From the July pages of The Economist (the second-best dead-tree magazine around) comes this piece about a humanist summer camp.
Kids aged 8 to 17 share cabins in the woods. During the day, they paddle canoes, shoot arrows, go swimming and explore nature.
But [cue sinister music]:
Lunch comes with a five-minute talk about a famous freethinker. Campers are told that invisible unicorns inhabit the forest, and offered a prize if they can prove that the unicorns do not exist. The older kids learn something about the difficulty of proving a negative. The younger ones grow giggly at the prospect of stepping in invisible unicorn poop.
…Campers are not told that there is no God; only that they should weigh the evidence. They learn about the scientific method. …The kids are encouraged to explore ethical questions, too. The more argumentative ones sit in a clearing and debate the nature of justice.
Granted, this camp probably produces some of the most unbearably condescending 16-year-olds on Earth. But a skeptical mind is life’s most useful tool, so sign baby Wyatt up for 2017.
Plus, archery!
Hat tip to longtime commenter “Ryan” for the article.
BOOM! First hat tip!
ReplyDeleteLike I said - camp can be his birthday present from Uncle Ryan. But if he comes home with a unicorn somebody's giving me a refund.