What I Read This Week (2/15/25)

5 Ideas from The Beginning of Infinity, Surprising Health Benefits of GLP-1 Drugs (Ozempic), Hot CPI Inflation Report & Commodities Trends, Celebrated My Wife's Birthday, Seeing My Book in a Library

Every week, I like to share what caught my attention. This is from 2/9/25 to 2/15/25.

Timeless Ideas💡

5 Ideas from David Deutsch’s The Beginning of Infinity

I’ve always believed that education—real education—is about more than just facts and figures. It’s about the ability to see the world more clearly, to ask better questions, and to solve meaningful problems.

“Problems are inevitable, but problems are solvable.”

David Deutsch (The Beginning of Infinity)

David Deutsch expands on one simple human process:

1. Good explanation leads to knowledge.

2. Knowledge is unbounded

3. Therefore, progress is infinite.

This idea shifts how we see the world. If all problems are solvable, then what’s stopping us?

Insufficient knowledge.

Every obstacle we face—whether in learning, relationships, or career—can be traced back to something we don’t yet know.

But here’s the exciting part: knowledge is unbounded. The more we learn, the more we can create. Progress has no ceiling.

There are five ideas that Deutsch shares in his book that I think are worth pondering.

1. Everything that isn’t forbidden by the laws of nature is achievable—given the proper knowledge.
   This means that our biggest limitation isn’t talent or background—it’s simply not knowing enough yet. And knowledge? That’s something we can work on. Human potential is infinite if we seek and apply knowledge. The more we learn, the more we can create.

2. Creativity is our ultimate leverage.
   Without human creativity, the universe would be an empty expanse of gas. Our ability to imagine, design, and build makes us powerful, and learning fuels creativity. Creativity transforms ideas into tools, wealth, and moves the world forward.

3. All problems are solvable.
   If we treat life as an ongoing series of problems to be solved, we stop seeing roadblocks as permanent. The most successful people aren’t the ones who never fail—they’re the ones who get better at solving problems. The biggest opportunity comes from the biggest problems…and they are solvable! The principle of optimism is that all evils are caused by insufficient knowledge. Failures happen simply because we don’t know enough (yet).

4. The quality of our explanations determines our progress.
   Good explanations are hard to vary. They hold up under scrutiny. If we want to learn better, we should focus on understanding—not just memorization. Ideas that can be easily changed, twisted, or redefined are usually inadequate explanations.

5. Knowledge reshapes our future.
   Humanity's progress—from medicine to technology to philosophy—comes from a better understanding of the world. The same applies to our personal lives. The better we understand something, the more options we have. Human progress comes from our ability to create explanations, understand, and transform the world. This is what sets us apart from all other species and monkeys.

What I Took From This:

• Knowledge drives infinite progress.

• Creativity drives transformation.

• All problems are solvable.

• Optimism is seeing problems.

• The truth lies in good explanations.

• Knowledge reshapes our future.

If we aren’t breaking the laws of physics, it is possible—we just don’t know how. I find that extremely exciting, meaning the path forward is always within reach.

If something prevents us from achieving our wildest dreams, we can always start solving that problem by asking: What am I missing? What do I not know yet?

New Idea 🌟

New Study Reveals Surprising Health Benefits of GLP-1 Drugs (Ozempic)

A recent study in Nature Medicine examined the benefits and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), a class of medications primarily used for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity. While these drugs are effective for weight loss, the study highlighted several other effects:

• Reduced Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes: In a 176-week Phase 3 trial, tirzepatide, a GLP-1RA, lowered the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes by 94% in adults with pre-diabetes and obesity or overweight.

• Improved Heart Health: Tirzepatide demonstrated a 38% reduction in heart failure outcomes—such as urgent visits, hospitalizations, or cardiovascular death—in adults with heart failure and obesity.

• Potential Health Risks: Some weight-loss medications, including certain GLP-1RAs, might increase the likelihood of developing conditions like arthritis.

Eli Lilly's CEO, David Ricks, has expressed confidence in the company's extensive clinical trial program and emphasized its commitment to advancing treatments in the weight loss and diabetes sectors.

There has also been some talk about using GLP-1 drugs to help fight addictions, but I couldn’t find any solid information about that.

While GLP-1RAs offer significant benefits, they also carry risks. Of course, of course consult healthcare providers to determine if these medications are appropriate for their individual health needs.

You can read more about it in the links below:

Nature

Eli Lilly Investor News

What I See In Markets 📈

Hot CPI Inflation Report & Commodities Trending Up

Honestly, the latest inflation report doesn’t look good. Here’s what I saw:

• Annual Inflation Rate:

  • January 2025: 3.0%

  • Previous Month (December 2024): 2.9%

• Monthly Change:

  • January 2025: +0.5% (the highest since August 2024)

• Core CPI (excluding food and energy):

  • Annual Rate: 3.3%

• Sector-Specific Changes:

  • Food Prices: +0.4% monthly

  • Energy Costs:

    • Total: +1.8% monthly

    • Gasoline: Significant increase within the energy sector

• Shelter Costs:

  • +0.4% monthly, contributing substantially to CPI due to its significant weight in the index.

Basically:

• Inflation has moderated from its peak but remains elevated in some key sectors.

• I personally think this is more of a reason for the Federal Reserve not to cut rates any time soon. As I’ve been saying for the last few months, rates will be higher for longer.

In addition to a pretty hot inflation report, commodities have been trending up over the last 3 months. If you aren’t aware, higher commodity prices lead to higher inflation too.

So, what does this mean for my portfolio?

Nothing big. I see it as an opportunity to buy more growth stocks over the long term. As their cash flow gets discounted more due to higher-than-expected rates, their stock prices should face headwinds (have trouble going up). As a long-term investor, I think this is great.

You can read more about it here.

Personal Update 💙

Celebrated My Wife’s Birthday

Many people who talk to me regularly know that my wife’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day, so it’s a pretty special day in our house. My wife requested donuts, a shopping spree, a masterclass subscription, and a day when the girls were out with Dad.

My wife stays at home with my two crazy daughters, so she deserves the day, and I was excited to spend it with them. I took my daughters to a nearby children’s museum, and they had a blast. It was a pretty enjoyable experience for me, partly because my phone died, and I was disconnected from the internet and other people for a few hours.

I was lucky enough to capture this moment before my phone died.

I Saw My Book in the School Library

It was so cool to see my book on display in the library at my work. I know I put a lot of work into it, but I often forget all the cool things a book can do.

Seeing my book with a Dewy Decimal System number was especially neat. It’s still surreal to me that I publish a book. I’m so grateful to have supportive coworkers and a welcoming community of people who encourage and promote my creative work.

The librarian showed me the display when I came to help decorate for Black History Month.

I hope a student picks up a copy and learns something that resonates with them.