Welcome

Hello and welcome to Life Examined:
First and foremost I should let you all know that this site's primary use will be as an educational tool for myself and my students. That being said, we welcome all visitors who would like to contribute to our education. It is a work in progress, as I have not yet formalized my plans as to its specific usage. Ideally, this will serve as a supplement to our classroom discussions and another means by which students can respond to questions, news items, etc. Students will be encouraged to voice their opinions here and develop their views on numerous topics. Hopefully, the topics that are discussed on this site will appeal to others from all walks of life and they will also choose to contribute their views. Unfortunately, as much as I detest censorship, it is my responsibility as a public school teacher to make sure that the content is appropriate for my students. The scope of inquiry and discussion on this site will be broad; anything that applies to the human condition will be considered. Obviously, given the courses that I teach (U.S. History, Intro. to Psychology, and Intro. to Sociology), any of the various academic disciplines that fall under the umbrella of the "social studies" will receive a lot of attention. However, any topic that I believe has educational value and might be of interest to students will also be considered. Philosophy, as it played a significant role in the birth of both psychology and sociology, will be discussed often as well. Truth be told, I find philosophy to be the most intellectually stimulating subject matter and an integral part of all other intellectual pursuits. Unfortunately, it is given short thrift in too many public schools today. I consider myself a philosopher, or "seeker of wisdom" and encourage my students to be critical thinkers who pursue the truth. I hope that all of you will join us in our pursuit of enlightenment.