A Transformation from Rottenness to Ripeness, and a Lesson in Forgiveness: The story of Elwin Wilson, former KKK member, and John L. Lewis, civil rights activist and member of Congress
In light of the tragic events in Charlottesville, VA (I’m a Virginian, as most know, and I attended the University of Virginia for a year before transferring to the College of William & Mary), this account I relate briefly in my Philosophy of Childing of the...
Children, youth, democratic participation – and childing
I was on South Dakota Public Radio’s fabulous ‘In the Moment’ program yesterday, for the second time, with the incomparable host Lori Walsh, and was exhilarated and challenged, in the best sense, by her singularly probing questions. Though the...
After Freire and Unger — How Brazil’s Poorest Are Endowing the World Itself With Greater Plasticity
Neuroscience didn’t exist as a field in John Keats’ day, but the early nineteenth century romantic poet (1795–1821) offered a prescient paean to plasticity with his coinage “negative capability,” which denotes our capacity to transcend preconceived limitations, and...
How Philosophizing Behind Bars Can Set You Free
The Bergguen Institute asks this question on its Twitter account: “How can philosophy improve our prisons?” Its question was prompted by an article in BigThink.com on the question, “Do we need philosophy in prisons?” Clearly, Bergguen Institute...
After Charles Taylor — On the cruelties of willful misrecognition
From my The Philosophy of Childing, with some additions: According to the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor, a leading authority in identity politics, due recognition of our fellow humans is, as he puts it in Philosophical Arguments, “not just a courtesy we owe...
Yes, America (and NPR’s 1A), we can talk about guns
Today, NPR’s relatively new nationally syndicated program 1A (a great breath of fresh air that has replaced the Diane Rehm Show), it thoughtfully explored, ‘Why can’t we talk about guns?’ The thing of it is, though, we can. We the people do....
San Francisco Chronicle article on my Socrates, Constitution & Democracy endeavors
Really pleased that the San Francisco Chronicle picked up my article in Zocalo Public Square’s magazine NEXUS: The Magazine of Ideas. They didn’t let me know in advance, so I was wondering why all of a sudden I was receiving a bunch of inquiries from the...
Why we usually don’t choose questions ahead of time at an ongoing Socrates Cafe
The coordinator of one of our Socrates Cafes around the globe recently wrote to me with this comment and question: I have a question that I’ve heard many times here when I discuss the idea of the Cafe and it’s a fundamental question about the way Socrates...
Ending ‘know better-itis,’ reviving our democracy
Chris McGown, a really cool guy I’d just met in person for the first time earlier that day, came all the way from Kentucky to be part of our recent Democracy Cafe: A System Unrigged, at Takoma Park, MD, public library. Chris listened intently to all the views...Check out the Book:
