Richard Rorty on the consequences of having to abandon the objectivity and universality of reason: The best we can do is seek “inter-subjective agreement” among the “members of our own tribe.” Though feeling loyal to his American left-liberal roots, Rorty goes on to hope that we will be nice to the other tribes while doing […]
Richard Rorty in Explaining Postmodernism Read More »
Clichés are often over-generalizations for rhetorical purposes. “History is written by the victors” is punchy, but it is too often a cynical dismissal of objectivity in history. So here is the beginnings of a list of influential history books that do not fit the cliché: * Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE) was
“History is written by the victors” — true? Read More »
My “No Reformation for Islam, Please” is now republished at Britain’s Church and State site: “Islam needs reforming but definitely not a Reformation. “The history matters here, so consider first what the Reformation activists were fighting against. During the Renaissance, the dominant Catholic religion had become worldly. Its thinkers read the naturalistic Greeks and Romans
“No Reformation for Islam, Please” [CHURCH and STATE] Read More »
[Thanks to the careful work of Paula Nedved (mter2013@gmail.com), below is a transcription (PDF here) of our video discussion diagnosing the roots of postmodernism. Dr. Peterson’s introduction: “On August 17, I spoke with Dr. Stephen Hicks, professor in the philosophy department at Rockford University. Dr. Hicks is the author of the influential and courageous 2004
Jordan Peterson and Stephen Hicks diagnose postmodernism [transcription] Read More »
Anti-theocratic-authoritarian protests in Iran are good news for real liberals everywhere. So it’s important that we encourage the spread of human freedom and dignity — and shame those whose silence reveals either hypocrisy or cowardice. I’m happy that two of my books have been translated into Persian/Farsi and published in Iran: Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and
Protests in Iran: Who’s speaking out and who’s silent? Read More »
I’m happy to announce that translators Ayoub Salhi and Anouar El Mekki have finished their translation of my book into Arabic. The resulting work should be published later this year. Details forthcoming. Meanwhile, here is the information page about all of the translations, editions, and reviews of Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to
Arabic translation of *Explaining Postmodernism* forthcoming Read More »
In our ongoing contest to find the longest sentence in Philosophy, careful reader Matthias Brinkmann alerts me to a new candidate — this 286-worder from Kant’s Practical Philosophy: “Now, if ends must first be given to us, in relation to which alone the concept of perfection (whether internal in ourselves or external in God) can
Philosophy’s longest sentences — Kant upgrade Read More »
For use in my courses, additions to my Texts in Philosophy page. Frédéric Bastiat, “A Petition from the Candlemakers about Unfair Competition from the Sun” (1845). Marilyn Frye, “Oppression”, from The Politics of Reality. (1983). Mother Teresa, excerpt “On Prayer”, from No Greater Love (1987). Dualism and Naturalism quotations from Martin Luther, St. Paul, 1
Texts in Philosophy — late 2017 additions Read More »