A new printing of the expanded edition was published this month in a snazzy hardcover. Its theme: “The failure of epistemology made postmodernism possible. The failure of socialism made postmodernism necessary.” This is the fifteenth printing since its first publication in 2004. Samples from the scholarly reviewers of the first edition: “By the end of Explaining […]
New printing of *Explaining Postmodernism* — the fifteenth Read More »
[Herder (1744-1802) was an early Counter-Enlightenment voice calling for group identity politics and value relativism, along with a rejection of cultural appropriation and an embrace of zero-sum cultural conflict. The following is excerpted from Explaining Postmodernism.] Herder on multicultural relativism Sometimes called the “German Rousseau,”[1] Johann Herder had studied philosophy and theology at Königsberg University. Kant was
Johann Herder as prophet of the contemporary university Read More »
Romance is in the air, so here is a repost of my round-up of philosophers talking to their sweethearts – collected from conversations overheard at smoky cafés, college libraries, mountain caves, and seminar rooms the world over. The Aristotelian: “I wish to marry you, for I know that my happiness, both of body and soul,
“Should I marry you?” How philosophers answer Read More »
Professor Kevin Hill drew my attention to Auerbach’s review of Herman Philipse’s Heidegger’s Philosophy of Being (Princeton, 1998) and this excerpt from Philipse in particular: Heidegger’s individualistic notion of authenticity, according to which Dasein has to liberate itself from common moral rules in order to choose one’s hero freely, tends to collapse into a collectivist
Philipse’s book on Heidegger — David Auerbach’s review Read More »
Professor Roderick T. Long has published his essay, “Kant: Liberal, Illiberal, or Both?”, in the Cato Unbound discussion series. Here is the abstract of his essay: Roderick Long offers a complex view of Immanuel Kant, who emerges as more often liberal in principle than in practice. Kant approved of taxation, a welfare state, and even
Long on Kant and liberal politics [Cato Unbound Series] Read More »
In the Cato Unbound series, my article “Does Kant Have a Place in Classical Liberalism?” is now up. Here, courtesy of editor Jason Kuznicki, is an abstract: Stephen R. C. Hicks argues that if our case for liberty comes from a mysterious other realm, then perhaps we have no case at all. He describes how
Kant’s non-defense of classical liberalism — my article for Cato Unbound Read More »
Here is a common scenario: A successful person makes a donation to a worthy cause but downplays any praise by saying “I’m only giving back.” Like many others, I am troubled by the “giving back” phrase when I hear it. The usual gentle rejoinder is to point out that the phrase assumes that the giver
Kant and “giving back” Read More »
[Stoic Week 2015 is from November 2 to 8. In honor of that, here is a revisiting of an earlier post.] I occasionally teach Epictetus (55-135 CE) or Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) in my courses. So to prepare for Stoic Week, here are some sample quotations: Epictetus on philosophy: “If you have an earnest desire