Open College Podcast

In this episode of Open College, Dr. Stephen Hicks tackles one of the most defining questions inside Objectivism: Is Ayn Rand’s philosophy an open system or a closed one? Drawing from his 2023 debate in Belgrade, Hicks shows why philosophy must operate as a science of discovery rooted in evidence, method, and independent judgment rather than a fixed doctrine. He separates Rand the artist (whose fi...

In this episode of Open College, Stephen Hicks reflects on the significance of Sam Harris as a public intellectual, drawing from his foreword to Sam Harris: Critical Responses. Hicks explores Harris’s wide-ranging contributions from morality, free will, and consciousness to religion, psychedelics, artificial intelligence, and politics arguing that Harris embodies a rare “third culture” synthesis o...

Stephen R.C. Hicks explores whether religion is useful by shifting focus from whether it is true to why it persists despite debates over its truth. He presents tough questions for both believers and non-believers, challenging the origins of belief and the consequences of disbelief. Through historical and philosophical reflection—highlighting figures like Hume, Kant, and Kierkegaard—he concludes th...

Conventional wisdom holds that altruism - putting others' interests before our own - is inherently virtuous. However, research reveals a more complex reality: when individuals strongly identify with a group, their sense of personal responsibility often diminishes in favor of group loyalty, leading to behaviors they might otherwise consider unethical. This phenomenon manifests when people rationali...

In this episode of Open College, Stephen Hicks explores the philosophical underpinnings of education by contrasting pre-modern authoritarianism, modern liberalism, and postmodern critiques. Hicks examines how educational philosophies reflect deeper questions about knowledge, values, and human nature, highlighting the authoritarian tendencies of pre-modern and postmodern approaches. He advocates fo...

Explores the conflict between modern liberalism, which historically championed anti-racism, anti-sexism, and individual rights, and the contemporary "Woke" movement, which paradoxically rejects liberalism despite similar goals. Rooted in postmodern skepticism, Wokism emerged from a mistrust of objective truths and traditional structures, instead promoting power dynamics and subjective truths. The...

How do we educate students for jobs that do not exist yet? Education is preparation for life, and one’s work is a major component of life. Yet the data indicate that the workplace is transforming dramatically. The number of people working in mature and large corporations has declined. The companies that now top the Fortune 500 list are relative newcomers, as most were entrepreneurial start-ups in...

How do we educate students for jobs that do not exist yet? Education is preparation for life, and one’s work is a major component of life. Yet the data indicate that the workplace is transforming dramatically. The number of people working in mature and large corporations has declined. The companies that now top the Fortune 500 list are relative newcomers, as most were entrepreneurial start-ups in...

Where do we find the meaning of life? In answering that question, we look to Professor Jordan Peterson a man with a foot in two worlds. He is a man of science, proficient in the biological bases of psychology and the developments of psychology as an applied science. Website:  http://www.opencollegepodcast.com http://www. StepheHicks.org 
Support Open College with BitCoin & Crypto https://cointr.ee...

Sponsored By CleanMyMac: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/cleanmymacstephenhicks NordVPN: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/opencollegenordvpn Ledger Secure Crypto Hard Wallet: http://shop.ledger.com/pages/christmas-pack?r=90dc644f6eea Website:  http://www.opencollegepodcast.com http://www. StepheHicks.org 
Support Open College with BitCoin & Crypto https://cointr.ee/opencollegepodcast Stephen Hicks Bo...

In this episode Dr. Stephen Hicks addressed the philosophical question, does morality require the existence of the gods or a God, or is morality part of our human nature? Sponsored By CleanMyMac: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/cleanmymacstephenhicks NordVPN: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/opencollegenordvpn Ledger Secure Crypto Hard Wallet: http://shop.ledger.com/pages/christmas-pack?r=90dc644f6ee...

Will Knowland was removed from his role at the prestigious Eton College after posting a lecture on Youtube challenging the third wave modern feminist concept 'toxic masculinity'.  Knowland was sacked after he repeatedly refused requests from the college's head master Simon Henderson to take the video down. The video, called the Patriarchy paradox, has been viewed more than 100,000 times and is a r...

