{"id":66,"date":"2026-04-08T14:45:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/?page_id=66"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:22:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:22:51","slug":"our-inspiration","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/our-inspiration\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Inspiration"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"66\" class=\"elementor elementor-66\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5b7390 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f5b7390\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b06f64c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b06f64c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24dffde e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"24dffde\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-714ee2f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"714ee2f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Optimocracy\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4687380 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4687380\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a class=\"navbar-brand\" href=\"index.html\">Passionate About Dispassion<\/a>`<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-077f908 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"077f908\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f363b25 elementor-nav-menu__align-center elementor-nav-menu--dropdown-tablet elementor-nav-menu__text-align-aside elementor-nav-menu--toggle elementor-nav-menu--burger elementor-widget elementor-widget-nav-menu\" data-id=\"f363b25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;layout&quot;:&quot;horizontal&quot;,&quot;submenu_icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;&lt;svg aria-hidden=\\&quot;true\\&quot; class=\\&quot;e-font-icon-svg e-fas-caret-down\\&quot; viewBox=\\&quot;0 0 320 512\\&quot; xmlns=\\&quot;http:\\\/\\\/www.w3.org\\\/2000\\\/svg\\&quot;&gt;&lt;path d=\\&quot;M31.3 192h257.3c17.8 0 26.7 21.5 14.1 34.1L174.1 354.8c-7.8 7.8-20.5 7.8-28.3 0L17.2 226.1C4.6 213.5 13.5 192 31.3 192z\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/path&gt;&lt;\\\/svg&gt;&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;},&quot;toggle&quot;:&quot;burger&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"nav-menu.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav aria-label=\"Menu\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu--main elementor-nav-menu__container elementor-nav-menu--layout-horizontal e--pointer-underline e--animation-fade\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-1-f363b25\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-home menu-item-88\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Optimocracy<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-87\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/resumption\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Resumption<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-86\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/engineering-mindset\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Engineering Mindset<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-85\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/our-inspiration\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Our Inspiration<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-83\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/contact\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Contact<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-84\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/about-us\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">About Us<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-toggle\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Menu Toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--open e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-menu-bar\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M104 333H896C929 333 958 304 958 271S929 208 896 208H104C71 208 42 237 42 271S71 333 104 333ZM104 583H896C929 583 958 554 958 521S929 458 896 458H104C71 458 42 487 42 521S71 583 104 583ZM104 833H896C929 833 958 804 958 771S929 708 896 708H104C71 708 42 737 42 771S71 833 104 833Z\"><\/path><\/svg><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--close e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M742 167L500 408 258 167C246 154 233 150 217 150 196 150 179 158 167 167 154 179 150 196 150 212 150 229 154 242 171 254L408 500 167 742C138 771 138 800 167 829 196 858 225 858 254 829L496 587 738 829C750 842 767 846 783 846 800 846 817 842 829 829 842 817 846 804 846 783 846 767 842 750 829 737L588 500 833 258C863 229 863 200 833 171 804 137 775 137 742 167Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"elementor-nav-menu--dropdown elementor-nav-menu__container\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-2-f363b25\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-home menu-item-88\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Optimocracy<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-87\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/resumption\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Resumption<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-86\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/engineering-mindset\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Engineering Mindset<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-85\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/our-inspiration\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Our Inspiration<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-83\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/contact\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Contact<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-84\"><a href=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/about-us\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">About Us<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a473b6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2a473b6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af21450 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"af21450\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d9b90c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9d9b90c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u201c[Problem