First hour: Skeptic Magazine's Michael Shermer on the gun debate
Second hour: The evidence behind play-based curriculum
Michael Shermer is the publisher of Skeptic Magazine, and is a well known Libertarian author. For many years, Shermer's position on firearms was the same as many of his Libertarian counterparts: he owned guns, he supported owners' rights, and he was concerned about government overreach. But Shermer studied the research, and even decided to remove guns from his home when he was going through marital problems. This past weekend, he wrote an article that explained his evolution on the issue, and why he's open to some form of gun control -- and even a partial ban on some of the most high-powered weapons. Shermer offers some of the best evidence that Americans can change their minds on guns -- an especially valuable lesson at a time when everyone seems so polarized and entrenched. He'll join us for the hour to take us through the latest research and the reactions he's gotten to his writing on the subject.
Then, on Education Friday, we hear often about the value of play early in life... but what does the research say? Our guests will explain how play impacts learning, and how physical activity can set the stage for intellectual development.