Sponsored By CleanMyMac: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/cleanmymacstephenhicks NordVPN: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/opencollegenordvpn Ledger Secure Crypto Hard Wallet: http://shop.ledger.com/pages/christmas-pack?r=90dc644f6eea Website:  http://www.opencollegepodcast.com http://www. StepheHicks.org 
Support Open College with BitCoin & Crypto https://cointr.ee/opencollegepodcast Stephen Hicks Bo...

Even though we humans have lots of knowledge, we do not necessarily have a good and full theory of knowledge. Yet we should not let the lack of a good theory, deny the existence of what the theory should be explaining. Humans have cognitive faculties with limitations. One can form snap judgments, but one can also recognize and pursue the objective principle of viewing as many perspectives as is ne...

Michael Rectenwald and Stephen Hicks on postmodernism, postmodern politics, the contemporary Left, and the state of education, culture, society, the media, and politics. For the video of this conversation please visit Michael Rectenwald’s YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2V9HKAlUm8 Website:  http://www.opencollegepodcast.com http://www. StepheHicks.org 
Support Open College with B...

We say we want children to grow to be self-reliant, creative problem-solving adults. But in schooling kids, do we follow through on that? Do schools teach independence of mind and action or do students learn compliance? Do students learn that life is about solving new problems or are they instructed that authorities have the answers? Do students learn experimentalism and that success typically com...

The impact from the development of automation and artificial intelligence technologies will be significant and perhaps more significant than any previous technological revolutions. What are the business and economic impacts of these evolving technologies? What will be their impact on our work lives? Will they free humanity, enslave us all or perhaps there is another outcome to consider? Sponsored...

Let me tell you a little bed time story. A story that involves humans and gods and present a human philosophical question dating back a few thousand of years ago. The story or Arachne and Athena. Sponsored By CleanMyMac: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/cleanmymacstephenhicks NordVPN: http://www.possiblycorrect.com/opencollegenordvpn Website:  http://www.opencollegepodcast.com http://www. StepheHick...

One the great moral achievements of history is the near-elimination of slavery. In contrast to popular narratives, west and east African kingdoms practiced slavery extensively, both for internal purposes and for external sale to Arabs, who for centuries had transported African slaves to Asia and Europe. East and south Asians had also practiced slavery extensively for millennia. Native Americans al...

Open College Links Apple Podcasts https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/open-college-podcast/id1438324613?mt=2 SoundCloud http://www.soundcloud.com/opencollegepodcast Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/possibly-correct/open-college-podcast-with-dr-stephen-rc-hicks Google Play https://play.google.com/music/m/Iuramibvl3n32ojiutoxhlba4gu?t=Open_College_Podcast Spotify https://open.spotify.com/sh...

Where does morality come from? Are moral codes conscious formulations of one’s needs and interests? Nietzsche is one of the great critics of human psychology asserting that we have a widespread weakness and asks what are the origins of this widespread weakness? Should we all in contrast "Live dangerously?" How does Nietzsche’s scorn for Plato, Christians, Kant and the welfare state intersect with...

John Anderson served as Deputy Prime Minister of Australia for 6 years between 1999 and 2005 under John Howard and a respected intellectual voice engaged in the discussions and debates on on the changing culture and political landscape for a uniquely Australian perspective. For the original video link please visit John Anderson’s youTube Channel. https://youtu.be/OpZ5cvPkDT8 Open College Links App...

The Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) is a 2020 government program available to businesses and organizations, primarily in response to the economic damage done by Covid-19 slowdowns, shut-downs, and lock-downs. What are the moral arguments and principles one should consider when assessing the consequences of PPP and what is the context of decision-making with regards to PPP in a free-market liberal or...

Two intelligent, non-professional responses to my book explaining postmodernism. A study in contrast. Content, method, and civility. Special thanks to The Multiversity Project. Please check out The Multiversity Project debate on Explaining Postmodernism. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEf8qojnopE Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SlADNURV6CzCcGfnh5mZG https://multiversityproject.co...

The standard conception of God that is offered to us by theists suggest there are three major features of interest: God is said to be omnipotent or all-powerful, omnis­cient or all-knowing, and omnibenevolent or all-good. However, if the God who created the world is supposed to be all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, why did he create a world in which so much evil exists? And not only why did...