In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn argues for metaphysical subjective relativism: “the proponents of competing paradigms practice their trades in different worlds.” In part, this is because scientists are not educated so much as brainwashed: “the member of a mature scientific community is, like the typical character in Orwell’s 1984, the victim of […]
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The poet Thomas de Quincey said: “Here I pause for one moment to exhort the reader never to pay any attention to his understanding when it stands in opposition to any other faculty of his mind. The mere understanding, however useful and indispensable, is the meanest faculty in the human mind, and the most to
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Historian Thomas Nipperdey on one reason why German philosophy came to prominence in American intellectual life: “Until 1830 it was the general rule that talented and curious young minds gravitated to Paris; but from then on they came, in ever-increasing numbers (American students, for example) to Germany, to Berlin.” For more on the meaning and implications
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Marco den Ouden’s in-depth book review: Nietzsche and the Nazis by Stephen R.C. Hicks “Hicks is driven by a nagging question — how could Nazism happen? Here was one of the most civilized countries in the world, sinking into a morass of hatred, violence and destruction. Why? “The answer is philosophy. ‘Not economics, not psychology,
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Philosopher Christopher Janaway said: “One feature uniting many kinds of recent philosophy is an increasing recognition that we are working within the legacy of Kant”. For more on the meaning and implications of Janaway’s remark, see p. 79 of my Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism from Rousseau to Foucault. Information about other editions and translations is available at this
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Explaining Postmodernism‘s individual chapters were first posted serially, followed by the full audiobook. A playlist of the individual chapters is also available at YouTube. Information about other editions and translations is available at this dedicated page.
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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
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[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
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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
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Here’ s a 46-point overview of Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault, along with the anonymous author’s assessment of his or her agreements and (gasp!) disagreements. The author is a professor at an American university who writes under a pseudonym in response to the current climate of intimidation and reprisal that exists
(Professor) The Mistaken reviews Explaining Postmodernism Read More »