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.

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

Posted on April 18, 2022 by Steven Yates

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”

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Steven Yates

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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Essay: Reading Richard Rorty’s “Achieving Our Country” Published on Medium and Substack (and announcing The Clarity Factory)

Posted on December 9, 2021 by Steven Yates

This essay examines the late philosopher Richard Rorty’s alleged prediction of the rise of Donald Trump as well as the background. This includes Rorty’s conception of the difference between Right and Left, the Two Lefts that have influenced American politics and culture respectively, and how the inability of the Cultural Left to speak to matters of economic concern to mostly rural and working whites fueled Donald Trump’s rise. After an assessment of what Rorty got right versus what he got wrong, I conclude with a few remarks about where we might go next. Continue reading →

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The Five Stages of COVID Vaccine Compliance/Coercion Explained: A Dialogue

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Steven Yates

COVID-19 vaccines known to be experimental are being distributed worldwide, with mandates, passports, and passes going into place. This is becoming increasingly coercive, and is being resisted by certain segments of the population. Are the resisters simply repeating misinformation they found on the Internet, or is something really deadly and dangerous going on here that we should all know about? Who or what is really behind what has become the biggest crisis of our time? A dialogue to explore the issues. Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus, Media, Political Economy, Political Philosophy, Science and Technology, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Peter Singer on Making COVID Vaccines Legally Mandatory

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Steven Yates

Princeton bioethicist Peter Singer has argued that COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory for essentially the same reasons that seat belts in automobiles are legally mandatory. In this short comment I respond that his argument collapses under scrutiny that reveals numerous disanalogies between seat belts and the COVID vaccines. Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Coronavirus, Philosophy, Where is Civilization Going? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lost Generation Philosopher Looks Critically at Critical Race Theory

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Steven Yates

Critical race theory: exposure of American racism and its history? the latest form of academic Marxism?… or a major distraction from the real problems we face? Continue reading →

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James Howard Kunstler – Everyone Interested in Truth Should Be Reading His Writings

Posted on June 5, 2021 by Steven Yates

James Howard Kunstler exploded the myths of our culture of mass consumption and disposability years ago; more recently, he’s been exploding those of the cult of wokery, the oh-so-convenient pandemic, and the idea beloved in elite media that last year’s election was honest and above-board. So what happens next? Continue reading →

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

Mother. Snapshots of Lives Outside the Limelight #1

Posted on May 9, 2021 by Steven Yates

Author’s note: this was written on April 14, and is the first in an occasional series profiling ordinary people whose lives touched mine one way or another, sometimes in a big way, helping shape who I am and the views I presently hold. It is something of an experiment. If people like it, I will continue with it. I post it here for Mother’s Day. Continue reading →

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What’s Wrong With Conspiracy Theories?

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Steven Yates

Are conspiracy theories sometimes not just credible but rational? Read Professor Emeritus Fetzer’s reasoned defense and then decide. Do lot allow mainstream media shouters to decide this issue for you. Continue reading →

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The Fall of Chile

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Steven Yates

Chile is presently one of the most locked down nations in the world. The “Chilean miracle” was never what it seemed. Continue reading →

Posted in Chile and Its Future, Coronavirus, Culture, Libertarianism, Political Economy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment