Complexity

This week I heard Walter Bender speak. He is a professor at MIT, the former Executive Director of the MIT Media Lab and the Founder of Sugar Labs, a company which develops open source, Linux-based educational software for children.

One quote from Walter caught my attention. To paraphrase, Walter said "the richness of life is in the complexity...do not try to simplify things but rather develop the tools to understand the complexity".

A few thoughts on this idea.

1. It probably strikes most of us as counter intuitive, but he is correct.
2. In a sentence he has explained the development of intellectual thought
3. If we recognize teaching as giving us tools, we might transform a large part of the educational model

I think about teaching, learning and education a lot. Very worthwhile pursuit even if you are not a teacher or professor. Probably makes you a better learner or a better student.