[Chat Log] April-May 2019

[Jon Eckart]

Hey Eugene!

 

[Eugene]

Hey Jon, how goes it?

 

[Jon Eckart]

Pretty good. How're you doing?

 

[Eugene]

Fairly good. I was going cross-eyed grading papers, so I decided to unwind and cook something.

 

[Jon Eckart]

Grading papers? Sound fun. I just got done with dinner here (a little later than I wanted, but it works). I'm just putzing around on the computer a bit.

 

[Eugene]

It's self-inflicted, really. I ask my students to defend their ideas, so I can't just blow off my part of the work.

 

[Jon Eckart]

Well, that is something a good student should have to do... even if the idea is wrong, it's best to be able to stand behind it

 

[Eugene]

No doubt, it's a valuable skill to be able to reason out a defense of an idea, but I think it's just as important to understand possible weaknesses in positions, and where other positions might have merit.

 

[Eugene]

And importantly in a field like aviation, to be able to re-evaluate when presented with new or conflicting evidence, instead of simply digging in your heels.

 

[Jon Eckart]

And, in aviation, depending on the situation, you might have to think on your feet and make decisions on the move instead of having the chance to sit and think about it.

 

[Eugene]

Right, so you understand why I want my students to evaluate situations with a critical eye.

 

[Eugene]

But I admit, it is nice to step away for a moment and do something relaxing, hence the tamales.