Making Sense with Sam Harris
#354 — Is Moral Progress a Fantasy?
Feb 16, 2024
In this engaging discussion, John Gray, an esteemed author and philosopher known for his insights on political thought, shares his views on moral and political progress. He explores the challenges to freedom of thought in our society, questioning the efficacy of liberalism in the face of modern authoritarianism. Gray delves into the limitations of rights as safeguards of freedom and critiques the relationship between technological advancements and ethical regression, emphasizing the complexities of our moral landscape. A thought-provoking dialogue on progress and its discontents!
40:30
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast highlights the threats to freedom of thought and expression from within civil society itself, with institutions imposing codes of censorship and enforcing them through cancellation and deplatforming.
- John Gray argues that progress in ethics and politics is not cumulative, but instead, gains achieved can be eroded over time, as new technologies and knowledge are used to serve barbarous goals and values rather than rationality.
Deep dives
Threats to Freedom of Thought and Expression
The podcast episode discusses the historical and current threats to freedom of thought and expression. It highlights how in the past, autocratic states were the principal enemies of these freedoms, but now the threats come from within civil society itself. Universities, philanthropic organizations, professional associations, and artistic institutions are increasingly imposing codes of censorship and enforcing them through cancellation and deplatforming. This has led to a fundamental change in the liberal civilization, where norms of free speech and free thought are no longer taken for granted.
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