Not just one thing explains the new wave of street-populism. Five constituent types, with different levels of understanding and commitment: 1. The mass of protesters: Especially the younger: conditioned by semi- and mis-education, though sometimes with a partial understanding of a real problem. Their moral beliefs stand as unquestionable dogmas of faith in their minds. […]
Waterfall is a guided series of courses for everyone interested in issues upon which Objectivism has something distinctive and important to say. The first course: Money. Examine the essential role that money plays in production, trade, and investment with thinkers such as Ayn Rand and Ludwig von Mises as your guide—as well as explore the hostility
“Money *Can* Buy Happiness” Tara Smith’s essay [Waterfall] Read More »
For this month’s livestreams at thinkspot, I’m comparing the ethical views of two of the most inspirational philosophers of all time. Join me in this 3-session course co-organized by thinkspot and Ayn Rand Center Latin America. Here’s my two-minute trailer for my June livestream lectures: * Session 1: June, Saturday 20th, 12-1 pm Central. On
Nietzsche and Rand as inspirational Read More »
When I heard about the CHAZ Antifa/BLM/etc. takeover in Seattle, my first thought was: I wonder how many of them went to Evergreen College? Washington state’s Evergreen College was the site of the infamous racist intimidation/happening/experiment that made international news in 2017. (I recommend thinkspotter Benjamin Boyce’s documentary.) So I Googled it and it turns
From Evergreen College to CHAZ/CHOP Seattle Read More »
For use in my courses, additions to my Texts in Philosophy page. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Address at the Freedom Rally in Cobo Hall,” 1963. [His first “I have a dream” speech.] Herbert Marcuse, “Repressive Tolerance” (1965). George Walsh, “Defining Religion: The Supernatural as Personal/Impersonal” (1998). Excerpt from The Role of Religion in History. Woodrow
Texts in Philosophy — mid-2020 additions Read More »
The common factors? None from Australia or the Americas. None are women. None are political individualists or free-market capitalists. So … * Six were socialists. * Three came to dictatorial power from military backgrounds. * And one was a hereditary monarch. Image source: https://www.infobae.com/america/mundo/2018/09/29/los-10-dictadores-mas-sanguinarios-del-siglo-xx/
Top ten political killers Read More »
We’re now posting serially at thinkspot the transcripts of my Open College podcasts. Here’s the third: OC3:
Conservatives Are Not Free-market Capitalists [Open College transcript] Read More »
In May, I led a discussion with the Atlas Intellectuals on George Orwell’s review of The Totalitarian Enemy. The question Orwell asked was: Are the Nazis really Socialist? I’m returning to the group on Friday, June 26 at noon CT to discuss the new Waterfall campaign on Objectivity, beginning with selections from John Stuart Mill’s
TAS livestream upcoming on Mill, Objectivity, and Liberal Education Read More »