5 questions for Juris Baltačs

1. What are you? 

I am a curious person who values truth more than consensus.

2. A book that you would recommend others to read – why?

Lying by Sam Harris. It is about why one shouldn't lie. It may seem self-evident that one should not, but each of us has sometimes responded dishonestly to the question "Does this new jacket suit me?" From this book, I found out why even white lies are damaging - they take away the opportunity to improve oneself.

3. TEDx talk, which you recommend watching – why?

Daniel Kahneman, “The riddle of experience vs. memory”.

In it, it clarifies a popular way in which we fool ourselves, mixing up our "remembered me" and our "experienced me". Even more, I like the fact that this explanation gets applied to the difficult question of "How to be happy?"

4. What inspires you and gives you energy?

I'm inspired by great joint achievements, for example, the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. A project lasting many years and worth billions on which numerous people have worked. Joint achievements of this kind reveal what we are capable of doing when we collaborate.

5. Why are you interested in critical thinking?

All of my life I have been a science enthusiast. I am interested in how things work and what their nature is. Critical thinking is the best way to reach the truth, or at least get closer to it.

Read more about Juris Baltačs professional experience here.