Citizens are transformed into users made easier to manipulate I was honored to be invited to give the keynote address at the 4th International Communication, Digitalization and Society Symposium. This is the text of my speech. (Source: Tugba Gulal via LinkedIn) First, let me frame the topics of democracyContinue Reading
The writing was on the wall when in April 2025 a university official sent an e-mail announcing that textbooks would be censored. They didn’t use the word “censored,” of course — their preferred euphemism was “curricular restructuring.” Before I go any further, I will acknowledge that the university did a good jobContinue Reading
A shorter video version for those who like images: An extended text version for those who like text: Some people, despite all proof to the contrary, believe the moon landings were faked. Some people, despite all proof to the contrary, believe the last election was stolen. And those are just two ofContinue Reading
The Karl Marx of Libertarianism Robert Nozick (public domain image) The Libertarian Manifesto (more or less) A specter is haunting America— the specter of Libertarianism. All the Powers of Government have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this specter. The Libertarians disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare thatContinue Reading
You can’t fight an enemy you don’t understand In 2024, I wrote two short but information-packed books about politics. They were pertinent to the US election (along with all the other elections in 2024), but they are even more pertinent now after the US election results. That’s particularly true becauseContinue Reading
A philosopher foresaw our current era of social reactionism I am not fond of cynics, but I have a soft spot for those who are optimistic about humanity’s potential and who are thus disappointed when people do so little with their potential. Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche fit into thatContinue Reading
I began teaching philosophy in 1998, and I love talking with students and helping them discover new ideas. Several years ago, I gave up on the mass-produced introduction to philosophy textbooks. The offerings from the Big Four educational publishing corporations (Cengage, McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Oxford) are overpriced (I can’tContinue Reading
Defeating Donald Trump in the 2024 election is a necessary step, but it is only one short-term step toward preserving freedom and security. Trump is a symptom far more than he is a cause. Realizing that simple reality opens the door to a deeper understanding of the particular strain ofContinue Reading
Links to Purchase the Book eBook universal link Bookshop.org link Google Books link Amazon link Reviews This is a rare work of political theory that stands out for its conversational style and readability. Its persuasion relies on easy to follow arguments and logical conclusion in order to repaint the intractableContinue Reading