ThinkingWest Moves to Substack!

Our latest writing is now published on Substack. Follow our weekly content there at https://thinkingwest.substack.com/ We continue to highlight the great minds and ideas that built the West through in-depth articles on history, culture, literature, and the Great Books. We’d love for you to subscribe over there!

Consequences of Leaving an Agrarian Society

The 20th century witnessed a rare and irreversible shift, not seen since the ancient nomads planted their feet and began to work the land: a societal evolution.  The first societal evolution was from nomadic to agrarian. Thousands of years later, our familiar agrarian society has finally given way to a mechanized society.  Up until thisContinue reading “Consequences of Leaving an Agrarian Society”

The Hidden Cost of a Robotic World

With a sense of tragic fatalism I admit that robotics and AI are our future. There seems no way to turn back the dial on technological development, even if unintended consequences loom over much of the population. Aside from the entrepreneurial spirit which propels such new technologies, it appears evident from history that technological advantageContinue reading “The Hidden Cost of a Robotic World”

The Capacity for Good of an Ordinary Man

Mother Teresa, M.L.K. Jr., and Gandhi stand out as a few of the most influential conduits of charity to the 20th century world. Though not perfect, such philanthropic leaders, whether bringing material or spiritual or ethical goods to many people, are recognized by general consensus to have brought an outsized proportion of good to theContinue reading “The Capacity for Good of an Ordinary Man”

On the Proliferation of ‘New History’

Historic literacy has reached all-time lows in the United States. In a recent poll conducted in 2020 and reported on by Forbes, only 15% of 8th-graders scored at or above grade level in the subject of U.S. history. This grim statistic should not surprise anyone who’s paying attention as our culture continuously enforces a mindsetContinue reading “On the Proliferation of ‘New History’”

[Video] Tytler’s Cycle of Civilizations

In this video we discuss Tytler’s Cycle of Civilizations, which describes the cyclical nature of societies’ rise and fall. Let’s explore the stages in further detail so we can understand where modern society rests within the cycle.

The Aim of Technology from a Christian Perspective

Have you ever asked why create new technologies? Every year, companies and governments around the globe spend billions of dollars on the research and development of new technologies. The most common answer to the question will invariably be “technology makes life easier”, and it does that very well in most cases.  However, is ease aContinue reading “The Aim of Technology from a Christian Perspective”

The Dark Side of ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence

ChatGPT is an AI language model that has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate and access information. However, it also has negative impacts on society that need to be considered. In this essay, we will explore some of the most significant negative impacts of ChatGPT on society. One of the most significant negativeContinue reading “The Dark Side of ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence”

The Uncommon Act, the Moral Arc, and How We Should Consider Historical Figures

In recent years angry protesters across the United States have toppled several statues depicting historical figures from America’s past. Much of this anger is driven by outrage at the atrocities in which these historical figures were involved.  Unfortunately, much of this anger has been targeted at individuals whose contribution to American history isn’t completely negative inContinue reading “The Uncommon Act, the Moral Arc, and How We Should Consider Historical Figures”

TW on Youtube: Dangers of Democracy

The word “democracy” appears exactly zero times in the United States Constitution. And yet, no form of government is celebrated with the same fervency as democracy. Recently, the phrase “Our Democracy” has been coopted by nearly every politician as an attempt to appeal to the populace’s supposedly unshakeable faith in the voting process. Appeals toContinue reading “TW on Youtube: Dangers of Democracy”