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 fiction is untouchable) from Rand the scientist (whose philosophical system remains open to refinement), and explains how to think about completeness, correctness, and the role of benevolence in disagreement.

Topics Covered:

• Objectivism as a scientific discipline

• Rand’s distinction between art and philosophy

• Completeness vs. correctness in philosophical systems

• How to approach disagreements with Rand or other thinkers

• Avoiding dogma and intellectual “elites”

• Why young Objectivists should ignore old movement battles

• Reality and reason as the only true authorities

Listen, learn, and keep thinking independently.

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 of science and humanism at a time when philosophy has been split by C.P. Snow’s “two cultures” divide. Along the way, Hicks contrasts Harris’s reductionist approach with Jordan Peterson’s values-first orientation, using their exchanges to illustrate today’s ongoing struggle between facts and values, reason and emotion, and science and religion, and why overcoming these dualisms remains a central challenge for contemporary philosophy.

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 that major thinkers agreed religious arguments fail rationally. Yet religion endures, suggesting its power lies not in truth but in its psychological, social, or pragmatic functions. The real question becomes: What does religion do for people, and why does that matter?

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 rationalize questionable actions by citing their duty to the collective.

This "pathological altruism" has profound implications for human behavior and morality. Studies show that people are more likely to engage in unethical behavior when they see members of their own group doing so, while being less influenced by the actions of outsiders. This dynamic can escalate to disturbing extremes, where intense group loyalty leads individuals to justify harmful actions against those deemed outsiders, challenging our traditional understanding of selflessness and sacrifice. The research raises important questions about the true nature of altruism and its role in shaping both individual and group behavior.

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 for modern liberal education, which emphasizes intellectual freedom, critical thinking, and informed judgment, arguing that education should prepare individuals to exercise self-responsible action while respecting diverse viewpoints. Through historical and contemporary examples, Hicks underscores the importance of maintaining intellectual diversity and liberty in educational institutions.

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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 author categorizes Wokism into four main strands—Anti-modern Woke, The Great Awokening, Dictatorship of the Woketariat, and Motte-and-Bailey Wokists—each rejecting various aspects of liberalism and embracing distinct philosophies. The tension between reasoned liberal ideals and Woke ideology’s reliance on power and relativism has led to ongoing cultural battles, with postmodernism’s influence hollowing out the Enlightenment’s achievements and leaving a fragmented intellectual landscape.

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 this generation. Advancements in robotics indicate that jobs requiring repetitive manual labor will become fewer, and advancements in artificial intelligence indicate that jobs requiring low-level intellectual labor will also become fewer. Thus, more people will be working in entrepreneurial firms, and their work will be more higher-level cognitive and creative. At the same time, we educators cannot predict what entrepreneurial firms will come into existence in this generation or what domains of creative and higher-level cognitive effort they will require. So we educators face the challenge of preparing this generation of young people for more demanding kinds of work, to work in more entrepreneurial firms, or even for becoming entrepreneurs themselves. That poses a philosophical and strategic challenge for education: How should we do that?

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 this generation. Advancements in robotics indicate that jobs requiring repetitive manual labor will become fewer, and advancements in artificial intelligence indicate that jobs requiring low-level intellectual labor will also become fewer. Thus, more people will be working in entrepreneurial firms, and their work will be more higher-level cognitive and creative. At the same time, we educators cannot predict what entrepreneurial firms will come into existence in this generation or what domains of creative and higher-level cognitive effort they will require. So we educators face the challenge of preparing this generation of young people for more demanding kinds of work, to work in more entrepreneurial firms, or even for becoming entrepreneurs themselves. That poses a philosophical and strategic challenge for education: How should we do that?

Website:

http://www.opencollegepodcast.com

http://www.StepheHicks.org

Stephen Hicks Books:

Liberalism: Pro & Con

Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault

Nietzsche and the Nazis

Pocket Guide Postmodernism

Contact Dr. Hicks, on Twitter

or visit http://www.StephenHicks.org

Join our email list - http://eepurl.com/dEEsTj

Twitter: @OpenCollegePod @SRCHicks

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

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Stephen Hicks Books:

Liberalism: Pro & Con

https://www.amazon.ca/Liberalism-Stephen-R-C-Hicks/dp/1925826821/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-4

Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault

https://www.amazon.ca/Explaining-Postmodernism-Skepticism-Socialism-Rousseau-ebook/dp/B005D53DG0/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-1

Nietzsche and the Nazis

https://www.amazon.ca/Nietzsche-Nazis-Stephen-R-C-Hicks-ebook/dp/B003XVYHRU/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-2

Pocket Guide to Postmodernism

https://www.amazon.ca/Pocket-Guide-Postmodernism-Andrew-Colgan-ebook/dp/B08DQ3MYHQ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-3

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Join our email list - http://eepurl.com/dEEsTj

Contact Dr. Hicks, on twitter @SRChicks or visit http://www.StephenHicks.org

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Website: 

http://www.opencollegepodcast.com

http://www.StepheHicks.org


Support Open College with BitCoin & Crypto

https://cointr.ee/opencollegepodcast

Stephen Hicks Books:

Liberalism: Pro & Con

https://www.amazon.ca/Liberalism-Stephen-R-C-Hicks/dp/1925826821/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-4

Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault

https://www.amazon.ca/Explaining-Postmodernism-Skepticism-Socialism-Rousseau-ebook/dp/B005D53DG0/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-1

Nietzsche and the Nazis

https://www.amazon.ca/Nietzsche-Nazis-Stephen-R-C-Hicks-ebook/dp/B003XVYHRU/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-2

Pocket Guide to Postmodernism

https://www.amazon.ca/Pocket-Guide-Postmodernism-Andrew-Colgan-ebook/dp/B08DQ3MYHQ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=stephen+hicks&qid=1606248873&sr=8-3

Open College Audio Platforms

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/show/2qgnmMDAEevJ28UNdXvboZ?si=LuTt_Zc5Th-kOpNd5thgBw

Video Platforms

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/opencollegepodcast

Bitchute

http://www.bitchute.com/opencollegepodcast

Odysee

https://odysee.com/@StephenHicksOpenCollege:4

Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-657777

Join our email list - http://eepurl.com/dEEsTj

Contact Dr. Hicks, on twitter @SRChicks or visit http://www.StephenHicks.org

Minds: www.minds.com/opencollege

Bitchute: www.bitchute.com/opencollegepodcast

Facebook: www.facebook.com/OpenCollegePodcast

Locals: https://opencollege.locals.com