This is Part 2 of Professor Hicks’s Philosophy of Education course, in which he introduces metaphysics, its competing theories, and their role in education. 1 clip: Previous: [Part 1: Introduction to the Course] Motivation for the course. Next: The Big Bang Story. Return to the Philosophy of Education page. Return to the StephenHicks.org main page.
Introducing metaphysics: our hybrid civilization Read More »
Just back from a trip that took me to Texas and Oklahoma. I saw this sign along a highway a little across the OK border. “Steve,” the sign said to me, “you’re not in Illinois anymore.” So I took a tourist memento picture. It turns out that they are not worried about what weirdos might
Dueling billboards, Oklahoma style Read More »
[We are reading The Fountainhead this week in my Introduction to Philosophy course, so this is a re-post for new readers this semester.] The ethics of altruism holds that others are the standard of value. One is good to the extent one puts the interests of other first, acts to achieve their interests, and when
Toohey’s five strategies of altruism [repost] Read More »
[This is Section 30 of Nietzsche and the Nazis.] 30. On anti-Semitism: valid or disgusting? The most repulsive sign of Germany’s decline, Nietzsche writes—and this may be initially surprising—is its hatred of the Jews, its virulent and almost-irrational anti-Semitism. Nietzsche, we know, has said some harsh things about the Jews—but again, that is a set
On anti-Semitism: valid or disgusting? Read More »
Since 1990, the percentage of Americans who are Christian fell by 11 points, while the percentage of atheists rose 7 points. Those are, as Cathy Lynn Grossman of USA Today writes, “dramatic shifts in just 18 years.” According to this Pew Forum survey, religiousness in Illinois is below the national average, which may explain the
Religion in America, 2009 Read More »
The Greeks were the first to do philosophy, and one of the perennially great questions is: Why the Greeks and not some others? Various answers focus on their cosmopolitan trading economy, their concurrent development of democratic politics, or some other combination of factors. I have long thought that the Greeks’ naturalistic religion was a positive,
Religion: help or hindrance to philosophy? Read More »
Fascinating numbers in this Harris poll on 21st-century Americans’ beliefs about ghosts, astrology, witches, and other supernatural phenomena. For example: 73% believe in miracles. 61% believe in a devil. 40% believe in ghosts. 25% believe in astrology. And so on, with interesting breakdowns of the data based on sex, political affiliation, and amount of education.
American and Athenian religious belief Read More »
A vigorous culture carries on its debates at many levels and via many media, all the way down to the bumper sticker. I enjoy the cleverness that goes into many stickers, as well as the ongoing one-upmanship. These “Coexist” stickers have been around for awhile now: Islam, peace, men/women, Judaism, paganism, Taoism/Confucianism, Christianity — can’t
Coexist or Uncoexist? Read More »