The continuing influence of Plato is a contradiction in democratic societies. Plato’s doctrine or Forms or Ideas never had a sound political basis. But today the impossible utopia he created is more real in our philosophy and religion than the world we live in, even though it offers no remedy for the supposed corruption which inspired it. And yet, people of all political persuasions applaud him. Will Plato remain the ruler of the new age? I hope not. I believe his ideas must be the first casualties of the passing world.
Viewed from the left, Nazi fascism looks like a nightmare that actually came true. So, it may be surprising to hear that the fascist mentality has something in common with a leftist mentality. Take, for example, J. R. R. Tolkien.
Professor Wen Yang wonders how it is possible that Machiavelli's treatise, when it finally appeared, was able to change the course of Western political philosophy. He believes that the core of the problem was the innate deficiencies of Western civilization. And these began very early. The problem with the West is that it did not experience the Axial Age.
A neoconservative attempt at self-perpetuation can be seen in two of the Star Trek series. According to David Greven, the Enterprise series is the first Trek series to openly break…
There is no question that the Enlightenment and Reformation made the United States possible. But there have always been concerns about the Enlightenment.