Hi Kitty,

since i'm an original french-speaking Canadian : Would by any chance
have suggestions to make as to what i could read(t.v. aside) to get
as much as vocabulary as i wish to have ? I wish you could just
transfer what's already in your brain to mine :-), that'd be so much
easier, but unfortunately, it can't be done.

As you suggested writing fiction or non-fiction is a good way.
Moreover, i never use french/english dictionaries, rather i use
eng./eng. ones. I really want to fluent in english, and i will !!
Once i have my mind set on something, then only the time factor
seperate me from my goal.

I'm sure if you were to be my teacher for instance, i'd learn an
awful lot from you.........i mean you really seem to have more
vocabulary than the average english speaking individual, am i right ?

Have a good night....


[Chip is repeating a question he sent to me in a private email to which I
responded and also asked that he post it here since I think others may profit by
the response.

I do not think that you can improve your vocabulary (in any language) in
isolation (or that it would be very useful) without also improving your thinking
and writing. Thus, you should only seek to improve your English vocabulary while
you also improve/hone your thinking ability and philosophical views. There are
a number of authors/books that I can suggest; here are just a few that come
quickly to mind:
Henry Hazlitt - economics writer; the tops, IMO, for making free market
economics understandable to laypersons http://www.mises.org/hazlittbio.asp
http://www.cooperativeindividualism.org/hazlittbio.html
"Economics in One Lesson" - should be a textbook in high schools
"Science of Thinking" - excellent guide written when the author was only
21 years; updated slightly twice later; currently out of print but some copies
available on used book market. I've got one I wouldn't part with for anything.

Frederic Bastiat - invaluable contributor in the 1800s on the free market.
Wrote numerous pamphlets that were very popular in his day and are still very
much worth reading. http://www.mises.org/fredericbastiat.asp

Ludwig von Mises - extremely learned economist of the early and mid 20th
century who had an uncharacteristic understanding for his time (and even now) of
the requirements and motivations of humans for their lives on earth.
http://www.mises.org/mises.asp His works are more technical then those of the 2
above since he was writing for fellow economists, but the value of what he wrote
is worth the mental exercise. A number of his students (particularly Murray
Rothbard) and their students have written other almost countless essays and
books on Austrian Economics (the school of thought based on the works primarily
of von Mises) and can be reached through the link above.

Ayn Rand - philosopher novelist in the mid 20th century who was extremely
influential on current libertarian type thinkers; my first introduction to
rational thinking was her writings. All her works are in print and many
websites exist about her and her writings; some are unfortunately hosted by
acolytes who have not digested and progressed, but merely regurgitate her works.
"Anthem" - very short novel about a dismal collectivist future where
even the word "I" has disappeared from the human language and how one man
rediscovers it. I read this first at the age of 16 in studyhall my 3rd year. (45
mins without stopping; when I did at the conclusion, I remember gazing at the
clock on the library wall in a state of amazement.)

Robert A. Heinlein - Grand Master sci-fi writer in mid 20th century with a
heavy dose of rationality in his protagonists and many of the societies he
portrayed. His most famous character, Lazarus Long, has been one of my and
Paul's greatest fictional heroes - living thousands of years, exploring hundreds
of worlds, and confronting and resolving problems along the way. LL's tidbits
of wisdom are priceless. http://www.robertaheinlein.com/ is just one of many
sites about his numerous works of which Paul and I have probably read virtually
all.


The above are just a brief sampling of writers Paul and I have read and still do
periodically. There are also a number of good suggestions for expanding your
world - and therefore your vocabulary - from the links on MoreLife Links page
and the links within the Practice and Science Indexes as well as the Glossary.

As Hazlitt recommnends in his guide on thinking, writing one's thoughts is an
invaluable way to improve one's thinking. Writing critiques of what one reads
provides the combined value of exploring new or deeper ideas and then exercising
one's brain by formulating analyses and evaluations. The old adage of "use it
or lose it" applies to all parts of the human body; the human brain as the
essential organ for man's survival (he's slower and weaker than many other
animals on earth), let alone his progress, requires far more attention than,
unfortunately, most people give it.

Good reading and clear thinking to you! **Kitty

PS. All those like Chip for whom English is not their first language, are really
at an advantage since proficiency in more than 1 language is extremely mentally
stimulating. But of course this also applies to those who speak multiple
languages (not just related dialects), none of which may be English. However,
since so much of the accumulated knowledge through the ages has been stored in
English and it is a dynamically changing language, it is the most logical for
those communicating on the Web. Still, being able to go back to the original
language of the writer - say Bastiat's "The Law" in French, would be a good
experience. It's especially desirable when reading technical papers since
sometimes a limited English speaking researcher's/academic's translation does
not convey complete clarity. **Kitty]

[It is probably even more important to read and critically analyze things with
which you do *not* agree than those with which you do agree (and will likely not
think about so deeply, but merely "nod" and proceed). But "nodding and
proceeding" are not what digesting, understanding and learning are all about.
Even when you agree with something, you must focus on every aspect of it and
consider all possible alternatives in order to truly understand it. In the same
manner, when finding something with which you disagree, it is not sufficient to
merely think/say "I disagree", "that's wrong", etc. If you cannot formulate a
coherent, logical argument demonstrating and stating (in writing) *why* you
disagree and *why* the statement/idea is incorrect, then you really have no
*grounds* for your statement of disagreement. (All you will have done is
asserted your *opinion*.) Writing down your argument is imperative when
analyzing and arguing in this manner because:

- it gives you time to think more deeply about the issues involved,
- enables you to step "outside" for a different viewpoint, and
- allows you to revisit your argument after a period of additional consideration
by you mind's background processors and with the new perspective gained by the
passage of time.

During this process you will almost certainly need to consult dictionaries and
thesauruses (thesauri? -:) in order to hone the description of your argument. An
additional aid would be to get a second party to read and try to understand your
writing once you have got it to a high level of completion on your own.
These same needs (albeit somewhat less) also apply to merely writing a
comprehensive report on something which you have read so that you or others can
truly understand it. --Paul]