In this update
Upcoming events:
Tomorrow (Saturday), 12n Pacific: Progress studies in K-12 education with Ray Girn, Lisa VanDamme and Kyle Steele
Wednesday, 10a Pacific: “Astronauts, Asteroids, Astrophysicists and Rock Stars” on The Torch of Progress
Torch of Progress recordings:
Anton Howes on inventors of the British Industrial Revolution
Noor Siddiqui, Thiel fellow and founder of Orchid Bioscience
My appearances:
Details below.
“Doing Better” series for the Interintellect
Saturday, June 25, 12 noon Pacific time. Register here
Too many people today take human progress for granted. Does this represent a failure of our educational system? If so, how, and how can we fix it?
Should progress be taught in schools, and if so, where does it fit into the curriculum? Is there a missing subject in between science and history classes? Or do the fundamentals of a good education themselves provide the foundation to understand and appreciate human progress?
And where do we see, or see opportunity for, progress in the task of education itself?
In this panel discussion, I’ll be discussing these questions with Ray Girn, co-founder & CEO of Higher Ground Education, and Lisa VanDamme and Kyle Steele of the VanDamme Academy. Part of my “Doing Better” series hosted by the Interintellect.
Wednesday: “Astronauts, Asteroids, Astrophysicists and Rock Stars” by Danica Remy of the Asteroid Institute
The Torch of Progress, Episode 9
Come learn about asteroids—their role in the formation of our universe, how asteroids can pave the way for future exploration, and most importantly how we can protect our planet from asteroid impacts. Danica Remy leads the Asteroid Institute as well as Asteroid Day, which celebrated its 5th anniversary last year.
Free and open to all. Register to attend
Anton Howes on inventors of the British Industrial Revolution
The Torch of Progress, Episode 8
Anton and I had a great conversation about British inventors of the Industrial Revolution. Many of them invented across multiple fields, often with no formal training—but often directly inspired by the example of another inventor. Anton was historian in residence at the Royal Society for Arts, and recently published their official history: Arts and Minds: How the Royal Society of Arts Changed a Nation.
Audio on SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.
Noor Siddiqui, Thiel fellow and founder of Orchid Bioscience
The Torch of Progress, Episode 7
I interviewed Noor about skipping college to do a startup under the Thiel Fellowship, then getting her degree after all before founding Orchid Bioscience, which uses genetics to improve fertility and reproductive health.
Audio on SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.
Salon of the Refused
I was interviewed by Robert Tracinski for Salon of the Refused. Topics include: the stagnation hypothesis, the notion of a “culture of achievement”, and why the ancient Greeks didn’t think science would improve technology. Audio version here.
Philosophy for Flourishing
I was interviewed by Craig Biddle and Jon Hersey for the Philosophy for Flourishing podcast. Audio version on Apple Podcasts.
Next class of Progress Studies for Young Scholars starts Monday!
“One of the best and most rewarding learning experiences I’ve ever had.” –Juan David C.
“I learned so much about the history of technology and how I can take part in the future of progress.” –Ellen K.
“The highlight of my summer.” –Julia S.
Those are students from the first class of Progress Studies for Young Scholars, my online summer program in the history of technology for high schoolers. This is your last chance to get into the next class, starting July 27!
Tuition is $1,200. If you need a scholarship, apply for financial aid.