Category: Philosophy

Ways to navigate this Universe, mentally!

Not All Opinions Are Created Equal

We live in a world that treats all opinions as equal. They are not. This essay makes the case that expertise matters, that direct experience outweighs uninformed confidence, and that the willingness to ask 'what does this person actually know, and why?' is one of the most underrated habits in modern life. Featuring a hard look at how we evaluate polarizing public figures, and a simple framework for thinking more honestly about whose opinion deserves your attention.

Stop Arguing With Me About Apollo. Argue With This Instead.

I've been questioning the Apollo narrative for over a decade. I'm done repeating myself. So I built an AI agent trained on my arguments. Tell it why you believe the narrative is true. I look forward to hearing how that goes.

💚 Pelotonia – Year 15 💚

In my 15th year supporting Pelotonia's mission to end cancer, I've raised over $45,000 thanks to generous friends and family, without directly asking for donations. My goal for 2026 is $5,643 in memory of Chad. This cause has become more personal, highlighting the impact of cancer research on patients’ lives.

Three Poems That Keep Me Sane: What’s Hanging on My Office Wall (And Why) Part 1

Three poems hang on the wall of my office: If by Rudyard Kipling, Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, and Invictus by William Ernest Henley. I have read each of them hundreds of times and I will read each of them hundreds more. Below them on the couch sit my kids' Squishmallows, which somehow makes the whole thing better. This essay is about why these three poems are on my wall, what each one means to me, and why I think you should put them on yours too.

To Be Great Is To Be Misunderstood

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote "to be great is to be misunderstood" nearly two centuries ago, and it has lost none of its force. This essay unpacks what he actually meant, where the idea gets uncomfortable, and why the mere fact of being disagreed with proves nothing on its own. The key distinction: are you misunderstood because you are unclear and careless, or because you are saying something true that others are not yet ready to process? Emerson's challenge is to earn the second category, speak plainly, think rigorously, and then refuse to dilute the truth just to be liked. If no one ever misunderstands you, you are probably not saying anything worth remembering

The Ten-Second Rule of Human Decency

During our first trip to Turks and Caicos, a friend shared a simple cultural insight that immediately changed how I interact with people everywhere. Islanders prefer that every interaction begin with a genuine greeting before making a request. Instead of walking up and asking for something immediately, you first acknowledge the person and ask how they are doing. This small habit transforms transactions into human interactions and reminds us that people are not service machines. Since learning this lesson, I’ve adopted it as a personal default, and the positive reactions it creates are remarkable.

The Chad Balance: Having No Opinion vs. Being The Adult In The Room

This essay introduces the idea of “The Chad Balance,” the delicate line between Stoic restraint and adult responsibility. Inspired by my late best friend Chad Lewis, it explores how wisdom often means having no opinion on most things, while still having the courage to speak clearly when truth, reason, or leadership is required. In a world that pressures everyone to comment on everything, the real challenge is knowing when silence is wisdom and when a grown-up needs to step forward and say the obvious thing others are afraid to say.

Do You Care About Truth… or Winning?

This essay argues that the pursuit of truth should be the foundation of all serious intellectual conversations, especially in the Information Age where facts can be verified instantly. It makes the case that debates should embrace AI as a real-time tool for fact-checking and clarification, shifting the goal away from winning arguments and toward discovering objective reality. Truth should not depend on wit, memory, or rhetorical skill, but on evidence, verification, and the willingness to update beliefs when confronted with new information.

What’s Wrong With Loving Everyone Equally?

This essay challenges the instinct to feel automatic loyalty toward people who share our identity traits such as gender, race, nationality, or religion. It argues that this impulse is simply modern tribalism in new packaging, and that true equality cannot coexist with identity-based favoritism. The piece makes the case for universal humanism, the idea that moral concern should extend equally to all people, regardless of the group they belong to.

The Most Famous Man in History… and the 20-Year Disappearance No One Talks About

This essay explores the uncomfortable historical gap in the life of Jesus known as the “Lost Years,” the nearly two decades between childhood and the start of his ministry that lack any documented record. It questions why such a massive absence of evidence is rarely scrutinized despite Jesus being the most influential figure in history. The piece argues for applying the same intellectual standards to theology that we use everywhere else in life, and ultimately makes the case that morality does not require ancient authority, but can stand firmly on secular human values like empathy, compassion, and human flourishing.