John Searle reports this conversation with Michel Foucault about deconstructionist Jacques Derrida: ‘You can hardly misread him, because he’s so obscure. Every time you say, “He says so and so,” he always says, “You misunderstood me.” But if you try to figure out the correct interpretation, then that’s not so easy. I once said this […]
Derrida, according to Searle and Foucault Read More »
I’m starting a list of now-common fallacies. Not all of their labels are original to me. Argumentum ad Sneerium (definition): The fallacious tactic of substituting derision or disdain for responsive argument. Argumentum ex Rectum: The practice of arguing by pulling ‘facts’ out of one’s ass and shoving them insincerely into a debate. Alternative definition: Making shit
Informal fallacies — pomo and wokist versions Read More »
I made this chart 22 years ago, when I was writing Explaining Postmodernism. Happy to see it making the rounds again. (Thanks to Victor M.)
Socialism from failure to failure to now Read More »
Steven Sanders, Ph.D., is professor of philosophy at Bridgewater State University, Massachusetts. “Hicks writes about modern European philosophy and the Anglo-American tradition with sophistication and an eye for the thought-revealing anecdote.” Reason Papers 28 (Spring 2006): 111-124. Copyright © 2006Stephen R. C. Hicks’s Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to FoucaultA DiscussionSteven M. SandersBridgewater
Professor Steven Sanders’ review of *Explaining Postmodernism* Read More »
I’m gathering data relevant to innovation culture and policy. Here’s a starter table. [Updated: Pfizer-BioNtech is a joint American-German product; Russia’s added.] Update: Russia’s vaccine covered here.
Vaccine developments by country and effectiveness Read More »
Interviewer Mark Michael Lewis and I had an extended conversation about philosophy and its applications to education, business ethics, postmodernism, and entrepreneurship. A video of this interview is available at YouTube. Here is the transcript: Mark Lewis: Welcome to a new edition of Becoming an Ayn Rand Hero, where we use the ideas of Ayn Rand
Ten topics in applied Objectivism — interviewed by Mark Michael Lewis [Transcript] Read More »
Professor Eric Kaufmann (Birkbeck College, University of London) has an article in The Wall Street Journal on his report documenting the degree of politicization and cancel-culture in American, Canadian, and British universities. From a summary: Based on a “new report for the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology (CSPI), Academic Freedom in Crisis:
Hard data show academic freedom in peril — Kaufmann report Read More »
W. T. Jones’s A History of Western Philosophy is excellent on all the major philosophers and integrates them well into historical context. He’s also a clear writer, which can be rare in philosophy. Also, one does not have to read the philosophers in historical order, as the presentations are self-contained and/or context-established along the way.
Best history of philosophy? My recommendation Read More »
Contrasting liberal to cancel culture. Image and text versions below, should you want to modify for yourself. Cancel Culture defined Liberal Culture Cancel Culture Range of opinion? Expect diversity of Expect uniformity of Attitude toward those who disagree? Tolerance of the eccentric Hostility to the deviant Atmosphere encouraged? Benevolence Fear
Cancel Culture defined Read More »
In his final days in office, President Obama commuted the prison sentence of Chelsea Manning. While in the employ of the US Army, Manning had downloaded tens of thousands of government documents and passed them on to Wikileaks. Among the leaked documents were many State Department cables, reports on incidents during the wars in Iraq
Whistleblowing and Government Secrets, Chelsea Manning edition Read More »