My essay “Egoism in Nietzsche and Rand” is a 43-page study published in The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies (2009). Text version. Audiobook version: Part One, Part Two. The abstract: “Philosophers Friedrich Nietzsche and Ayn Rand are often identified as strong critics of altruism and arch advocates of egoism. In this essay, Stephen Hicks argues […]
“Egoism in Nietzsche and Rand” now online Read More »
In Britain and America in the 1700s, the most influential philosopher of education was John Locke, with his Some Thoughts Concerning Education. In France, it was Jean-Jacques Rousseau with his Emile. But in the German states, it was Johann Georg Sulzer, with his 1748 An Essay on the Education and Instruction of Children. Sulzer’s fundamental
Obedience vs. freedom in education in 1700s Germany Read More »
Imperialism and colonialism are older than human history, and across the centuries virtually every culture in every part of the world practiced it. Until the Enlightenment of the 1700s. At which point a few voices began arguing that we should only trade with people rather than conquer them and take their stuff — and that
Why liberal capitalism opposed imperialism and colonialism Read More »
I came across this report of an “experiment at Harvard University’s School of Public Health in 1995. In it, a group of students and faculty were asked to choose between earning $50,000 per year while everyone else earned $25,000 — or earning $100,000 per year while others made $200,000. The researchers stipulated that prices of
Comparing yourself to others —experiment and anecdote Read More »
In an earlier post I asked, Who is the most loathsome philosopher in history? I suggested that Rousseau and Heidegger be considered top candidates. Some more data relevant to Rousseau: He made his common-law wife leave all five of their infants at foundling hospitals, on the grounds that they’d be better off there and that
Rousseau’s five children Read More »
In my Ethics course, we cover the arguments for and against banning pornography. One of our readings is from Wendy McElroy’s Sexual Correctness: The Gender-Feminist Attack on Women. McElroy takes up the gender-feminist arguments against porn and contrasts them with liberal individualist forms of feminism. The following updated* chart of contrasts is a work in
Liberal versus gender feminism: McElroy’s *Sexual Correctness* Read More »
Did the death of one man in Mongolia affect the entire course of European history since the 1200s? Here’s the context: In 1227, Genghis Khan’s son Ogedai became head of the Mongolian empire, which at that time included much of northern China, southeastern Russia, and Persia. Ogedai sent one of his generals, Tsubodai (or Subotai),
The Mongols and modern European history Read More »
When the audio-book edition hit 1 million views at YouTube, I was astounded. “That many people will listen to a philosophy book??” When it hit 2 million, amazed. Then 3 million …. So I’m happy and continuingly surprised as Nietzsche and the Nazis has passed 4.99 million views and is closing on 5 million. Description:
4.99 million views, and counting Read More »