university

EP #40 | Defending Explaining Post Modernism: Cuck & Multiversity

Two intelligent, non-professional responses to my book explaining postmodernism. A study in contrast. Content, method, and civility.

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EP #38 | God: The “Design” Argument

Do the gods exist? As mature and more sophisticated reasoned arguments for and against the idea of god have evolved, we can evaluate eighteen possible arguments, about seven are interesting. Argumentation about the natural world: time, causation, morality, beauty, logic, mathematical precision, and so on. Can they be explained in self-sufficient natural way or only by going beyond the natural?

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EP #36 | Democratic Socialism for Beginners

In contemporary times, most socialists have shifted away from overtly dictatorial socialism. Among the younger, there is some level of awareness of its terrible history but they still think of it as an ideal to be striven for despite obvious concerns. What are the aims of democratic socialist, what do they wish to achieve and how will they achieve their goals? Should socialism be Monarchical, Aristocratic, or Democratic? Who should have power over you: one person? An elite group? The majority?

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EP #34 | Eight Socialists Define Socialism

Who are the most important socialist intellectuals and politicians in history? We here offer quotations from eight prominent socialists, representing a wide geographical and temporal range. The quotations illustrate the author’s motivation for advocating socialism, the actions necessary to bring about socialism, and/or the expected results of socialism. What common characteristics best define socialism?

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EP #32 | Bootleggers and Baptists or Snowflakes

A generation ago the slogan of campus activist was, speak truth to power. Why has there been such a dramatic change in just one generation?

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EP #31 | Hazony Attacks the Enlightenment

On December 30th 2019, the YouTube channel Prager University released a video narrated by bible scholar and political theorist Yoram Hazony discussing the Enlightenment. Hazony makes eight major claims about the Enlightenment and while there are some thoughtful arguments against the Enlightenment, Hazony has not made them. In this episode of Open College, Dr. Hicks points out the flaws in Hazony’s augments and shows why this video is an example of special-pleading history.

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EP #30 | The Real Scrooge

We all know the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. Or do we? At least 20 movie versions of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol have been produced, along with innumerable stage plays and live reading. Who was Ebenezer Scrooge? Was his character the Villain according to Socialism, the Homo Economicus and Savvy Investor, the hero of the Anti-Over-Commercialized-Christmas crowd?

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#29 War on Socialism

William James was a leading American philosopher who lived at the turn of the 20th century. In his essay the Moral Equivalent of War, James describes himself as a socialist and pacifist and is very disgusted with the human history of war and is looking for a solution. This essay, while thoughtful and well argued is to my mind, highly objectionable. Here is why.

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#25 Thales’ Revolution

The standard claim is that philosophy begins with Thales. Why did philosophy come into being in a clusters of cities on the coasts of Asia minor? Ascribed to Thales by Aristotle: “The first principle and basic nature of all things is water, ”and “All things are full of gods.” Why do historians of philosophy get worked up over these lines?
To see their significance, let’s set a context by going back to the worldview of the awesomely great Homer. So brush up on The Iliad, which I want to use as our pre-philosophy-worldview contrast object.

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 EP#15  | Training, Not Educating Activists

Are reason and analysis under attack by scepticism? Why do post modernists focus on training and indoctrinating activist while ignoring some of the fundamental principals of education? If racial gender ethnic group conflict are the new principal of education what is the purpose of education?

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