Every hero story, every epic fantasy tale ultimately distills into a force of good coming against a force of evil, and it’s the struggle between the two that drives an interesting plot, because it alludes to the battle between good and evil in our own world. In the polarized world, traditional morality has been thrownContinue reading “How Good and Evil Ignore Tribal Lines”
Author Archives: Christian Poole
Confessions of a Bibliophile
Less than two years ago I became a bibliophile when researching what kind of education would be best for my kids and reading Susan Wise Bauer’s A Well Educated Mind. Reading that one book instilled an infectious desire to read the greatest books of the world, and hence I began to love books despite myContinue reading “Confessions of a Bibliophile”
What is a Classic Book?
There’s no single answer for what a “classic” book is. For anyone who ventures an answer, many others will disagree and propose their own definitions, such as the 14 various definitions offered in a New York Review article – none of which I agree with. I found most of these “definitions” to be tongue-in-cheek andContinue reading “What is a Classic Book?”
Insights from the Lord of Montaigne on Education
Who better to inquire about education than a famed 16th century nobleman who inscribed excerpts of wisdom on the wooden beams of his library? Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (often called simply “Montaigne”) authored the heavily influential Essays, an outpouring of his natural philosophies, and had much to say on education. The first thing he tellsContinue reading “Insights from the Lord of Montaigne on Education”
Learning History, The Right Way
The typical history class goes like this: “The Peloponnesian War was fought by the Delian league, led by Athens, against the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta, during the years spanning 341 to 404 BC. The Delian League leveraged the sea might of Athens, while the Spartans assaulted primarily by land. Ultimately the war was wonContinue reading “Learning History, The Right Way”
6 Ways to Break Free from Big Tech
If you’re no fan of “Big Tech”, be it Facebook, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and the rest, you can make one small statement with the vote of which applications, websites, and software you choose. Since the major purge of hundreds, if not thousands, of social media accounts over the past few weeks, there’s no doubtContinue reading “6 Ways to Break Free from Big Tech”
The Origins and Impact of Relativism
I recently had an eye-opening discussion with an undergraduate student that began with the question, “Do you believe there is objective Truth?”. I expected she would take a few moments before giving an answer, but was surprised both with how quickly and how resolutely she answered “No”. Afterward, I asked a friend how anyone couldContinue reading “The Origins and Impact of Relativism”
What Did Socrates Do Wrong?
Socrates, father of western philosophy, was executed by his government, not for murder, assault, or robbery, but because of several non-violent charges brought against him. Here are the three main charges. 1. Teaches Falsehood One accusation brought against Socrates was that he “is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under theContinue reading “What Did Socrates Do Wrong?”
The Real Reason to be a Prepper
It’s not often I write about particularly time-sensitive topics, but the past several weeks have solidified my resolve to become a “prepper”. Ok, ok, I’m not making little tin foil hats and stuffing an underground bunker with five years worth of canned beans. I might use the term “prepper” a little more loosely than most,Continue reading “The Real Reason to be a Prepper”
2021 Resolutions: Read the Great Books
The time is here, where we make promises for the new year only to (on average) forget our resolutions within weeks, if not days. I’m proud to have finally completed a New Year’s resolution: one year of reading ‘The Greats’. The Past Year Around December of 2019, I discovered the 1952 Great Books of theContinue reading “2021 Resolutions: Read the Great Books”