Let him who would move the world, first move himself.
-Socrates
So you’re in college, huh? Why is that – to learn? To grow as an individual? To help make your world, and thus the world, better? Why stop once the spring semester ends? Invest in yourself – you’re worth it! Apply for and attend a free week-long summer seminar hosted through the Institute for Humane Studies.
Have a few minutes? Pretty sure of your views? Challenge yourself!
Here’s a taste of what you’re in for, compliments of Justin Longo: “To evaluate policies, you must have a framework or lens you use to determine what is good and bad policy. This is entirely foreign to most people.”
I’m a big advocate of thinking critically, of striking-the-root, and of consistency in views. Justin does a superb job making his case while doing all three.
I want to give you the tools to build a foundation that will guide you to a consistent philosophy. I don’t necessarily want you to agree with everything I’m about to say, but rather, to use the guidelines of establishing first principles to form your ideals. I believe it is extremely important to constantly “check your premises.” First principles are those premises.
“First principle” defined: foundational principle. Cannot be deduced from any other proposition – in other words, an irreducible principle. Sometimes called “axioms.” First principles have no assumptions built into them.
Things like this make it all worth it to me. A note I received from Melody Kazmarik in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania….
Kelly! My 13 yo daughter and I love your work. You are a much better role model than Lady Gaga. (more…)
What good things does your government do? Seriously. Ask yourself that question.
Are there some things now done by government employees that you’d rather not pay for (war)? Are there some things done by government employees that you’d still want done but recognize the current inefficiency (roads) and poor customer service (police)?
Surely those goods/services could be provided more-efficiently and more morally absent a monopoly.
Here’s a short ditty written by John Harvey. It’s catchy, smart and pretty spot-on:
From The Onion:
WASHINGTON—Striking down the judicial precedent that established the legal supremacy of right over wrong more than two centuries ago, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned Right v. Wrong.
The landmark reversal—a bitterly contested 5-4 decision that has been widely praised by murderers, rapists, bigots, usurers, and pro-wrong advocates nationwide—nullifies all previously lawful forms of right and makes it very difficult for Americans to make ethical decisions or be generally decent human beings without facing criminal charges. (more…)
I was always a rebel.
One of my earliest memories is of my mom telling me that touching the hot iron would result in burning my finger. Subsequently, I attempted to touch the iron with just my fingernail. Much to my disappointment, I got burned, but the experience didn’t dissuade my affinity for questioning the status quo and inventing innovative ways to subvert authority. My parents are both employed at institutes for “higher” education and always emphasized that earning good grades, going to a good (preferably Ivy League) college, and getting a good job is the way to achieve a good life. To them, such values are intrinsic and thus uniformly the best thing for every individual. I had different ideas. (more…)
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