Camp Inquiry on NPR

There is hope for skepticism, reason, and science in America yet! Today on NPR I heard an awesome story about a camp called “Camp Inquiry” (read the story here). It’s a summer camp for kids ages 7 to 16, in which instead of learning about the bible as in bible camps, they learn how to use skepticism, empiricism, and logical reasoning to guide their own knowledge of the world and their development.

And it’s about time. These kids get to have fun and do all the cool things I can remember in cub scout camp, art camp (Arts Encounter), and biology camp (called Wet-n-Wild – what a dork was I?). They also have deep philosophical discussions, look at the stars and planets, study fossils, and most importantly, bond with other children who have inherited or developed a skeptical mind.

I think this is a fabulous idea. I only wish that there were such summer camps for adults.

On that note, why the hell can’t we have a culture in which adults go to summer camp as a normal part of adult life? Summer vacations hardly compare with the experiences of camp - meeting new people at a place far away from home, learning new things, gaining new experiences.

Maybe we should institute a new cultural tradition. Every summer, we get one week off to go to adult summer camp. Hey, there could be a whole multi-billion dollar industry surrounding it.

I know, I know – what about money, jobs, kids, time, blah.  Of course it would never be practical, but hey – can’t a kid masquerading as an adult dream?