Thinking in Public with Albert Mohler What Does Philosophy Say to Our Times? A Conversation with Roger Scruton
33 snips
Feb 14, 2011 
Roger Scruton, an esteemed English philosopher and commentator, delves into modernity's evolution, tracing the roots of postmodern relativism. He critiques how universities overlook objective standards and discusses the interconnectedness of morality and theism. Highlighting the significance of beauty in culture, he laments society's aesthetic decline. Scruton reflects on conservative values grounded in tradition while opposing utopianism that disregards reality. Ultimately, he envisions a cultural philosophy that re-engages with humanity beyond academia.
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Postmodernism Betrays Enlightenment Truths
- Scruton traces modern/postmodern relativism to Enlightenment skepticism and university failures to teach objective vs subjective distinctions.
- He warns postmodernism self-contradicts and leads to nihilism and disillusion with higher education.
Reason Alone Fails To Ground Meaning
- Scruton locates his formation in analytic philosophy and Kant, valuing logic yet recognizing limits when grounding worldviews without theism.
- He says attempts to ground morality and meaning in reason alone repeatedly fall short and leave room for God.
Paris 1968 Triggered His Conservatism
- Scruton recounts being in Paris in 1968 and deciding he believed the opposite of the Marxist student radicals.
- That moment launched his study of Burke, Tocqueville, and his conservative stance.