Solving] is to Philosophy as Engineering Is To Science\u201d\n\u2013 Wes Kussmaul<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d57a943 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d57a943\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e45618 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7e45618\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"banner\"><blockquote class=\"blockquote\"><p>\u201cNice\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/section><section class=\"quoteSec\"><figure><\/figure><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5a8ed9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d5a8ed9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"banner\"><blockquote class=\"blockquote\"><section class=\"quoteSec\"><figure class=\"text-center\"><figcaption class=\"blockquote-footer\">\u00a0\u2013 David Spiegelhalter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/section><section class=\"content-padding\"><\/section><\/blockquote><\/section><section class=\"quoteSec\"><figure><\/figure><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-398620d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"398620d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I met David Spiegelhalter when he spoke at a salon hosted by my friends Manolis and Lucile Kellis in their home. His talk was a truly inspiring advocacy for a new academic discipline, which he calls \u201cProblem Solving.\u201d<\/p><p>After that meeting David and I corresponded about the importance of finding practical applications for the work of academia. I paraphrased something the distinguished Cambridge statistics professor had written earlier and asked whether I had gotten it right. In his reply he clarified it as:<\/p><div class=\"chat\"><p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t believe that statistics exists as an independent academic discipline &#8211; it&#8217;s an &#8216;enabling technology&#8217; that is used to solve problems.<\/p><p>Good luck with this essay.\u201d<\/p><p>Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter<\/p><\/div><p>I replied with<\/p><div class=\"chat\"><p>Dear David,<\/p><p>A thought I&#8217;d like to share:<\/p><p>Problem solving is to philosophy as engineering is to science.<\/p><p>Wes<\/p><\/div><p>To which Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter replied:<\/p><div class=\"chat\"><p>nice!<\/p><p>David<\/p><\/div><p>Well that made my day.<\/p><p>OK, enough bragging (for now :))<\/p><p>In my blog I quoted the American politician Marco Rubio who had remarked that \u201cWe need more welders and less philosophers.\u201d<\/p><p>I replied \u201cWe do need welders, and we need solvers of non-physical problems as well.\u201d<\/p><p>It takes innate cognitive ability plus years of training and experience for a welder to become really skilled. Welders focus on solving practical problems that are involved in the very needed and important job of joining metals in the most challenging situations.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>We need philosophers too. However, philosophers who just study and teach the five-to-eight branches of philosophy and never get around to putting that knowledge to practical use give philosophy the reputation it has earned for being an irrelevant, academic, ivory tower escape from the needs of real life. If they were to take the next step, analyze real world problems and boldly offer solutions crafted from their knowledge, people like Marco Rubio would lose their disdain for the profession and would learn to look to it for solutions to difficult problems.<\/p><p>Socrates and his spokesperson Plato set out to solve practical problems of governance 2500 years ago. Apparently their ideas were adopted by 500 years later, when the Romans sought ways to avoid having another dictator as their next emperor. Result: the reigns of\u00a0<strong>\u201cthe five good emperors\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0as they have come to be known. (Remaining problem: preventing a great emperor from appointing his less competent son as his successor.)<\/p><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-68\" src=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/coin-300x296.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/coin-300x296.jpg 300w, https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/coin.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p><p><strong>Optimocracy<\/strong>\u00a0is a proposed solution to the problem of failing public governance. I hope you like it.<\/p><p>And I hope David Spiegelhalter likes it.<\/p><p>Another problem that I feel needs to be addressed is a marketing problem: Sir David Spiegelhalter has created something valuable that many more people should know about.<\/p><p>These days, large numbers of people knowing about something is associated with branding. Actually branding is just a newer word for what has been known for millennia: new ideas need catchy names, e.g. \u201cPhilosopher King.\u201d<\/p><p>As I said to David Spiegelhalter, \u201cProblem Solving\u201d may be an accurate description of the discipline, but as a brand it is just terrible. (Full disclosure: he did not agree.)<\/p><p>We need a better name, a brand that means \u201cProblem Solving,\u201d something that identifies the application of the engineering mindset to problems we face in the domains of behavior and governance rather than domains of physical objects.<\/p><p><strong>[new name] is to Philosophy as Engineering is to Science.<\/strong><\/p><p>Suggestions welcome.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55dc7da elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"55dc7da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Optimocracy Passionate About Dispassion` \u201c[Problem Solving] is to Philosophy as Engineering Is To Science\u201d \u2013 Wes Kussmaul \u201cNice\u201d \u00a0\u2013 David Spiegelhalter I met David Spiegelhalter when he spoke at a salon hosted by my friends Manolis and Lucile Kellis in their home. His talk was a truly inspiring advocacy for a new academic discipline, which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_canvas","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-66","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115,"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/66\/revisions\/115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/optimocracy.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}