Fall 2018 • Vol. 13, No. 3
From the Editor, Fall 2018
Craig Biddle introduces the Fall 2018 issue of The Objective Standard, with articles by Andrew Bernstein and Timothy Sandefur, interviews with Mark Pellegrino and Jesse McCarthy, and much more. Continue »
Cover Article
Education & Parenting, Philosophy
Heroes and Villains in American Education
Though their originators are mostly dead and gone, the ideas that sunk American education are still operative today. Those who offered rational alternatives have had little influence—but we can change that.
Features
Education & Parenting
Jesse McCarthy on Montessori and Independence
Popular educator Jesse McCarthy discusses Montessori education and how it helps children to develop independence—both in school and at home.
History
Sequoyah and the Vital Nature of the Written Word
There is no story quite like that of Sequoyah, who almost single-handedly invented a written form for the language of the largest tribe in America.
Politics & Rights
Mark Pellegrino on the American Capitalist Party
“Take the term ‘liberal’ away from the political left. ‘Liberal’ (like ‘progressive’) implies a reasoned, forward-thinking approach to life. It comes from the same root as ‘liberty.’” —Mark Pellegrino
Politics & Rights
The Right to Try, to Hope, to Live
Though much more work still needs to be done, Right to Try is a critical step in the effort to restore and safeguard patient autonomy.
Philosophy, Politics & Rights
Tommy Robinson’s Right to Free Speech Morally Trumps All Laws That Violate It. (Even That One.)
Tommy Robinson morally must be freed. Immediately. And everyone who understands the importance of individual rights, freedom of speech, and objective law morally must demand it.
Shorts
Arts & Culture, Philosophy
Steve Ditko’s Legacy: From Superheroes to Moral Heroes
Steve Ditko created art that “shows how men could and should act,” heroes without tragic flaws, and a universe where justice triumphs.
History, Philosophy
An Open Letter to Advocates of Identity Politics
Today's spokesmen for identity politics are vague about the principles of their creed. Earlier advocates, however, were quite clear.
Philosophy, Politics & Rights
Identity Politics vs. the Law of Identity
Identity politics is an all-out assault on the law of identity. It holds that an individual is not an individual, that his mind is not his mind, that his values are not his values. What does this mean for identity politics?
History, Politics & Rights
The Declaration of Independence Is the Moral and Legal Foundation of America
The Declaration should be cherished for containing “an abstract truth, applicable to all men and all times” that serves as “a rebuke and a stumbling-block to the very harbingers of re-appearing tyranny and oppression.”
History, Philosophy
The Passion of Socialists
Why is there so much passion behind socialism? Consider the psychological and moral context that people bring to the question of which social system to support.
Arts & Culture, History
The Brooklyn Bridge: A Monument to the Human Spirit
On May 24, 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge opened for public use. It was a triumph over nature, doomsayers, and corrupt politicians.
Book Reviews
History, Reviews
Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul: Church, State, and the Birth of Liberty by John M. Barry
What led a devout Puritan minister to precede Thomas Jefferson in calling for a separation between church and state? John M. Barry answers this question.
Arts & Culture, Reviews, Science & Technology
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Bad Blood is a story of good and evil—of liars who bury the truth and the people of intelligence and integrity who keep digging until they find and expose it.