Author Archives: Steven Yates

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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.

Two Cultures, Two Americas — Post-Election 2016 Edition (Philosophical Reflections on an Empire In Decline)

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Steven Yates

The hostility of this election & the volatile mood of the country are indicative of two cultures, two Americas … unequal, unyoked, on collision course, & probably indicative of a nation in unavoidable decline. Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 and Aftermath, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Spat Over A Christian Philosopher’s Presentation Reveals the True State of the Profession: Wretched!

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Steven Yates

“The more the antics of hard-leftist professors with tenure can be exposed … in articles, on blogs, on Facebook, etc., the wider will be the realization that academic philosophy may be active institutionally but is intellectually dead in the water. The wider the doors may one day open to the writings of us outsiders in a troubled world hungering for meaning and actual critical thinking, the sorts of things philosophy traditionally pointed toward and provided.” Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Christian Worldview, Culture, Higher Education Generally, Philosophy, Where Is Philosophy Going? | 14 Comments

Eight Theses on the “Alt-Right”

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Steven Yates

Prior to Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s speech last week, I’d barely heard the term “alt-right.” Seems I am not a part of it, if for no other reason than that I am too old. What it appears to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Philosophy, Political Philosophy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The 50 Most Influential Living Philosophers

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Steven Yates

Intriguing list of the “50 most influential living philosophers” at http://www.thebestschools.org/features/most-influential-living-philosophers/. Brian Leiter doesn’t much care for it, but this list seems to me reasonably balanced in offering representatives of, e.g., both Christian and atheist perspectives, Continental versus analytic philosophers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Philosophy | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

E-Philosophy: A Brief Manifesto

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Steven Yates

The word philosophy comes to us from two Greek words meaning the love of wisdom. What is wisdom? Knowledge, both theoretical and practical, used in ways both defining and helping to bring about what is good and beneficial in life … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What Is It Like to Be a Lost Generation Philosopher (Part 3)

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Steven Yates

[Continued from Parts One and Two] Given that you pursued a career in academic philosophy, any specific regrets? One big one from my early days. Not turning my MA thesis on Paul Feyerabend into my first book. The idea was … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Culture, Higher Education Generally, Libertarianism, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Where is Civilization Going?, Where Is Philosophy Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What Is It Like to Be a Lost Generation Philosopher (Part 2)

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Steven Yates

[Continued from here.] Getting back to personal stuff again if you don’t mind: what did your parents make of your decision to go into philosophy? My mom had always encouraged me to find out and pursue what I was really … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Christian Worldview, Higher Education Generally, Libertarianism, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Where Is Philosophy Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What Is It Like To Be a Lost Generation Philosopher? (Part 1)

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Steven Yates

This is an “Imagined” interview. It is based on a proposal I made to the What Is It Like To Be a Philosopher website created by Clifford Sosis (Coastal Carolina University), not responded to for whatever reason, but it follows … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Worldview, Culture, Higher Education Generally, Libertarianism, Music, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Science Fiction, Where is Civilization Going?, Where Is Philosophy Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Donald J. Trump: Reasons He Appeals, Reasons for Hesitating

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Steven Yates

Is it possible to get the Trump movement understood on its own terms, by investigating the appeal Trump has with, e.g., the white working class … without the usual politically correct demonizing of the latter as racists and would-be brownshirts? Continue reading →

Posted in Libertarianism, Political Economy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A comment on, “A philosophical interpretation of recent campus protests” by Huenemanniac

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Steven Yates

What follows is a lengthy comment on this blog entry. I also came over here from Brian Leiter’s blog, and may be something of a johnny-come-lately because due to work obligations only saw this essay last night. Disclaimer: despite my … Continue reading →

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