In Praise of Tinkering

By Annie Murphy Paul

How the decline in technical know-how is making us think less

Follow TIME Ideas
Get our daily newsletter in your inbox
Submit a Letter

Send a letter to the editor here. These letters may be edited and posted on TIME Ideas.
___________________

Note: The views expressed on TIME Ideas are solely those of the authors.
TIME 100s

Mehmet Oz, M.D.

How to Make Sense of the Changes in Women’s-Health Guidelines

On Health & Science

Jeffrey D. Sachs

Why I Want to Be President of the World Bank

On Foreign Affairs

Martin Lindstrom

“Living in the Moment”: The Latest Marketing Meme

On Marketing & Advertising
Editors' Picks

Elections

Why Obama Hasn’t ‘Lost’ the South

Movies

Are Hollywood Men Trying to Gross Us Out?

Case Study

John Edwards Trial: Tawdry Testimony, But Was There a Crime?
Contributor Tweets

View More Tweets From @TIMEIdeas/contributors

Letters to the Editor

May 21, 2012

An Obvious Solution for Men, Women and Work

If America wants out of the current and future recessions, then we must become a pro-manufacturing, pro-production and pro-business model

May 21, 2012

Obama Has ‘Gotten It’ in Time

The assertion that Obama has no interest in assisting growth in the private sector is false

May 13, 2012

People Don’t Understand Breast-feeding Unless They’ve Done It

I'm glad you had the guts to put it on your cover.

Send us your letters | View more letters
Full ListMost Popular
Ideas

TIME.COM

A New First Amendment Right: Videotaping the Police
Mary Richardson Kennedy: The Denial of Depression
Cartoons of the Week: May 19–25
Cartoons of the Week: May 12–18
The Lesson of Jessica Barba and Her Bullying Video
Cartoons of the Week: May 5–11
Talking to Yourself: Not So Crazy After All
Strip Searches: The Supreme Court’s Disturbing Decision
How To Fix Pell Grants
Cartoons of the Week: April 28–May 4

How Cash Keeps Poor People Poor

E.T. Turns 30: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Our Favorite Extraterrestrial

No Spontanaeity Allowed: How to Visit North Korea as a Tourist in Four (Restrictive) Steps

A New First Amendment Right: Videotaping The Police

15-Year-Old Creates Test for Pancreatic Cancer

Fourth Flesh-Eating-Bacteria Case Confirmed in Georgia, Possible Fifth

Nevada Ghosts: Rare Photos From an A-Bomb Test

10 Dangerous Products You Might Have in Your Home

Euro Crisis: Why A Greek Exit Could Be Much Worse Than Expected

Star Wars Turns 35: How TIME Covered the Film Phenomenon
Cartoons of the Week

May 19–25, 2012
Facebook face-plants, plus other editorial cartoons from the week.
More on TIME.com

Political Picures of the Week, May 18-25

10 Dangerous Products You Might Have in Your Home

Memorial Day Tributes Around the World
Latest Views from
Historic TIME Letters

March 21, 1955

Carl Jung on The Couch

The famous analyst writes from Switzerland

November 4, 1996

Was the Press Taken In?

Peter Jennings stands by his broadcast

May 25, 1953

Starlit Disaster

A Titanic survivor speaks the facts