Most of us are never called on to do any great deed. But the character of the nation is determined mostly by how ordinary citizens behave during ordinary times. Here is a list of rights and duties — or just good things to do — as a citizen and a member of a society.
Read MoreAmerica gained it independence because a generation of our forefathers rebelled and defied authority. If we honor their actions, we must recognize that standing up to tyranny can sometimes be necessary. Below are some activities that can be the right or the duty of citizens when they are pushed beyond their limits.
Read MorePersonal integrity and self reliance are good. But they are not enough. They are the starting point, and not the final goal. The distinction between good self-reliance and bad self-reliance is whether the person thinks minding their own affairs frees them of obligations to others. Because that never happens. Every citizen owes care and cooperation and contribution to the society they are part of.
Read MoreAmerica in 2021 is not a healthy republic and few people think favorably of government. Too many Americans get their news from national sources and don’t understand the services that state and local governments provide. They are detached from opportunities to join and serve in their communities. So too few citizens volunteer or engage with public affairs because they don’t see a role for themselves. or because they see public affairs as dirty, even shameful. But there is no substitute for the “Let’s do it together.”
Read MoreEpistemology is the science of knowing – an orderly way of thinking about knowledge and making decisions about when something is proven. The essence of epistemology, in three words, is justified true belief. If you believe something, and if you have a good reason to believe it, and if it is indeed true, then it is reasonable to say that you know it. Let’s consider each of those requirements.
Read MoreIn a republic, the people supposedly have the real power and authority. That is what the phrase, “deriving their just power from the consent of the governed” in the Declaration of Independence means. But in America the vital question is seldom, “What do the people want?” It is more often, “What does the Constitution allow?”
Read MoreFrom an epistemological perspective, there are hard limits to how much can be known. The people in charge have to make difficult and necessary decisions. But you shouldn’t think those decisions were always based on good information. Information doesn’t just emerge out of necessity when we ask important questions.
Read MoreA well-told story is enjoyable and a good story teller is an artist. A good story doesn’t have to be true. But when you are looking for authoritative information to justify belief, you need to separate the facts from the narrative. Trust the facts, maybe. Don’t trust the narrative.
Read MoreYou can’t be content to say, “This is what I think.” You need to ask yourself, “Why do I think this? What is my evidence?”
Read MoreOur greatest challenge in knowing what’s true is deciding whether to trust sources. Most of the things we believe have been told to us by someone else rather than by us observing them ourselves. We trust sources for most of what we know. So it is especially dire that sources are so often unreliable. Here is a famous and notorious example.
Read MoreClick an icon to explore a subject deeper:
Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels
Click an icon below for more information about these major themes:
Powered by Squarespace.
