PART 1 PART 2 6. Coercive Liberalism “We are condemned to be free” may have been a key slogan of Existentialism, but it is equally true of today’s liberalism. But at least, the existentialists viewed the human condition as absurd, since we had to experience the responsibility of freedom without ever being able to shake … [continue reading]
The Creek and The Cloud.
APP Editors’ Note: As we’ve said many times, whereas professional academic philosophy imposes various kinds of self-defeatingly silly, vitiating constraints on the form and content of works of philosophy–in effect, intellectual, moral, and political border-patrolling–APP is committed to the radical contrary thesis that there are no in-principle constraints on the form and content of real … [continue reading]
The Blue Pill Without Amnesia–On the Philosophical Foundations of Political Correctness, Part 2.
PART 1 4. Reversed Teleology I wish to draw attention to a different aspect of the “retrospective twist” I described in part I of this essay. As I indicated, this technique is applied by reading works of, for instance, Kant, with a contemporary mindset. It is easy to frame Kant as a bigot, racist and … [continue reading]
Free Places, Not Safe Spaces. An Open Letter to Western University's Freedom of Expression Policy Committee
APP Editors’ Note: Impelled by an Ontario government mandate to produce a freedom of expression policy, the administration at Western University, aka University of Western Ontario, aka UWO, has created an Ad Hoc committee to create such a policy. From October 2 to 5 they will have consultative sessions with members of the campus community. … [continue reading]
The Blue Pill Without Amnesia–On the Philosophical Foundations of Political Correctness, Part 1.
1. Introduction Nietzsche is well known for a terrifying thought experiment: if one night, a demon would visit you in a dream, and reveal to you that you would re-live your live again and again for all eternity, what would you do? Nietzsche’s initial hunch is that most people would wake up screaming, having glimpsed … [continue reading]
Borderless Philosophy 2 (2019): Third Call for Submissions.
The Editorial Team of Borderless Philosophy is pleased to announce a Third Call for Submissions for our second issue (2019). Borderless Philosophy is a new and highly progressive philosophy journal, whose first issue, Borderless Philosophy 1 (2018), can be found HERE. Borderless Philosophy publishes works of philosophy without any in-principle restrictions whatsoever as to length, … [continue reading]
On The Deeper Source of The Fragility of Human Dignity.
Recently I read a very interesting piece posted on Aeon, “Dignity is Delicate,” by Remy Debes, about the concept of human dignity and contemporary politics. Debes compellingly argues for the claim that although the essentially Kantian concept of human dignity has emerged since WW II as a moral and political rallying-point for oppressed people, moral … [continue reading]
A Quick Explanation of Why Anarcho-Capitalism Is Not a Real Thing. Foundations of Anarchism and Socialism 6
APP Editors’ Note: This is the sixth in a series on the historical and philosophical foundations of anarchism and socialism, with special reference to social anarchism (aka “anarcho-socialism,” “libertarian socialism,” etc.) and democratic socialism. We decided to start with the Democratic Socialists of America, aka the DSA, and the Black Rose/Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation, aka … [continue reading]
The Black Rose Anarchist Federation: Our Politics. Foundations of Anarchism and Socialism 5
APP Editors’ Note: This is the fifth in a series on the historical and philosophical foundations of anarchism and socialism, with special reference to social anarchism (aka “anarcho-socialism,” “libertarian socialism,” etc.) and democratic socialism. We’ve decided to start with the Democratic Socialists of America, aka the DSA, and the Black Rose/Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation, aka … [continue reading]
Philosophy Ripped From The Headlines!, Issue #13, 2 (September 2018): Abolish ICE!, and Hungary’s Starvation Tactics.
Starting in August 2018, Philosophy Ripped From The Headlines! is being delivered in weekly installments. Every installment contains (1) a recent article or articles, (2) some follow-up thoughts for further reflection or discussion, and (3) a link for supplementary reading. 1. “How ‘Abolish ICE’ Went From Twitter Slogan To Winning Over Progressives And Dividing Politics” … [continue reading]