The Pembroke Intellectual Society (“Pembroke”) is a private society designed for bright (individuals who have some reason to believe they are in the top third of intellectual ability), curious, and ambitious people. Pembroke provides an opportunity for these smart people become intellectually well-rounded by giving them access to free curated directories of learning resources. Pembroke provides an answer to the question: What intellectual tools should I focus on in order to develop my human capital and become exceptionally valuable and productive in a modern society? And, it is free.   

 

Pembroke provides its members with a platform (or portal if you prefer) to ask the most important questions and develop the most valuable modern intellectual tools. Pembroke's founders (K-12 and higher education leaders and educators) developed the Society because they saw a need in their American students (and their children) for a mechanism to develop high-value knowledge and skills without the complete reliance on traditional academic disciplines and educational institutions.

 

Some current American institutions design programs and curricula that leave out important intellectual tools and questions. Academic disciplines can be too hide bound or historically narrow to provide an appropriate level of exposure to the most valuable modern intellectual tools. Anyone who has taught American college and graduate students will have realized that even some of the best schools regularly fail to expose students to the most useful tools they will encounter during their education and careers. Often talented people are not aware of the deficiency. Compounding the problem, most bachelor's degrees fail to teach at least some of the most useful knowledge, tools and skills. 

 

An understanding of knowledge structures and meta-knowledge structures is seldom part of the curriculum in traditional institutions. Few actors in the current system have both the understanding and the incentives to impart such knowledge to people relatively early in their intellectual journeys. The incentives often run counter to broad dissemination of meta-knowledge structures. For instance, academic sociologist have strong incentives to create new "sociologists". Philosophers to create new philosophers. Political scientists have strong incentives to act as if there is such a thing as "political science" and to promote its orthodoxies. There are many benefits and beneficiaries in the current system. However, exposure to the most valuable tools is certainly not guaranteed. Pembroke ensures exposure to the essential skills and most important questions.  

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Some of the considerations and capabilities (like logic) are ancient. Others (like decision analysis) are much more recent human creations.  Pembroke is organized into six categories of capabilities: (1) Social and Cultural Literacy; (2) Scientific Literacy; (3) Philosophy, Politics and Economics; (4) Law, Logic and Reasoning; (5) Numeracy, Game Theory and Decision Analysis; and (6) Business and Commerce.   

 

The Society has no ideological agenda. Left and right, conservative, progressive, classical liberal and libertarian are all equally welcome. 

 

How Pembroke Works

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First, intellectually talented people who value wide-ranging analytical tools request a provisional membership. Provisional members gain free access to the the suggested materials, capabilities and questions inventories. Materials are selected because they are high-quality and available for free or very inexpensively through many outside public sources. Kahn Academy, Coursera, Skill Share, Blinkist, and edX (and many other sources) can also be excellent cost effective additional resources to help develop the essential knowledge and skills. Provisional members review concepts and tools and develop positions on important issues (some of which may have already been developed at home or by participating with other institutions). When provisional members believe they have grasped the required concepts, provisional members draft very short personal theory statements (“Statements”) for themselves in each of the six Areas of Capability. Once provisional members have developed their personal theories and tools, they apply to become full members. Pembroke (fittingly) works on the honor system.

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Is Pembroke a secret society? In some ways it is. Members develop knowledge and skills for themselves. Members' Statements (or membership status) need never be shared. Pembroke does not ask its members to promote the Society. Unlike "Fight Club", you can talk about Pembroke membership or keep your membership to yourself. Pembroke will never make its membership roll publicly available. Pembroke is not performative in the way that is common on social media. Pembroke will never sell its membership roll. If members wish to put Pembroke on their resume, they are welcome to do so. Pembroke will verify their membership status for employers, educational institutions, or other parties at members' request.  

 

Pembroke does not discourage people from obtaining other diplomas, certificates and degrees. The skills and knowledge Pembroke members consider can be explored further through other educational institutions. College and university education requires certain tasks be completed that develop competencies that are difficult to gain virtually. Moreover, diplomas, certificates and degrees are powerful signaling and sorting mechanisms. But, very many types of knowledge and skill can be developed by digesting resources and distilling your ideas into concise statements-without the attendant tuition bill. Pembroke is supplemental and complementary.      

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Pembroke members are encouraged to suggest improvements to the conception of knowledge structures and the suggested materials. 

 

Mission

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The mission of Pembroke is to improve the human condition by encouraging people to develop greater understanding of critical considerations and capabilities.   

 

Values

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The Pembroke Society values:

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1. Intellectual development.

2. Contributions to family, communities, states, and nations.

3. The development of personal power, capacity and agency.

4. Personal development for the benefit of people, families, organizations, communities, states, and nations.

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