Jean-Jacques Rousseau claimed: “Reason is what engenders egocentrism and reflection strengthens it. Reason is what turns man in upon himself. Reason is what separates him from all that troubles him and afflicts him. Philosophy is what isolates him and what moves him to say in secret, at the sight of a suffering man, ‘Perish if […]
Rousseau contra reason in *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
I wrote this brief entry on “Self-interest in Ayn Rand”, contrasting her view to the strong nativist e.g., Christianity, Freud) and strong tabula rasa (e.g., Skinner, Foucault) positions. Source: Ruth Hagengruber and Mary Ellen Waithe, editors, The Encyclopedia of Concise Concepts by Women Philosophers, Paderborn University, Germany, 2018.
Rand in *The Encyclopedia of Concise Concepts* by Women Philosophers Read More »
Sparked by some recent conversation, here again is a striking quotation from Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: “Every civilization of which we have records has possessed a technology, an art, a religion, a political system, laws, and so on. In many cases those facets of civilization have been as developed as our own.
Kuhn on the Greeks’ unique creation of scientific culture Read More »
Early in the development of analytic philosophy, Moritz Schlick claimed: “Does the external world exist?” is an unintelligible question, for “both its denial and affirmation are meaningless.” For more on the meaning of Schlick’s and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 80 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions
Moritz Schlick in *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
From 2006, an eight-minute documentary clip with my answer. Topics covered: (1) National Socialist philosophy, (2) the Nazi Party’s original 25-point platform — collectivism, economic socialism, nationalism, authoritarianism — (3) negotiations to merge with the German Socialist Party, (4) Hitler and Goebbels speeches on socialism, and (5) the symbolism of the swastika. The book based
How Socialist Were the Nazis? Read More »
Among German intellectuals of the generation before and after 1900, there was widespread interest in Eastern religions. Jacob Burckhardt expresses one point of attraction: “Not without cause do the Indians worship Shiva, the God of destruction. Filled with the joy of destruction, wars clear the air like thunderstorms, they steel the nerves and restore the
Burckhardt on Shiva, the god of destruction Read More »
My four-minute response to interviewer Ignasi Boltó’s question about why National Socialism and Communism are often evaluated so differently. My full interview with Ignasi Boltó of Instituto Juan de Mariana: “Stephen Hicks on Postmodernism, Western Values and Jordan Peterson.”
Nazism is Bad, but Communism is “Cool”? Read More »
Over the last months I’ve done four video discussions with younger European thinkers. To highlight their emerging channels, here are: Vincent Debierre in France: “Stephen Hicks: Postmodernism in America.” Thomas Amarque in Germany: “‘Lateral Converations’ Episode 36 with Stephen Hicks.” Ricardo Lopes in Portugal: “Postmodernism, from Rousseau to the Present.” Ignasi Boltó in Spain: “Stephen
Four European interviews Read More »