Dissident Philosophers

Voices Against the Political Current of the Academy

T. Allan Hillman, Tully Borland

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781538159057
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Higher Education

The book consists of sixteen essays (and an introduction) from prominent philosophers who are at odds with the predominant political trend(s) of academic philosophy, political trend(s) primarily associated with leftism. Some of these philosophers identify explicitly with the political right – an admittedly broad term which ranges from American conservative to British Tory, from religious right to non-religious right, from libertarian to authoritarian. Yet other dissident philosophers eschew the left/right dichotomy altogether while maintaining a firm political distance from the majority of their (left-leaning) colleagues. The primary goal of the volume is to represent a broad constituency of political philosophies and perspectives at variance with the prevailing political sentiments of the academy. Each essay is partly autobiographical in nature, detailing personal experiences that have influenced these philosophers throughout their lives, and partly philosophical, putting forth reflections on the intellectual viability of a right-leaning (or decidedly non-left leaning) political philosophy or some segment of it. The contemporary university is supposed to be the locus of viewpoint diversity, and yet as is evident to professors, students, and virtually anyone else who sets foot within its halls, it most certainly is not – particularly in matters political. Nevertheless, these essays are not instances of special-pleading or grievance incitement. Instead, each article provides a glimpse into the life of an academic philosopher whose views have largely been at odds with peers and colleagues. Furthermore, all of the essays were consciously constructed with the aim of being philosophically rigorous while eschewing technical language and verbose prose. In short, the essays will be enjoyable to a wide audience.

Table of contents

• 1 Introduction: Thoughtcrime Revealed T. Allan Hillman and Tully Borland
• 2 Up from Political Liberalism (but Not Entirely) Francis Joseph Beckwith
• 3 Don’t Throw Out the Tinfoil Hats Just Yet: A Libertarian Defense of “Unwarranted” Conspiracy Theories John Bickle and Marica Bernstein
• 4 Under the Copybook Headings: Rudyard Kipling’s Ethics of Civilization Daniel Bonevac
• 5 Academia: Hooligans at Play Jason Brennan
• 6 The Importance of Cultural Preservation Rafael De Clercq
• 7 Learning All the Wrong Lessons Dan Demetriou
• 8 The Metaphysical Foundations of Conservatism Edward Feser
• 9 Reflections of an Apostate Michael Huemer
• 10 Individualism and Rights: Libertarianism in Academia Eric Mack
• 11 Correcting the Strawmen: Why Most Evangelical Christians Are Political Conservatives J. P. Moreland
• 12 Left and Right: A Pox on Both Their Houses Jan Narveson
• 13 Away from Omelas Michael Pakaluk
• 14 The Curious Case of the Double Dissident Neven Sesardić
• 15 The Humbling of an Impatient Cosmopolitan Steven C. Skultety
• 16 From Democrat to Dissident William F. Vallicella
• 17 Better Somewhere Than Anywhere Robert Westmoreland
• About the Contributors