1 . Waking up at the crack of dawn and going for a run might feel intimidating when you start trying to make it a habit. Weaving a significant new activity such as this into your regular routine obviously takes determination and time — but how much time is really needed to make that habit stick?

One popular idea suggests that it takes 21 days to solidify a habit. The “three-week theory” originated from the 1960 self-help book Psycho-Cybernetics, in which plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz observed that it took his patients about 21 days to get used to their new appearance after surgery. Even without much solid research, the 21-day myth became widely accepted. It likely persisted because it seems like such a reasonable amount of time, Colin Camerer, a behavioral economist at the California Institute of Technology who has conducted research on habit formation, explains.

Almost a half century later, researchers finally gathered strong evidence that countered this idea. A significant 2009 study on habit creation found that habits developed in a range of 18 to 254 days; participants reported taking an average of about 66 days to reliably incorporate one of three new daily activities — eating a piece of fruit with lunch, drinking a bottle of water with lunch or running for 15 minutes before dinner. Consistent daily repetition was the biggest factor influencing whether a behavior would become part of an automatic daily routine, says Lally, who was the first author on the study.

The type of activity is also a factor. Last year a study conducted by Camerer and his colleagues showed that creating a handwashing habit took a few weeks, compared with the half year it took for people to develop an exercise habit. Handwashing, the study noted, is less complex than exercising and offers more opportunities to practice. The researchers also suggested that habit formation depends on the effort that a person puts into practicing an activity and on the presence of environmental cues that would remind them to carry out the behavior.

2 . Some people only exercise self-discipline in the parts of their lives they think as necessities — such as turning up to work on time and getting the job done. But self-discipline is a skill that can be applied to every aspect of life. And the benefits can be great.     1     .

It will help you reach your full potential

When you have self-discipline, you are able to push yourself to achieve things you never thought possible. You set high standards for yourself and then work hard to meet them.     2    . It can also help you feel proud of yourself and your accomplishments. Ultimately, it can help you be the best you can be in all aspects of your life.

    3    

Self-discipline can help you get more done in less time. When you have self-discipline, you are less likely to waste time on things that are not important. This means you can use your time more effectively and get more done. This can lead to greater productivity at work, at home, and in your personal life.

It will help you be healthier

Self-discipline can also help you live a healthier life. When you have self-discipline, you are more likely to make healthy choices and stick to them. This means you will be less likely to overeat, smoke, or engage in other unhealthy behaviors.     4    . All of these things can lead to better physical and mental health.

It will help you be happier

Last but not least, self-discipline can help you be happier. When you have self-discipline, you are less likely to engage in self-destructive behaviors.     5     . This can lead to a greater sense of happiness and wellbeing.

So, as you can see, self-discipline can improve your whole life. If you want to be more successful, productive, and happier, then start working on your self-discipline today.

3 . In 2017, Irish President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina started the Young Irish Philosopher Awards, the purpose of which is to invite students from throughout that country to reflect on interesting questions and participate in philosophical thinking and discussion. In 2023, over 500 young thinkers came together at University College Dublin for the sixth annual gathering. The grand prize winner was Seán Radeliffe from Cork, for his essay ‘Has Plato’s tale of the cave been warning us of social media for 2,500years?’And speaking of Plato, in 2022, an award-winning documentary film entitled Young Plato received international recognition. It focuses on how Kevin McArevey, the headmaster of a primary school in Belfast’s Ardoyne housing estates, uses critical thinking techniques to empower young children to look beyond the boundaries of their violence(For more, see YoungPlato. com). As one can see, philosophy is alive and well in both the Republic of Ireland and the UK constituent country of Northern Ireland.

Ireland has traditionally been known as the Land of Saints and Scholars. In this edition of Philosophy Now, we’ll cast a cold eye on the state of philosophy past, present and future in the Emerald Isle, with a focus on Thomas Duddy’s idea, in his book A History of Irish Thought, that such an exploration must be both practical and creative.

This issue is dedicated to my late friend Seán Moran, a Philosophy Now writer and a modern Irish philosopher whom I met in Waterford many years ago, and whose humor, charm, and friendliness enriched my life. Like Tom Duddy, Seán died much too young. He demonstrated to me the true meaning of William Butler Yeats’s closing words from his poem ‘The Municipal Gallery Revisited’:

“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends

And say my glory was I had such friends.”

Prof. Timothy J. Madigan

St John Fisher University

4 . The ranking of universities and colleges at the national global level is a well-known doubtful practice. Imperfect approaches generate inaccurate results of these institutions. Nowadays, prestigious (有威望的) law and medical schools have started to walk away from this “evaluation”.

There are two obvious methodological problems with all of this. One is that the numerical rankings suffer from false precision. Is there really a difference between No.10 and No.11 in the undergraduate (本科生) school rankings? Johns Hopkins University famously had a plan called“10 by 20”with the goal of getting to No.10 by 2020. Hopkins is a great undergraduate institution — whether it’s No.10 or No.11 is meaningless, but it did indeed make it into the top 10 ahead of schedule, which no doubt delighted its trustees and students.

