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.

Nietzsche, Materialism, and Eugenics: A Brief History of the Connection

Was Friedrich Nietzsche the first visible eugenicist? We explore that question, and the connections to today’s situation with the World Economic Forum globalists. Continue reading

Posted in Christian Worldview, Philosophy, Science and Technology, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Philosophy of Responsible Freedom – Announcing An Online Course / Tutorial with Jack Carney and Steven Yates

An online Philosophy course / tutorial, an adventure in ideas presented by Jack Carney and Steven Yates, starting next weekend (Fri Oct 21 – Sun Oct 23 depending on your time zone) Continue reading

Posted in applied philosophy, Education (Independent) - Course Materials, Philosophy, Where is Civilization Going?, Where Is Philosophy Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Saul Kripke, R.I.P

Leading analytic philosopher Saul Kripke passed away last month at the age of 81. Continue reading

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Is Alex Jones Defensible? A Look at Heresy.

Is Alex Jones defensible, or is this heresy? Paul Craig Roberts has an interesting article on the matter, and we discuss it here because Facebook has censored some of the URLs referenced. Continue reading

Posted in Media, Political Economy, Workarounds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Who Are We, Really?

“Who Are We, Really?” presents a brief overview of attempts by philosophers and psychologists to answer this question which is as old as the disciplines themselves. Continue reading

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Superpowers (With Notes on Rules Versus Controls)

What are superpowers? Do we all have them? How do we develop them? How does formal education interfere with them? How has industrial civilization interfered with their free development and use within populations? Do the activities of ruling elites have something to do with this? How do we take our lives back? Continue reading

Posted in personal development, Philosophy, Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Science and Technology, Science Fiction, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Back to Basics (3). Self-Improvement As a Core Value

Self-improvement is the final core value, and so this completes this series of three articles. Stoicism is the ancient philosophy that merges philosophy generally with self-improvement, and perhaps this is why there is so much interest in Stoicism today. Continue reading

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Back to Basics (2). Freedom As a Core Value

Is freedom one of your core values? Why or why not? What is freedom? What’s so great about it? If you are not free, what is blocking your freedom? What can you do to remove the blocks to your freedom, be they personal or societal? Continue reading

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Back to Basics (1). Truth-telling: A Core Value

Truth-telling is a core value, and remains such despite the frequent difficulties of finding out what the truth is and then communicating it. Continue reading

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Philosophy “Still in the Doldrums”

Is “philosophy still in the doldrums”? Arguably so. Based on a blog post and a comment from seven years past. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Continue reading

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