J.R.R. Tolkien is known today for best-selling novels in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. But all of Tolkien’s time was not spent dreaming up tales of Middle-Earth. In fact, he was creating a more realistic story through the life he lived with his wife and four children: John, Michael, Christopher, and
READ MOREMy knowledge of Sharia Law is modest. So when I came across an article on The Conversation—“What Sharia law means: Five questions answered”—written by Indiana University professor Asma Afsaruddin, I decided to learn a little more about it. I’m glad I did this, because apparently a lot of my assumptions on Sharia Law were
READ MOREWhen Dr. Charles Murray went to give a speech at Middlebury College at the beginning of March, he was met by a large crowd of student protesters and angry community members, some wearing black ski masks. Murray was unable to give his speech at the venue due to the protests and was forced to broadcast
READ MOREWhether you are pro-this or anti-that, a passionate believer in human dignity, or an ultra-rational utilitarian, your bioethics always has to begin with the facts. While knowledge of consequences is only part of ethical decision-making, it is an essential part. Surrogacy is one issue in which the public gets only a very partial vision of
READ MOREWe’re often told that the science on global warming is “settled.” Our planet is warming, humans are the primary or sole cause, and something must be done or our planet will soon look like this. But is that really the case? As it turns out, many distinguished scientists are not on board with this assessment.
READ MORE“Deadbeat Dads”—absent fathers who don’t provide financial support for their children—are one of the most significant factors contributing to child poverty in America. So why do some single women have children outside of marriage when they know they will receive little to no support from the child’s father? A 2014 study from the University of Georgia and
READ MOREThere is an enormous body of research out there that explores why modern American politics are so polarized. It’s also a question many Americans are asking. (The question comes up second on Google if one types in “Why is American politics…”.) There are many good theories out there. Bill Bishop’s “big sort” hypothesis suggests Americans
READ MOREOne of the central plots in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables concerns the fractious relationship between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. This friction primarily plays out in the classroom where Anne determines to get ahead of Gilbert in every subject even if it kills her: “Now Gilbert was head of the spelling class;
READ MOREWhether it’s hoop earrings, dreadlocks, or Taco Tuesdays, America seems to have a fascination with cultural appropriation. So much so, that it appears things are getting a little out of hand, a fact which author Kenan Malik noted in the New York Times the other day. According to Malik, various editors and artists who reference
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