66 unchanged lines collapsedAn honest man who steals once in a while is not an honest man. A free man who has to pick crops 1-2 hours a day is not a free man. A free child who has to learn math 1-2 hours a day is not a free child. The whole point of unschooling is (or should be!) freedom, not productivity, career choice, or “merits”, or that freedom “works” or whatever. Mix freedom and forced math lessons and you end up with no freedom at all.Caplan holdsLike abolition + picking crops, Caplan’s “Unschooling + Math” is a textbook example of mixed premises, and so his vices destroy his virtues. He derides the principled, uncompromising approach as “staunch”. What is a “staunch” opponent of slavery but *right?* In moral matters, one has to aim for nothing less but absolute purity. Those of us who have fully understood and integrated the fact that the universality of freedom applies to children just as much as it does to adults, recognize Caplan’s error with lightning speed – and judge accordingly. If society progresses in the way I hope,thenCaplan’s article will age exceptionally poorly. As it deserves. [^1]: Rand writes: “When opposite basic principles are clearly and openly defined, it works to the advantage of the rational side; when they are *not* clearly defined, but are hidden or evaded, it works to the advantage of the irrational side.” In: *Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal* (p. 159). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
66 unchanged lines collapsed
An honest man who steals once in a while is not an honest man. A free man who has to pick crops 1-2 hours a day is not a free man. A free child who has to learn math 1-2 hours a day is not a free child. The whole point of unschooling is (or should be!) freedom, not productivity, career choice, or “merits”, or that freedom “works” or whatever. Mix freedom and forced math lessons and you end up with no freedom at all. Like abolition + picking crops, Caplan’s “Unschooling + Math” is a textbook example of mixed premises, and so his vices destroy his virtues. He derides the principled, uncompromising approach as “staunch”. What is a “staunch” opponent of slavery but right? In moral matters, one has to aim for nothing less but absolute purity. Those of us who have fully understood and integrated the fact that the universality of freedom applies to children just as much as it does to adults, recognize Caplan’s error with lightning speed – and judge accordingly.If society progresses in the way I hope, Caplan’s article will age exceptionally poorly. As it deserves.[1]: Rand writes: “When opposite basic principles are clearly and openly defined, it works to the advantage of the rational side; when they are not clearly defined, but are hidden or evaded, it works to the advantage of the irrational side.” In: Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal (p. 159). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.