Uploaded July 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago

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Carter speaks with Dr. Stephen Hicks about why philosophy is viewed as pointless (and why it is the fault of philosophers), pragmatism vs. principles, the psychological need for meaning and purpose, and the accessibility of a rational system of ethics to non-philosophers. Dr. Hicks ends the show by revealing what he believes to be today's biggest threat to Enlightenment values.

Dr. Hicks is a Professor of Philosophy at Rockford University, Illinois. He's also the Executive Director of the Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship and Senior Scholar at The Atlas Society. He's the author of six books, including his forthcoming book "Eight Philosophies of Education" and "Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault." He's published in several academic journals, including Business Ethics Quarterly, Teaching Philosophy, and Review of Metaphysics, as well as a variety of mainstream publications. He's also the host of the Open College podcast.

Find out more about Dr. Hicks online at stephenhicks.org
Or follow him on Twitter at:
@SRCHicks

For a full description of this episode, including a list of links to referenced material, visit:
unsafespace.com/ep0815


About Dangerous Thoughts
Hosted by Carter, "Dangerous Thoughts" is a series dedicated to practical and applied philosophy, as well as deeper dives into other crucial but complex topics. Its goal is to help rational individuals become more dangerous to the intellectual and psychological enemies of the principles upon which Western Civilization was built and has thrived.


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