Liberalism Pro and Con is a primer. I identify the most influential arguments for liberalism and present them in their strongest form, with supporting quotations from leading thinkers who make that argument. I then do the same with the most influential arguments against liberalism. Before you decide your politics, you must know these arguments. The […]
Liberalism Pro and Con — my new book published Read More »
I’ve seen four hypotheses advanced: 1. Natural cycles of drought: Throughout its history, Australia has had seasons of unusually high temperatures and numbers of fires. 2. Arson: So far, over 180 arrested for arson, including this guy. 3. Anti-human-management policies: Deadwood not removed, fire breaks allowed to grow over, and firefighters’ access to them blocked.
Fires in Australia: four causal claims Read More »
For our ongoing contest, alert reader George King sent me this libido-sapper from Jean-François Lyotard’s 1974 Libidinal Economy. 355 words: “We should not continue to confuse the closure of representation, that sarcastic discovery, that sham dropping of the scales from our eyes, by those thinkers who come and tell us: what is outside is really
Philosophy’s Longest Sentences Contest — Lyotard edition Read More »
My discussion with Glenn Beck ranged over capitalism and socialism, the ethics needed for a free society, Greek virtues, intolerance and indoctrination in education, Ayn Rand’s egoism and her view of charity, whether a meaningful life requires transcending failure, the differences between Antifa and Nazi Brownshirts, whether the National Socialist really were socialist, postmodernism, whether
Conversation with Glenn Beck [transcript] Read More »
Reposting for weekend listeners, the first episode of my Open College with Dr. Stephen Hicks podcast series. Audio links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-college-podcast/id1438324613 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/opencollegepodcast/open-college-1-free-speech Topics and Times: What a meaningful life requires: [00:00 — 03:31] Far left and far right on metaphysics, human nature, and ethics [03:31 — 10:35] Walt Whitman quotation [09:28 — 10:35] Why the authoritarian left [10:35
Open College launched: “Free Speech: Why the *Philosophy* Matters” Read More »
As political winds blow, those whose principles are merely tactics change tack. But it’s especially galling when it’s professional legal and religious experts who reveal themselves so.
On unprincipled political hacks, then and now Read More »
Łyszczyński was a Polish nobleman and philosopher who had been working on an atheist treatise. A bishop who witnessed his torture and killing described them this way …
Religious toleration: 1689 England and Poland Read More »
1. Socrates deletes his account. 2. Plato posts screenshots of Socrates. 3. Aristotle unfollows Plato. 4. Aquinas retweets Jesus. 5. Descartes mutes Aquinas. 6. Locke mutes Descartes. 7. Kant unfollows Locke and Descartes. 8. Hegel subtweets Kant. 9. Schopenhauer blocks Hegel. 10. Marx likes Hegel. 11. Nietzsche gets hacked. 12. Heidegger DMs Arendt. 13. Adorno
A Brief History of Philosophy — social-media version Read More »
The transcript of my discussion with Sargon of Akkad follows the embedded video. Understanding Postmodernism with Professor Stephen Hicks Transcript of Sargon of Akkad’s (a.k.a. Carl Benjamin) interview with Stephen Hicks, June 2018 Questions What inspired you to write a book explaining postmodernism? Military history suggests that pomo is an attack strategy—is it?
Sargon of Akkad discussion: Pomo and Destabilization Strategies [transcript] Read More »
From philosopher Sidney Hook’s autobiographical Out of Step, on his authoritarian schooling in early 20th-century New York: “Although the public schools were religiously attended (children feared the wrath of their parents much more than the threats of the truant officer), the classroom experience was far more enjoyable. First of all, the discipline was exacting. Our
Sidney Hook’s school days in old New York Read More »