[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 article. And here are the links to other columns in the series.] The quest for a meaningful life comes naturally to us. As infants we delight in exploring the world and developing […]
Making Life Meaningful without Religion [Theist vs. Atheist series] Read More »
Some parts of the world really are environmental Hells. They are dirty and depleted, making them unhealthy and economically unsustainable. We can argue about the severity of various places’ problems, but I want to focus on another aspect of the debate: determining accurately the causes of the degradation so we can focus productively on finding
Blamestorming and Environmental Problems (Part I) [Good Life series] Read More »
Patterson in Pursuit is Steve Patterson’s series of podcast discussions with intellectuals. Recently Patterson and I discussed the themes and background developments that led to postmodernism — the premodern worldview, modernism’s revolutionary break, the Enlightenment project, the counter-Enlightenment, an assortment of key people including Kant, Nietzsche, Foucault, and Rorty, and whether we are actually living
Postmodernism — podcast discussion with Steve Patterson Read More »
Recommended. Thanks to Joshua Zader for his recommendation. Here’s the trailer:
Movie: “A Most Violent Year” — business and grit 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 column about whether religion is essential to ethics.] In my judgment, issues of morality are the most difficult in philosophy. They are intellectually challenging, as everything about the human condition is
On Natural Morality and Religious Amoralism [Theist vs. Atheist series] Read More »
In my judgment, Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead is the greatest novel on the themes of independence and integrity. I’m reposting the contrast of Howard Roark and Peter Keating below, as in my Introduction to Philosophy course this week we are reading Part I, in which Rand’s primary purpose is to contrast the characters of Roark
The Fountainhead — contrasting Roark and Keating Read More »
I gave a talk in Brazil earlier this year on “Progress and Betrayal: The Responsibilities of Latin American Intellectuals.” My abstract: The richest Latin American nations are only 25% as wealthy as Canada and the United States. Why is this? Some blame imperialism, a lack of resources, corrupt politicians, and/or crony businesses. All of those
Progress and Betrayal: The Responsibilities of Latin American Intellectuals [video] Read More »
Dr. Carrie-Ann Biondi of Marymount Manhattan College visited Rockford University to give a lecture sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship. While she was here, I interviewed her about how she became a philosopher, Aristotle, the relationship between abstract and applied philosophy, how she teaches her ethics course, Jane Eyre, Harry Potter, Plato, and
Interview with philosopher Carrie-Ann Biondi Read More »