Stephen R.C. Hicks's Blog, page 32

ON THE OBJECTIVITY OF SCIENCE: KARL POPPER and THOMAS KUHN. Lecture 5 of Postmodern Philosophy [Peterson Academy course]

Lecture Five: Science and technology have accomplished wonders since the Enlightenment. But, as Karl Popper asks, how do we “distinguish between science and pseudo–science“? Thomas Kuhn suggests that scientists are less-than-objective and more “like the typical character of Orwell’s 1984.” Themes:  Logical Positivism and Analytic philosophy’s aspirations and travails. Scientific method. Science and pseudo-science. Falsifiability. […]

The Enlightenment Vision — Flowchart

The Enlightenment of the long 18th century was an era of awesome intellectual and cultural transformation. My Enlightenment Vision flowchart [pdf] is pitched at a high level of abstraction, showing schematically how the philosophical revolution of the 17th century led to the 18th-century revolutions in science, technology, politics, and economics — which in turn led […]

Hannibal and Kipling at UL, Mexico City

This week I gave five talks at the impressive Universidad de la Libertad, a new university focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship. My hosts snapped this pic of me beside a favorite quotation adorning one of the walls there. For my fellow gringos whose Spanish could use an assist: “No price is too high to pay […]

Nietzsche at UL, Mexico City

This week I gave five talks at the impressive Universidad de la Libertad, a new university focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship. My hosts snapped this pic of me beside a favorite quotation adorning one of the walls there. For my fellow gringos whose Spanish could use an assist: “No price is too high to pay […]

Hayek, Popper, and “Negativism”

In a letter to Karl Popper dated October 21, 1964, Friedrich Hayek proposed that they name their philosophy “Negativism.”[1] Hayek’s philosophy of economics holds that the limits of knowledge doom any attempt at central planning,[2] and Popper’s philosophy of science holds that observations can only falsify hypotheses.[3] Hence, “Negativism” would capture the central epistemic insight […]

Mao on selflessness, altruism, and collectivism

Mao Zedong on the ethical requirements of communism: “A Communist should have largeness of mind and he should be staunch and active, looking upon the interests of the revolution as his very life and subordinating his personal interests to those of the revolution; always and everywhere he should adhere to principle and wage a tireless […]

Five lectures at Universidad de la Libertad, Mexico City

This week I will be in Mexico to give five lectures at the new Universidad de la Libertad. I’m honored to be invited. My titles are: “The Morality of Money and Capitalism” “American vs. French Revolutions—and Why They Matter for Latin America Today” Why Property Rights? “The Morality of Free Trade” “On Being the Entrepreneur […]

More innovation in transportation: steam and canals

Following up on how the shipping container reduced loading costs by 97%, which reminded me of this datum on how steam power dramatically lowered transportation costs: “In pre-steam days it had cost $5 to carry 100 pounds up to Louisville [from New Orleans]. It had dropped to $2 by 1830, and soon fell to 25 […]

WHAT THE WOMEN ETHICISTS ARE UP TO: AYN RAND and PHILIPPA FOOT. Lecture 4 of Postmodern Philosophy [Peterson Academy course]

Lecture Four: Why has moral philosophy become skeptical and sterile? In contrast, Ayn Rand rejects the is-ought dichotomy and argues that ethics is “an objective necessity” for volitional, rational beings. Philippa Foot, also updating Aristotle, states that “the grounding of a moral argument is ultimately in facts about human life.” Themes:  Naturalism. Bio-centrism. Value and […]

Lecture today at Francisco Marroquín University, Guatemala: “On Being the Entrepreneur of your Life”

On Friday, October 4, I’m giving an invited talk at UFM in Guatemala City. My topic is: “On Being the Entrepreneur of your Life.” Thanks to the UFM Department of Psychology and Ayn Rand Center Latin America for inviting me. Related: My article in The Wall Street Journal on “What Entrepreneurs Can Teach Us About […]