Open College with Dr. Stephen Hicks

Hosted ByDr. Stephen Hicks

Dr. Stephen R.C. Hicks is a Canadian-American philosopher who teaches at Rockford University, Illinois. He has had visiting positions at Oxford University (England), Kasimir the Great University (Poland), and has lectured at universities across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He specializes in modern European philosophy and politics, and has written extensively on Kant, Marx, including his two books, Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault and Nietzsche and the Nazis.

EP #1 – Free Speech; Why The Philosophy Matters

Humans are smart beings — or potentially smart. Not instinctual or passive creatures. Active engagement and deep thinking. Life goals and strategy. Lots of information. Lots of experiment. And do it yourself. Extend that socially to meaningful relationships. Shared values. Degrees of intimacy from business acquaintances to friends to lovers and life partners. In common, all depend on exchange of info, genuine communication. Context of trust, respect, and freedom. When disagreements arise, at least initial benefit of the doubt, willingness to hear out the other side, nuanced judgment that takes all the available information into account. Major part of what education should instill.