Author Archives: Steven Yates

Unknown's avatar

About Steven Yates

I have a Ph.D. in Philosophy, taught the subject at a number of universities around the American Southeast, then became disillusioned in the profession, moved to Chile in 2012. I am the author of Civil Wrongs: What Went Wrong With Affirmative Action (1994), Four Cardinal Errors: Reasons for the Decline of the American Republic (2011), What Should Philosophy Do? A Theory (2021), and most recently, So You Want to Get a PhD in Philosophy? (2025). I've also published around two dozen articles & reviews in academic journals, and hundreds online on numerous topics ranging from pure philosophy to political economy. My Substack publication is Navigating the New Normal. I currently live near Concepcion, Chile, with my wife Gisela and our two spoiled cats.

A Look Behind the Cultural Marxism Controversy: A Sort of Introduction

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Steven Yates

[Author’s note: this developed in response to an exchange of opinions on a Facebook forum, during which it became clear to me that any fruitful advance of the discussion called for something more detailed than could be attempted in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Higher Education Generally, Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why Donald Trump Won in 2016, Chapter Umpteen Thousand and Counting….

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Steven Yates

Matt Bai’s Yahoo! columns are usually worth one’s time, however annoying they often are with their unexamined assumptions. Bill Kristol, son of neoconservative godfather Irving Kristol interviewed here, doesn’t seem to distinguish between conservatism and neoconservatism, and the problems only … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 and Aftermath, Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Leopold Kohr: the Political Philosopher / Economist Who Predicted the Rise of the U.S. Empire & Police State

Posted on February 21, 2018 by Steven Yates

Who was Leopold Kohr, and does his work matter today?  Kohr (1909 – 1994), about whom I’ve written at greater length here, was both a trained economist and political philosopher. His background included obtaining doctorates at the University of Vienna … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dichotomous Thinking in Western Philosophy and Political Economy (An Occasional Philosophical Note #2)

Posted on January 31, 2018 by Steven Yates

If there is any trait more characteristic of the mainstream of Western philosophical thought than the prevalence of dichotomies — either-ors, one might say — it would be difficult to identify what it might be. Another useful term for the … Continue reading →

Posted in analytic philosophy, Language, Libertarianism, Philosophy, Political Economy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Globalism: Optimism, Pessimism, and Dystopian Visions (Part Three, Plus References)

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Steven Yates

In replying to Dean Allen’s remarks (Part Two), I had intended to restrict myself to a few points, but fear I have instead written another book (lol) and can only hope readers will bear with me. While part of me … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Worldview, Election 2016 and Aftermath, Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Globalism: Optimism, Pessimism, and Dystopian Visions. (Part Two.)

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Steven Yates

It gives me a certain gratitude to be able to introduce the first post on Lost Generation Philosopher the bulk of which was written by someone other than myself. Dean Allen — author (see Allen 2012*), longstanding Republican Party activist and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 and Aftermath, Political Philosophy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Globalism: Optimism, Pessimism, and Dystopian Visions. (Part One.)

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Steven Yates

[Author´s note: this is the first of a three-part set. Originally intended as a single post, what I originally had in mind got far too long for a single post. Thus it will appear in three parts starting with Part … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Does a Technology-Driven Civilization Need Liberal Arts Learning?

Posted on November 30, 2017 by Steven Yates

To say higher education in the U.S. is in poor shape may be the understatement of the century. Whether it is due to outrageous and still-rising tuition payments now made by undergraduates and students in professional programs who will graduate … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Culture, Higher Education Generally, Philosophy, Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Euthyphro’s Frustration (An Occasional Philosophical Note #1)

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Steven Yates

Note: with this post I am beginning a series of shorter posts to lay out specific foundational issues illustrated in basic philosophical texts which, for my purposes, I will take at face value (i.e., I am not “deconstructing” them or … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Reality 101”

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Steven Yates

[Note: cross-posted on the news and commentary site NewsWithViews.com as https://newswithviews.com/reality-101/ with a few minor changes.] Time for something different. I’ve written a novel. As I write this, it’s 98% finished (all but massaging and embellishing). It will be marketed as … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Election 2016 and Aftermath, Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment