Feeding Mind, Pursuing Truth
Blog 3 Columns
- Home
- Blog 3 Columns
How Europe Climbed Out of the Dark Ages0
- Education
- March 23, 2016
I and many others have wondered if the West is on the cusp of a new Dark Age. In spite of the impressive technological achievements of the past two centuries, some worrying, recent trends in education suggest that the intellectual capital which helped accomplish these achievements is gradually dissipating. If we are on the cusp
READ MORE
Ben Franklin’s 5 Tips for Making Americans Better Writers0
- Education
- March 23, 2016
On average, American students demonstrate poor reading skills. Indeed, the most recent Nation’s Report Card shows that only 38% of high school seniors are proficient in this area. But high school writing skills are worse: only 27% of students – one in four – achieve proficiency in writing. In 1733 Benjamin Franklin noted, “It seems
READ MORE
Are Anti-Bullying Laws Preventing Critical Thinking?0
- Culture
- March 23, 2016
By now, we’ve all heard strange stories about zero-tolerance discipline policies singling out kids for, well, kid-like behavior. The Pop-Tart gun student is a prime example. In a recent edition of the Washington Post, Eugene Volokh highlights another unique discipline incident over – believe it or not – vegetarianism. As Volokh describes it, a sixth-grade
READ MORE
4 Logical Paradoxes That Will Blow Your Mind0
- March 23, 2016
Nothing fascinates quite like the good old classical paradox. Am I right? A couple of my favorite writers—G.K. Chesteron and Oscar Wilde—distinguished themselves as arguably the top writers of their day in literary paradox. So when I stumbled on a YouTube video (see below) exploring mind-bending logical paradoxes—those puzzles that seemingly offer no solution—I had
READ MORE
11 Last Words of Famous People0
- Culture
- March 23, 2016
This coming Friday marks the observance of Christ’s crucifixion, an event which is likely the most famous death in history. It’s often said that you can tell a lot about a person’s life by the way they behave at their death. For followers of Christ, his last words – “It is finished” and “Father, into
READ MORE
Yes, Mean Speech is Protected Speech0
- Politics
- March 22, 2016
It’s astonishing to me how many young people utterly fail to understand the First Amendment, particularly its provisions protecting the right of individuals and groups to peaceably speak and assemble. The general consensus seems to be that freedom of speech and assembly are all well and good—unless, of course, the speech is offensive, or the
READ MORE
Should Students be Taught to Spot Logical Fallacies?0
- Culture
- March 22, 2016
Ever since the particularly contentious and wild 2016 presidential election, an increasing number of articles have posed the question: “How do you talk to your kids about Donald Trump?” Or about the many other varied and wild political fights that occur with increasing regularity? The question largely revolves around Trump because of his sometimes controversial
READ MORE
Should Parents Stop Helping Their Kids So Much with Homework?1
- Education
- March 22, 2016
A child is capable of completing a homework assignment without his parents’ help. Astonishing, right? According to a recent New York Times piece by Kj Dell’Antonia on her own parenting experience, it would seem to be. But, Dell’Antionia’s experience is not unique in our culture that expects “good” parents to be hyper-involved. Dell’Antonia relates that
READ MORE
Read Castro’s Comical Response to Cuba’s Human Rights Crimes0
- Politics
- March 22, 2016
The two presidents greeted one another, smiling broadly, before dozens of flashing cameras in Havana’s Revolutionary Palace on Monday. The visit was historic. Though it was President Obama’s fourth meeting with Cuban President Raúl Castro, it was the first time a U.S. president had visited Cuba in nearly a century. After greeting one another,
READ MORE