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Stephen Hicks

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(Redirected from Explaining Postmodernism)
This article is about the philosopher. For the American Civil War soldier, see Stephen G. Hicks. For the murder victim, see Jeffrey Dahmer § Murder of Steven Hicks.
Not to be confused with Steven Hicks.

Stephen Hicks
Hicks lecturing in 2013
Born
Stephen Ronald Craig Hicks

(1960-08-19) August 19, 1960 (age 64)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian and American
EducationUniversity of Guelph (BA, MA)
Indiana University, Bloomington (PhD)
EraContemporary philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolAnalytic
Objectivism
InstitutionsRockford University
Main interests
Epistemology, business ethics
Notable ideas
Criticism of postmodernism, entrepreneurism
Websitewww.stephenhicks.org

Stephen Ronald Craig Hicks (born August 19, 1960) is a Canadian-American philosopher. He teaches at Rockford University, where he also directs the Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship.[1]

Career

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Hicks earned his Bachelor of Arts (Honours, 1981) and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Guelph, and his Doctor of Philosophy (1991) from Indiana University Bloomington. The title of his doctoral thesis was "Foundationalism and the Genesis of Justification".[2]

Hicks is the author of six books and a documentary. Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault (Scholargy, 2004) argues that postmodernism is best understood as a rhetorical strategy of the academic left developed in reaction to the failure of socialism, communism and liberalism.[3]

Additionally, Hicks has published articles and essays on a range of subjects, including entrepreneurism,[4] free speech in academia,[5] the history and development of modern art,[6][7] Ayn Rand's Objectivism,[8] business ethics[9] and the philosophy of education, including a series of YouTube lectures.[10]

Hicks is also the co-editor, with David Kelley, of a critical thinking textbook, The Art of Reasoning: Readings for Logical Analysis (W. W. Norton & Co., second edition, 1998), Entrepreneurial Living with Jennifer Harrolle (CEEF, 2016), Liberalism Pro and Con (Connor Court, 2020), Art: Modern, Postmodern, and Beyond (with Michael Newberry, 2021) and Eight Philosophies of Education (with Andrew C. Colgan, forthcoming, 2023).

Explaining Postmodernism

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Hicks is known for his book, Explaining Postmodernism.[11] Hicks argues that postmodernism is

"anti-realist, holding that it is impossible to speak meaningfully about an independently existing reality. Postmodernism substitutes instead a social-linguistic, constructionist account of reality. Epistemologically, having rejected the notion of an independently existing reality, postmodernism denies that reason or any other method is a means of acquiring direct knowledge of that reality. . . . Postmodern accounts of human nature are consistently collectivist, holding that individuals’ identities are constructed largely by the social-linguistic groups they are a part of . . . postmodern themes in ethics and politics are characterized by an identification with and sympathy for the groups perceived to be oppressed in the conflicts, and a willingness to enter the fray on their behalf."[12]

Professor Max Hocutt explains that Hick's book addresses two important questions: "why does postmodernist rhetoric display blatant disregard for accuracy and obvious contempt for civility?" and "why have 'postmodernist' intellectuals of the kind you find in English departments and Women's Studies programs, but not the Chemistry department, rejected Enlightenment belief in reason while embracing epistemological relativism and metaphysical nihilism instead?"[13]

Steven M. Sanders, professor emeritus of Philosophy at Bridgewater State College, writes:

With clarity, concision, and an engaging style, Hicks exposes the historical roots and philosophical assumptions of the postmodernist phenomenon. More than that, he raises key questions about the legacy of postmodernism and its implications for our intellectual attitudes and cultural life.[14]

Author and lecturer Matt McManus criticised Explaining Postmodernism as misrepresenting much of Western philosophy and being "full of misreadings, suppositions, rhetorical hyperbole and even flat out factual errors."[15][dead link‍]

Nietzsche and the Nazis

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Hicks is also known for his documentary and book, Nietzsche and the Nazis, which is an examination of the ideological and philosophical roots of Nazism, particularly how Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas were used and misused by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis to justify their beliefs and practices.[16][17] This was released in 2006 as a video documentary[18] and then in 2010 as a book.[19]

Books

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  • Liberalism Pro and Con : A Primer (2024)
  • Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault (2013)
  • What Business Ethics Can Learn From Entrepreneurship (2011)
  • Nietzsche and the Nazis: A Personal View (2010)
  • Free Speech & Postmodernism (2010)
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References

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  1. ^ "Author Profile Stephen Hicks". James Martin Center.
  2. ^ Hicks, Stephen. "Foundationalism and the Genesis of Justification".
  3. ^ "Postmodernism Unpeeled". davidthompson. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  4. ^ Hicks, Stephen R. C. (May 2, 2016). "What Entrepreneurship Can Teach Us About Life". Wall Street Journal.
  5. ^ Free Speech and Postmodernism, (2002)
  6. ^ "Why Art Became Ugly". atlassociety.org. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  7. ^ "Post-Postmodern Art". Michaelnewberry.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  8. ^ Objectivism page from Hicks's website
  9. ^ Business and economics ethics page from Hicks's website
  10. ^ Philosophy of Education page.
  11. ^ Reviews of Explaining Postmodernism:
    • David Gordon, The Mises Review, [1]
    • Curtis L. Hancock, The Review of Metaphysics, JSTOR 20130628
    • Max Hocutt, "Hicks versus Postmodernism", The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies, JSTOR 41560324
    • Edvard Lorkovic, Philosophy in Review, [2]
    • Marcus Verhaegh, The Independent Review, JSTOR 24562146
  12. ^ "Mises Review Explaining Postmodernism". Mises. October 2005. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Hocutt, Max. "Review: Hicks versus Postmodernism". The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies. 7 (2): 445–457. JSTOR 41560324.
  14. ^ Stephen R. C. Hicks’s Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault: A Discussion Reason Papers 28 (Spring 2006): 111-124|accessdate=September 5, 2023
  15. ^ McManus, Matt (October 17, 2018). "A Review of Explaining Postmodernism by Stephen Hicks". Areo. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Donway, Roger. "The Postmodern Assault on Reason". The Atlas Society. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  17. ^ Review of Nietzsche and the Nazis: Paul Bishop, Journal of European Studies, doi:10.1177/00472441110410020506
  18. ^ "Stephen Hicks, Ph.D. » "Nietzsche and the Nazis" update". Stephenhicks.org. 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  19. ^ "Stephen Hicks, Ph.D. » Nietzsche and the Nazis". Stephenhicks.org. April 25, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
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