[Originally published at EveryJoe.com.] Many smart people — including Thomas Friedman in The New York Times, Naser Khader in Newsweek, John Lloyd in The Jerusalem Post, Ayaan Hirsi Ali in The Wall Street Journal — are hoping that the Reformation will come to Islam. Some are calling for an Islamic Martin Luther. Sorry, but no. […]
No Reformation for Islam, Please [Good Life series] Read More »
Here is a site devoted to Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840), the 19th-century German Romantic painter. The feature image is a portrait of Friedrich by Franz Gerhard von Kugelgen (1772-1820). [More of my art-related posts.]
Caspar David Friedrich faces the world Read More »
[This column is a part of the Theist vs. Atheist debate series between Stephen Hicks and John C. Wright. Here Hicks responds to Wright’s arguments for the existence of God. And here are the links to other columns in the series.] As we enter the third round of our debate series, our first major point of
On the Proofs of God’s Existence [Theist vs. Atheist series] Read More »
[In my Introduction to Philosophy course this week, we are discussing Plato’s Crito, so I am reposting this item. The feature image is Jacques-Louis David’s portrayal of the death scene from Phaedo.] Socrates’ two bad arguments for not escaping In the Crito, Socrates is in prison awaiting execution for impiety and corrupting the youth. His
Socrates: Should he have escaped prison? Read More »
Bad things happen in free markets. Some people lie, cut corners, commit fraud, and write bad checks. Others renege on contracts, offer or accept bribes, give kickbacks, embezzle, and more. Often this translates into an argument for government regulation. Free markets maximize liberty, the argument runs, so they give much more scope to immoral individuals,
Corruption—Is It Worse in Free or Government-Regulated Markets? [Good Life series] Read More »
por Stephen Hicks [This is a Spanish translation of “Uber, Cuba, and Freedoms Large and Small”, first published in English at EveryJoe and then translated into Portuguese at Portal Libertarianismo.] Recientemente, conocí a un joven en Miami. En lugar de tomar un taxi, decidí probar Uber por primera vez. Rafael (no es su nombre real)
Uber, Cuba, Libertad y la Pura Verdad [Spanish translation] Read More »
[This is Part 2 of the Theist vs. Atheist debate series between John C. Wright and Stephen Hicks, originally published in English at EveryJoe. In this round Hicks begins and Wright responds.] I appreciate Mr. Wright’s opening essay and am in agreement with substantial portions of it. If we array religions along a spectrum from
Are Reason and Faith Compatible? [Theist vs. Atheist series] Read More »
In my Introduction to Philosophy course this week, we are discussing Plato’s Apology. Three snippets: On the priority of character: “Wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the State” (Apology, 30b). On the dangers of democracy: “No man on earth who conscientiously opposes
Socrates quotations: character, democracy, philosophy Read More »
por Stephen Hicks [This is a Spanish translation of “When Altruism Becomes Pathological,” first published in English at EveryJoe and then translated into Portuguese at Portal Libertarianismo.] ¿Quién es más propenso a engañar? ¿Aquellos que practican deportes individuales o aquellos que practican deportes en equipo? Un experimento fascinante realizado por el profesor Sharon K. Stoll y publicado en el Chronicle of
Cuando el Altruismo se vuelve patológico Read More »
[This is the opening column of the Theist vs. Atheist debate series between Stephen Hicks and John C. Wright. Read Wright’s opening column here. Here are the links to other columns in the series.] My answer is: Absolutely, yes, religion is worth arguing about. We have all heard that in polite company we should not discuss sex,
Is Religion Worth Arguing About? [Theist vs. Atheist series] Read More »