If one is intellectually honest about what is occurring in western civilization, especially in the United States, one would conclude anecdotally that traditional marriage with one man and one woman, married and having children?is non-existent in major parts of the culture.
Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics expressed deep concern about the effects of exposure to ?screens? (i.e., TV screens, computer screens, monitors, iPads, smartphones, and other such devices) on children. In fact, the AAP called upon parents to place severe limits on the exposure of young children to such ?screens.?
Generally, when a 21st century person thinks of science, he/she thinks of certainty, truth or the realm of the absolute. One of the axioms of modern science that has been declared to be certain and absolute is the speed of light. And an absolute in Einstein?s theory of relativity is the absolute prohibition of speed faster than light.
Robert Bryce of the Manhattan Institute has written a most helpful article entitled ?Five Truths about Climate Change.? Because there is so much hype and emotional baggage surrounding this topic, it is always refreshing when you read something that is balanced and insightful. To that end, I want to use his essay as the basis for this Perspective.
One of the more perplexing aspects of our culture right now is the Occupy Wall Street movement. Questions about this movement abound, most important of which are what exactly does this movement want? What are the action points they are demanding?
With the rise of reproductive and genetic technologies, the world has increased the number of options people have when it comes to having children. Technology has enhanced the power of choice. What technology has not done is enable culture to live with the consequences.
One of the most important thinkers of the modern era was Karl Marx, one of the key founders of ideological socialism and communism. His Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital influenced the formation of the USSR, the Peoples Republic of China, Cuba, North Korea and many other smaller experiments in constructing a socialist / communist utopia.
One of the key founders of the Apple brand and product line was Steve Jobs, who died recently as a result of his struggle with pancreatic and liver cancer. His contribution to our technological society was truly revolutionary.
I just returned from conducting my annual study tour of Israel. As usual, it was an invigorating trip. While I was there, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, petitioned the 66th session of the United Nations to in effect unilaterally declare a Palestinian state. In this Perspective, I want to present a multifaceted analysis of this development.
Sociologist Christian Smith recently led a research team that conducted in-depth interviews with 230 young adults from across America, all of which focused on the moral lives of today?s young adults. The results are quite depressing. Columnist David Brooks summarizes several of the salient findings:
