Hope Drop #37: Aaron Stupple | Raising kids for an unknown future
“My relationship with my children is the most impactful philosophical outcome of my life.”
What if parenting held the keys to civilization’s long-term flourishing?
In this episode of the Existential Hope podcast, we sit down with Dr. Aaron Stupple – physician, thinker, and author of The Sovereign Child. Drawing from the rationalist traditions of David Deutsch and Karl Popper, and grounded in the parenting philosophy of "Taking Children Seriously," Aaron explores what it means to treat children as full moral agents from birth.
From screen time and sugar to sleep and sovereignty, Aaron shares how applying rigorous epistemology to parenting transformed his relationship with his children — and how it might transform the future of civilization itself.
Key Topics
Applying Popperian epistemology to parenting
Why children are not "pre-persons" but full moral agents
Moving beyond control vs. permissiveness
Real-life examples: screens, food, bedtime, and education
Parenting as civilizational infrastructure for a better future
Aaron’s recommended resources
Taking Children Seriously. A parenting philosophy founded by Sarah Fitz-Claridge and David Deutsch
The Sovereign Child by Aaron Stupple
The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff
Aaron’s vision for the future
Aaron envisions a future where children are recognized as full moral persons from the start—sovereign, creative, and capable of shaping their own lives. Progress means moving beyond control-based systems toward relationships rooted in trust, understanding, and collaboration.
He believes that flourishing societies begin in flourishing families. By treating children not as projects to manage but as individuals to engage with, we unlock deeper human potential—cultivating autonomy, empathy, and joy from the earliest years. A hopeful future isn’t just built with better technology, but with better ways of being together.
Xhope library recommendations
The Open Society And Its Enemies - Karl Popper. On the importance of openness in society, science, and technology for resilience and progress. Academic paper
The Righteous Mind - Jonathan Haidt. Explains how our political differences can be explained by moral foundations that themselves have an evolutionarily adaptive origin. Book
The Blank Slate - Steven Pinker. Shows the biological roots of human behavior and morality. Book
Community updates
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