What is the purpose of education? One important goal of education is to liberate the mind and cultivate a sense of rational optimism. AncientGreek philosophers taught “Liberal Arts” to students in order to prepare them as free (liber) citizens.
Following are links to educational resources to help in your journey to greater freedom, confidence, empathy, creativity, and rational optimism.
Videos
- 10 Trends Every Smart Person Should Know Matt Ridley narrates this short animation about human progress.
- The Rational Optimist – Matt Ridley talks about the role of free trade and specialization in the advancement of human culture.
- Educating Confident, Curious, and Empathetic Students – Vivek Ramaswamy gives an inspired talk about how we educate our kids to be like some of the most creative people who have ever lived.
- Enlightenment Now – Steven Pinker gives evidence for human progress and talkss about the ways thinkers of the Enlightenment have contributed to this progress.
- The Best Stats You’ve Ever Seen – In Hans Rosling’s hands, data sings. Global trends in health and economics come to vivid life. And the big picture of global development — with some surprisingly good news — snaps into sharp focus.
- A Selfish Argument for Making the World a Better Place – Kurzgesagt, In a Nutshell – “It’s in your self interest for people around the world to become better off.”
- Deep Optimism -Matt Ridley
Books
- Ronald Bailey and Marian L. Tupy’s Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know
- Matt Ridley’s Evolution of Everything
- Deirdre McClosky’s The Great Enrichment
- Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments; Wealth of Nations
- Hans Rosling’s Factfulness
- Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman’s Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to get There from Here.
- Steven Pinker’s Enlightenment Now
- Johann Norberg’s Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future
- Robert Woodson’s Red, White, and Black: Rescuing American History from Revisionists and Race Hustlers
Web Sites
- Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) – Their misssion is to make the ideas of liberty familiar, credible, and compelling to the rising generation.
- 1776Unites.com. This movement (led by Civil Rights Activists and Black intellectuals) teaches history and values that liberate all Americans.
- TheFIRE.org – The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education –
- FAIR – Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (fairforall.org) – This nonpartisan organization is dedicated to advancing civil rights and liberties for all Americans, and promoting a common culture based on fairness, understanding and humanity. They defend civil liberties and rights guaranteed to each individual, including freedom of speech and expression, equal protection under the law, and the right to personal privacy. They support respectful disagreement and believe that bad ideas are best confronted with good ideas – and never with dehumanization, deplatforming or blacklisting.
- Human Progress.org
- American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA)
- Students for Liberty – They engage in open and civil discourse over how to best promote freedom.
A LAUD- RESPONSE TO CATHERINE RUSSELLS letter to the editor in the 1/31/22 Daily Camera; spot on! The relevance of this letter points to a substantive focus necessary for re-visioning our ‘ethos’ collectively; that is, a need to focus on FREEDOM—-that indivisible PURPOSE OF EDUCATION, which is to BECOME GOOD CITIZENS.
……While to become.”PRODUCTIVE” CITIZENS (is the purpose articulated in the mission for the Colorado Department of Education), the words are not ‘the thing’. Just as the quotes about freedom on this website exemplify, this “ethos” of freedom occurs and is transmitted when we become infused and engaged enough in learning (in life), that the process humbles us; we allow ourselves the freedom to be seen. As such, thru active participation, we allow ourselves (over time) to be pulled into this vortex that is indivisible, this freedom we can never describe, AND, thru the inheritance of our forefathers/mothers (paradoxically) this freedom is inexplicably known.
How do “we”, as participants in Direct Democracy (as defined in “Democracy” by David Moss),…………….. foster— the change you articulate in your letter re: teaching Social Studies? I’d like to continue this conversation Catherine. Best, Thomas
Thanks again!
Hi Thomas. Thank you for your comments. Let’s keep this conversation going!