General-Subject Materials Note: I don’t repeat this content in subsequent sections. Core Knowledge has an extraordinary number of resources, many available as free pdf downloads, covering basic reading and writing, language arts, history, math, and science. Also, E. D. Hirsch, Jr., who is behind Core Knowledge, edited a set of books What Your [First] Grader … The post Resources for Homeschoolers appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

I’m “sticking” this introductory post to the top of my page. These days mostly I am writing mostly for my two Substacks, Self in Society, of general interest (mostly about culture), and Colorado Pickaxe (mostly about state politics). Posts there are free to read and released every few days. Please sign up to both sites … The post Follow Ari’s Work appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

Here I’m going to collect random notes about growing up and self-improvement. Just because I link to something here doesn’t mean I endorse all of its contents. First published on July 31, 2023. Happiness: Michael Shermer interviewed Gad Saad about The Saad Truth about Happiness. Saad emphasizes the importance of a good marriage and a … The post Advice on Growing Up and Self-Improvement appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

I finally got around to reading Peter Singer’s The Expanding Circle (Princeton, 2011). I love the book and agree with its central thesis that biology gets ethics started but that human reason pushes it forward. I also find various problems with the book. Following are my summary notes with commentary. Numbers in parentheses refer to … The post Notes on Peter Singer’s Expanding Circle appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

Drawing on her dissertation work on moral habits, philosopher Lisa Thomas-Smith (now at Clemson) discusses the nature of and need for habits, methods for improving our habits, cultural influences on people’s habits, recent cultural shifts for better and worse, and more. Time Markers:00 Intro1:02 What moral habits are and why we need them5:30 Cognitive limits … The post Lisa Thomas-Smith on Moral Habits appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

“Media trust hits new low,” Axios notes, based on the Edelman “trust barometer” (and I trust this source!). Fifty-eight percent of Americans thought “most news organizations are more concerned with supporting an ideology or political position than with informing the public.” I think the public vastly underrates the quality of the news media. Almost all … The post Countering Bias about Media Bias appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

Philosopher Michael Huemer, author of Knowledge, Reality, and Value (paid link), discusses the meaning of rationality and objectivity, explains why the distinction between fact and opinion is more complex than many people presume, and promotes intellectual virtues. This is the Self in Society Podcast #24. Listen on iTunes. Time Markers:00 Intro2:03 Justice before the Law … The post Michael Huemer on Rationality and Objectivity appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

Steve Spangler, host of DIY Sci, discusses how parents and teachers can foster kids’ love of science and help children discover their “spark” in life. He also shares his thoughts on the development and future of online education and recounts his experiences as a pioneer in the field. This is the Self in Society Podcast … The post Steve Spangler on Engaging Science appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

Jason Stotts, psychotherapist and author of Eros & Ethos: A New Theory of Sexual Ethics (paid link), discusses sexuality as an expression of our ethical lives, analyzes the false choice of repression versus hedonism, and addresses gender identity and other aspects of our sexuality. This is the Self in Society Podcast #22. See also Stotts’s … The post Jason Stotts on Erotic Love appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more

Years ago, when first I tried to watch the 2004 Robert Zemeckis film Polar Express, I found the visual effects so bizarre that couldn’t sit through the film. But last year my young son watched the film on an Imax screen and loved it, so this year the family watched the film together at home. … The post Polar Express and the Limits of Belief appeared first on Ari Armstrong ..read more