Introduction I’ve begun attending monthly meetings of Socrates Café at the South Portland Library. Socrates Café is a gathering of citizens who get together by choice to discuss the big questions of life. Methods drawn from the book, Socrates Café, written by the program’s founder, Christopher Phillips, are used to guide discussion. The example of... Continue Reading →
Small Boost for “Big History”
When earthlings begin high school, it would be great if a credible, straightforward master narrative of our species were available for parents and teachers to tell in launching and guiding the children on their way toward mature adulthood and enlightened citizenship. There are, I know, innumerable stories available for this general purpose in world literature. Then, too,... Continue Reading →
Steely Dan and Accelerated Technological Change
Living entails an ever-accelerating mastery of new technology, and nothing much is needed to accomplish the feat. No soulful reflection, willpower, or guts are required to obtain the learning. For example, we were given a Wii game center twenty months ago, an Apple Ipad2 ten months ago, and a one-month Netflix trial, for $7.99, 8... Continue Reading →