Philosophy

John Passmore in *Explaining Postmodernism* — on Kant’s significance

Leave a Comment / History of Philosophy, Philosophy /

In 1985, the historian of philosophy John Passmore claimed: “The Kantian revival is so widespread as scarcely to lend itself to illustration.” (p. 87) For more on the implications of Passmore’s strong claim and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 87 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations […]

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Sargon of Akkad conversation on pomo and destabilization strategies

Leave a Comment / Culture, Philosophy /

My discussion with Sargon of Akkad (aka Carl Benjamin) on these topics: What inspired you to write a book explaining postmodernism? Military history suggests that pomo is an attack strategy–is it? Pomo is brilliant but diabolical, but why is it the far Left that’s using it most? But pomo is not really communist, is it?

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“Making Life Meaningful Without Religion” republished [Church and State]

Leave a Comment / Philosophy, Religion /

My “Making Life Meaningful Without Religion” is now republished at Britain’s Church and State site: “… There’s a half-serious taxonomy that divides Christians into three types: Christmas Christians, Good Friday Christians, and Easter Sunday Christians. Christmas is about celebrating birth, benevolence, and the bounties of life. Good Friday is about suffering, sacrifice, and destruction. Easter

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Individualism, and why I love the Renaissance

Leave a Comment / Ethics, History of Philosophy /

From Jacob Burckhardt’s great The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860): In the Middle Ages, “Man was conscious of himself only as a member of a race, people, party, family, or corporation — only through some general category. In Italy this veil first melted into air; an objective treatment and consideration of the state

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Brian Medlin in *Explaining Postmodernism*

Leave a Comment / Ethics, Philosophy /

In 1957 — the decade during which the first generation of postmodern thinkers was arising — philosopher Brian Medlin claimed: “It is now pretty generally accepted by professional philosophers that ultimate ethical principles must be arbitrary.” For more on the context of Medlin’s point and its implications for postmodernism, see p. 87 of my Explaining Postmodernism:

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Foucault as Nietzschean: on knowledge as injustice

4 Comments / Epistemology, History of Philosophy /

Juxtaposing quotations from Michel Foucault (d. 1984) and Friedrich Nietzsche (d. 1900). First, here is Foucault: “All knowledge rests upon injustice; there is no right, not even in the act of knowing, to truth or a foundation for truth; and the instinct for knowledge is malicious (something murderous, opposed to the happiness of mankind).”[1] Friedrich

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“On Natural Morality and Religious Amoralism” [CHURCH and STATE]

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My “On Natural Morality and Religious Amoralism” is now republished at Britain’s Church and State site: “… religious belief is often autobiographical. That is, all religions have many messages and practices — some peaceful, some violent, and so on — and individuals choose among them to put together a personal religion that reflects the morality

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