The other methodological problem is that rankings reward those schools that promote measurements by admitting students who have had the advantages of better pre-college education and test preparation coaching, and whose wealth will make them likely future donors. Equally worthy applicants without such resources will fail to enter the schools.

The good news is that in recent months, a reckoning (清算) has begun. Last September, Columbia University chose not to participate in the undergraduate rankings after an enterprising professor discovered that the school was fudging its own numbers. If Columbia’s data were corrected, it would drop from No. 2 to No. 18. Two months later, law schools began pushing back. Yale and Harvard Law Schools announced that they would refuse to provide data to U. S. News, and several outstanding law schools followed suit.

This resistance to rankings has now begun in the world of science. This is a great sign. In announcing its decision, the dean of Washington University’s medical school said, “…it is time to stop participating in a system that does not serve our students or their future patients.”

6 . The weather in Texas may have cooled since the recent extreme heat, but the temperature will be high at the State Board of Education meeting in Austin this month as officials debate how climate change is taught in Texas schools.

Pat Hardy, who agrees with the views of the energy department, is resisting proposed changes to science standards for pre-teen pupils. These would emphasize the significance of human activity in recent climate change and encourage discussion of reduction measures.

Most scientists and experts sharply argue against Hardy’s views. “They casually view the career work of scholars and scientists as just another misguided opinion,” says Dan Quinn, senior communications strategist at the Texas Freedom Network, a non-profit group that monitors public education. Such debates reflect fierce discussions across the US and around the world, as researchers, policymakers, teachers and students step up demands for a greater focus on teaching about the facts of climate change in schools.

A study, looking at how state public schools across the country address climate change in science classes, gave barely half of US states a grade B+ or higher. Among the 10 worst performers were some of the most populous states, including Texas, which was given the lowest grade (F) and has a huge influence because its textbooks are widely sold elsewhere.

Glenn Branch, the center’s deputy director, cautions that setting state-level science standards is only one limited norm in a country that decentralizes (使分权) decisions to local school boards. Even if a state is considered a high performer in its science standards, “that does not mean it will be taught”, he says.

Branch points out that, even if a growing number of official guidelines and textbooks reflect scientific consensus (共识) on climate change, unofficial educational materials that convey more biased (带有偏见的) perspectives are being distributed to teachers. They include materials sponsored by libertarian think-tanks (智库) and energy industry associations.

7 . Education in 2080 is distinctive from education in the 2020s. Until about 2035, the main function of education systems was to supply the economy with the next generation of workers. In 2080, the purpose of education is the well-being of society and all its members. To make this a bit more tangible for you, I would like to give an example of what a child’s education looks like in 2080. Her name is Shemsy. Shemsy is 13, and she is confident and loves learning.

Shemsy does not go to school in the morning because schools as you know them no longer exist. The institution was abolished as it was widely thought of as more like a prison or a factory than a creative learning environment. Schools have been replaced with “Learning Hubs” that are not restricted to certain ages. They are where intergenerational learning happens, in line with the belief that learning is a lifelong pursuit.

Every year, Shemsy designs her learning journey for the year with a highly attentive “teacher-citizen”. Shemsy is actively engaged in designing her education and has to propose projects she would like to be involved in to contribute to and serve her community. She also spends lots of time playing as the role of play in learning has finally been recognized as essential and core to our humanity. Shemsy works a lot collaboratively. Access to education is universal, and higher education institutions no longer differentiate themselves by how many people they reject yearly. Variability between students is expected and leveraged (利用) as young people teach one another and use their differences as a source of strength. Shemsy naturally explores what she is curious about at a pace she sets. She still has some classes to take that are mandatory for children globally: Being Human and the History of Humanity.

We invite you to think about your vision for education in the year 2080, what does it look like, who does it serve,and how does it transform our societies?

8 . Teachers at an Atlanta elementary school hold a mirror up while students shout positive affirmations (肯定) to themselves. “We live in a tough neighborhood in Atlanta. It’s good to plant those seeds (种子) here,” a teacher said.

In a video that recently went viral (迅速传开), fourth-graders at Gideons Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia lined up to shout positive affirmations to themselves in a mirror while their teachers cheered them on. “I am smart!” “I am a good person!”

“The idea came from something I practice with my 5-year-old daughter,” said Neffiteria Acker, the teacher seen in the video holding the mirror.“ When we’re on our way to school, I have her repeat affirmations to me, starting with, ‘I am.’ Usually, I just ask her to tell me something good about herself. She’ll say, ‘I’m a fast eater,’ or, ‘I’m a fast runner.’ Then I’ll add to it, ‘You’re also really brave.’”

“It lifts her confidence. So I thought, ‘Why not bring that to the classroom? ’ ” she added.

Cierra Levay Broadway, the teacher who filmed the video, said she was moved while watching the students shout their affirmations. “It was an amazing moment,” she said. “I was really astonished when I saw the kids and heard what they were saying. For a lot of them, it was the first time they’d ever done that.”

The teachers understand the importance of building self-confidence at a young age, especially for students who do not have such an opportunity at home.

“In our neighborhood the kids hear a lot of negative things about themselves. So a seed of self-love is the best seed to plant, and all Broadway and I have to do is water it,” Acker said.