwhelmed by realism: a search for the ideal on a path guided by common sense.
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Saturday, January 25, 2014

New Seminars for New Haven Teachers

January 28 is the deadline for New Haven Public School teachers to apply to the 2014 seminars that the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute is offering.

7:56 am est 

Monday, January 20, 2014

MLK Jr. Day: “Martin’s Big Words”

Before today’s holiday, my son brought home from his school library the book Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King Jr., by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier.  My wife and I and both of our children enjoyed reading this book, which earned various awards upon its publication in 2001.

An August 2013 (August 25) post discussed our family’s trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. (and to the Lincoln) Memorial in D.C.

6:29 pm est 

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Physics Symposium

An October 2012 post mentioned the work of Q.N. Usmani, a physicist who is my father-in-law.  In recognition of his 70th birthday, there is a symposium this month; congratulations to him.

7:25 am est 

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Radiolab: Blood

Radiolab devoted a program to blood, a topic that this blog has occasionally addressed in encouraging people to donate blood.

10:44 am est 

Sunday, January 5, 2014

The GED 2:00 pm est 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Mentoring Month

National Mentoring Month begins today.

9:49 am est 


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