It has become ever more obvious that we are not very good at deliberating. No wonder: deliberation is hard. Hard things takes practice. We have undercut the normal ways people practice deliberation, from the dinner tables to classroom to the senate chamber. Yet Kern argues that deliberation, not technology, is what raises the civilized person above the barbarian. Furthermore, everything valuable in civilized life comes from deliberation. Therefore, everything we teach our children should either enable, support, or extend their ability to deliberate. Finally, so as not to leave you frustrated, he shows how to do it.

Good news: it's not as hard as it might sound. Or maybe it is, but not for the reasons you might think.