PomoNews.com as a news blog has been discontinued. The PomoNews Archive however is still available as a reference blog concerning two major threats to modern Western Enlightenment civilization based on individual liberty:
The basis of our enquiries is a book entitled Explaining Postmodernism, written by Professor of Philosophy, Stephen Hicks. The tome can be downloaded here. Sampler in Persian (PDF).
The present is a series of key postings on the roots of contemporary European political philosophy. These ideas shaped many states on the continent, determined the nature of the Government, and defined the role of the people as state subjects. The result is a distinct European culture that is shaping the world today as it is taking over the USA.
Cuba, Calle Bernaza. H/t @KarelBecerra.
UPDATE:
The idea of the creation of a personalized universe, or rather a personal version of the universe originates with Protagoras (490-420 BC), who said "man is the measure of all things", he meant individual man, rather than mankind. The sophists of the rough, second generation, notably Trasymachus, a character in Plato's Republic, put that notion of subjectivism pragmatically to good use. In classical Greece the sophists used language, not in the service of truth or the transfer of information, but as a strategy for political point-scoring. Does this begin to ring a bell? The sophists held that justice is in the interest of the stronger, that might makes right.
The present is a series of key postings on the roots of contemporary European political philosophy. These ideas shaped many states on the continent, determined the nature of the Government, and defined the role of the people as state subjects. The result is a distinct European culture that is shaping the world today as it is taking over the USA.
Have you ever signed up for the social contract?
Continued from The Counter-Enlightenment: Introduction (1)
Swiss-French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau's (1712-1778) personal life is marked by traits sounding awkwardly contemporary. Self-pity and paranoia play see-saw with wrong choices and blaming others. In Rousseau's world view man is by nature good, but it is society that is the cause of corruption and vice. Iconic for Rousseauian thought is the image of the noble savage, man in his natural state before his fall from Paradise.
The present is a series of key postings on the roots of contemporary European political philosophy. These ideas shaped many states on the continent, determined the nature of the Government, and defined the role of the people as state subjects. The result is a distinct European culture that is shaping the world today as it is taking over the USA.
Kant's subjectivism opened the door to the acceptance of contradiction.
Often erroneously classified as part of the Enlightenment, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is in his mindset entirely antithetical to the values of that movement: he is a typical religious totalitarian who laid the groundwork for full blown subjectivism, the concept of mankind as the ultimate collective under a One World Government and anti-moral altruist ethics. Kant does not have the mind of a scientist, but of a religionist.
The present is a series of key postings on the roots of contemporary European political philosophy. These ideas shaped many states on the continent, determined the nature of the Government, and defined the role of the people as state subjects. The result is a distinct European culture that is shaping the world today as it is taking over the USA.
Left and Right Hegelians at war.
Continued from The Counter Enlightenment: Countering Kant (3)
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) was, like Immanuel Kant (Part 3), a great admirer of Jean Jacques Rousseau (part 2). Like today's cosmologists are warping reason for their Holy Grail, the 'theory of everything', these anti philosophers of the Counter Enlightenment did the same in their efforts to unify faith and reason.
The present is a series of key postings on the roots of contemporary European political philosophy. These ideas shaped many states on the continent, determined the nature of the Government, and defined the role of the people as state subjects. The result is a distinct European culture that is shaping the world today as it is taking over the USA.
The paradox, the contradiction and the oxymoron have merged into postmodern "logic".
Continued from The Counter Enlightenment: Heckling Hegel (4)
"Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable throughout the rest of their lives of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished."
Meet the Professor from hell, Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814), Head of Philosophy and Psychology Dept. of the Prussian University of Berlin, in 1810.
The actions of man are guided by three separate authorities: secular law, cultural traditions and moral choices based on personal values. It is very important to be aware of this distinction: in the philosophy of Liberty the law or a democratic majority can't by allowed to trespass on individual morality.
The concept of a “right” pertains only to action—specifically, to freedom of action. It means freedom from physical compulsion, coercion or interference by other men.
Thus, for every individual, a right is the moral sanction of a positive—of his freedom to act on his own judgment, for his own goals, by his own voluntary, uncoerced choice. (Ayn Rand Lexicon)
Secular versus sacred authority: introduction
Historically the distinction between secular authority and sacred authority largely followed the separation of Church and State, but the distinct 'authorities' that rule our lives mean much more than that. It is very important to know the history that led to this separation, so that we can determine which aspects can be controlled by secular law (and by extension, by democratic principles) (secular authority), what part of our lives is ruled by culture and tradition (here referred to as 'ethos') and what part is exclusively our private consideration (here referred to as morality). In other words, what is the proper field for the law, which part may be ruled by society and what is our personal domain? The secular must be practical and universal (for example the traffic code); ethos pertains to culture, traditions, and national identity; morality is personal choice based on voluntary values. In psychological terms, the secular and the ethos are external locus of control, while morality is the inner locus of control.
This posting is part of a series on the ideological and political movements that -- since the Enlightenment -- have been working towards the destruction of the values of the age of reason and Liberty. In this installment, Internationalism.
Glenn Beck explains the UN's diabolical "Agenda 21".
Internationalism is a political principle which advocates a greater political and economic cooperation among nations and peoples. The root can be reduced to teleological narratives in 18th Century Protestantism (chapters on Kant and Hegel), as well as well as Socialist and Left Liberal doctrines. Internationalists see humans not as individuals, but as a species in a one-world social construct. They don't distinguish between the metaphysical and the mad-made, since they deny the existence of free will. Internationalists do recognize universal human values, but these are not determined voluntarily by individuals, but collectively in the social environment. Internationalists believe humanity as a species has higher interests (like world peace) that transcend short term group interests. Strife is typically the result of group competition for power and control of resources. Internationalism is against Nationalism, patriotism and war, the result of group competition. Proponents are members of the 4 Socialist Internationals (source), and Liberal utilitarians. They are active in supranational institutions like the United Nations and the European Union, in non-governmental organizations, the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Bilderberg Conferences, and the World Federalist Movement (source), to name but a few.
How do countries rank from a philosophical, cultural and economic perspective? We made an analysis of a number of countries based on a set of criteria resulting in a ratings model. It enables us to come to a prediction where these countries will
be in the following 5 to 10 years.
UPDATE: Asia and Africa are fast growing continents. Until the turn of the century Africa was stagnant. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, its policy of financing of Marxist dictators took a hit. From thereon economic growth in most African countries took off (with the exception of Zimbabwe and Congo). The African population is young; success in the fight on AIDS has grown spectacularly. After initially tripling, population growth will eventually diminish once average income increases. North of the equator Africa is Islamic, while the south is largely Christian and animistic. In our analyses (scroll down) of national ethos we have seen that Islam in its most radical form inhibits prosperity. But led by President Sisi of Egypt and the Crown Prince MBS a reform movement has taken off that will gradually have its effect in the economies of the Middle East and North Africa.
Mental toughness is back in fashion in executive coaching. It was never out of style in sports: mindset separates winners from losers. But you can be your own mental coach. Here's how
Mental make-up is not about 'mental training'; it is about your view on knowledge, the nature of man and his place in the universe.
This posting is dedicated to @GoosR
Recently Rush Limbaugh talked about mentally strong people and the 13 things they avoid. These 13 points were first published on Forbes and were compiled by Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and a licensed clinical social worker. Limbaugh offered his perspective (transcript), and we will add ours from the Objectivist point of view in a final comment.
