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 »
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 »
Postmodernism is the first ruthlessly consistent statement of the consequences of rejecting reason, those consequences being necessary given the history of epistemology since Kant. For more on the context for this claim, see p. 81 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
The first hypothesis of *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
My two-minute advice to passionate young activists: “You’re a younger person, and things matter to you … but keep an open mind to the possibility that you have received only a partial education — one side of a set of arguments from some very clever people.” “Your life is important, and if you let yourself
My advice to young Social Justice Warriors Read More »
The neo-Marxist postmodernist Fredric Jameson claimed: “Everything is ‘in the last analysis’ political.” For more on the context Jameson’s claim and its implications for politicized postmodernism, see p. 93 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
Fredric Jameson in Explaining Postmodernism Read More »
My “On the Proofs of God’s Existence” is now republished at Britain’s Church and State site: “The Design Argument has some logical force and must be taken seriously. At the same time, is the best of a bad lot of arguments that attempt to prove the existence of God … Read more here. [Related: “Defending
“On the Proofs of God’s Existence” republished [Church and State] Read More »