Immanuel Kant famously said this: “Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made.”[1] And this: “The history of *nature*, therefore, begins with good, for it is God’s work; the history of *freedom* begins with *badness*, for it is *man’s* work.”[2] And he regularly makes other slights against human nature. So […]
Kant versus human perfectibility — strange interpretations Read More »
Penguin has published a new translation by R. Kevin Hill and Michael Scarpitti of Friedrich Nietzsche’s The Will to Power. In the mid-1880s Nietzsche was extraordinarily productive making and reworking notes for an intended magnum opus. But he did not complete it and turned to publishing the final few short books of his career before
*The Will to Power* — new translation by Hill and Scarpitti Read More »
On February 20 and 21 I’ll be speaking at the Orono campus on two issues in political philosophy: “Postmodernism and the Rise of the New Left” “Nietzsche — Did the National Socialists Use or Abuse His Philosophy?” The poster for the event is here. Thanks very much to Professor Michael Palmer for the invitation.
Upcoming talks at the University of Maine Read More »
Romance is in the air, so here is a repost of my round-up of philosophers talking to their sweethearts – collected from conversations overheard at smoky cafés, college libraries, mountain caves, and seminar rooms the world over. The Aristotelian: “I wish to marry you, for I know that my happiness, both of body and soul,
“Should I marry you?” How philosophers answer Read More »
How culture gets made. At the Library of Social Science, a selection of quotations — philosophers, poets, historians, and other intellectual leaders — on German militarism from Kant’s time to World War I. For example, who said this? War itself, if it is carried on with order and with a sacred respect for the rights of
Quotations on militarism in the lead-up to World War I Read More »
The Decline of the West By Oswald Spengler Translated from the German by Charles Francis Atkinson New York: A. A. Knopf, 1918 Spengler’s Preface to the First Edition The complete manuscript of this book — the outcome of three years’ work — was ready when the Great War broke out. By the spring of 1917
Spenger’s Introduction to *The Decline of the West* [text] Read More »
What explains the dramatic differences in economic performance between the two Americas? Take some World Bank GDP numbers — one measure of economic success. We want people to make an adequate living, especially poor people who are struggling. And if we are ambitious, we want people to live the good life — including expensive things
Comparing North and Latin America Economic Performance [Good Life series] Read More »
One century ago, Adolf Hitler fighting in the Great War. He was a good soldier — he would be promoted to the rank of corporal, be wounded two times, and be awarded six medals. And with him during the war he had the writings of philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. The image of Hitler reading Schopenhauer is
How Smart and Well-read was Adolf Hitler? [Good Life series] Read More »
[This is a Portuguese translation of Part 7 of the Theist vs. Atheist series, originally published in English at EveryJoe. In the following final round of the debate, John Wright begins and Stephen Hicks replies.] De forma geral, a religião tem sido algo bom ou ruim para a humanidade? Por John C. Wright Tradução de
In your lifetime, how many times can you remember when everyone agreed about the significance of a major cultural phenomenon? It is happening now, as libertarians, conservatives, left-liberals and far-leftists all agree that a deep rot has set into Political Correctness. Hell is freezing over and pigs can now fly. The symptoms of P.C. are
Understanding Triggers and Microaggression as *Strategy* (Part 1) [Good Life series] Read More »