Substack Essays

I arrived in college wanting to be a physicist, or perhaps an astronomer.

In a recent post I stated the “Three Ironclad Laws of Skill Formation”. I also claimed, without argument, that the laws have a solid empirical foundation. At some point in the future I will examine the research evidence.

I was pleased to learn Anne Carson had won the Nobel Prize in Literature 2026. Her victory came as a surprise, because I only know her as a classicist and translator of Greek tragedies and lyric poetry. The timing is fortuitous, as I am learning to read Ancient Greek and her recognition gives me fresh encouragement.

"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to.

AIRiAL 2026 Conference

The principal theme of this Substack remains AI in Education.

Traditional vs AI-Native Software Development Lifecycle

Do you have an idea for improving learning—and want to turn it into something people can use?

When it comes to AI in education, I am both a skeptic and an advocate.

This is Part III in our journey of building an AI application for learning Ancient Greek.

In Part I, I set as a goal building an AI-powered application for Learning Ancient Greek.

This is an introductory post about designing and building an AI-powered application for learning Ancient Greek.

Now is a good a time as any to create to create a space for reading.

I know nothing about the pedagogical design of textbooks.

Part II. Governance Abused

Growing up in Los Angeles, I used to hide in the closet.

I live near an elementary school.

Part I. Governance Failed

Every year, the federal government places more than $100 billion into higher education through Pell Grants and student loans — more than a trillion dollars a decade.

I recently posted “Is Modesty an Advantage?