Keeping ideas connected to reality so they can serve our lives in reality.
Facts Don’t Care About Your Faith, Feelings, or Consensus
Facts exist independently of faith, feelings, or consensus; only reason—grounded in observation, logic, and evidence—reveals what’s true and good, making rational thinking the path to both personal happiness and political freedom.
Altruism Has No Clothes
Altruism survives like the emperor’s fake clothes—propped up by fear, not reason. Strip it down, and all that’s left are logical fallacies.
Quitting Christianity Wasn’t the End—It Was the Start
I’m hosting a reading group on atheism, speaking at a conference, and studying to become an intellectual.
Rethinking Values to Make the Hard Decisions Easier
All of us face moments when our values appear to be in conflict. But what if there were a way to organize our values that meant we never needed to give up the things that really matter to us?
Determinism and Purpose in “Player Piano”
Unless the reader is deeply fascinated by changing views on technology, Player Piano will likely disappoint.
Reason, Honesty, and Independence: Three Misunderstood Ideas
Most people’s use of these concepts is so imprecise that trying to use them in our lives is like trying to drink a mixture of water and acid.
Babel: An Attempted Fantasy Novel of Ideas
Though the magic system is creative and raises some interesting thoughts, Babel was trying to be a novel of ideas offering a strong opposition to colonialism—and in this, it failed.
The Younger Son Mindset, Explained
Why do some thrive while others stall? One mindset shift explains it all.
School Ruins Our Minds. Here’s How We Can Fix the Damage
These five areas of focus have transformed my life, and I hope they can do the same for you and other bright, active minds.