Philosophy For Our Times

The enlightenment and its alternatives | John Mearsheimer, Steven Pinker

Mar 19, 2024

Debate between Mearsheimer and Pinker on Enlightenment ideals and moral progress. Impact of reason, individualism, and tribalism on society. Challenges of state violence, multiculturalism, and minority rights. Liberalism's role in managing disagreements for progress. Quest for human flourishing and balancing individualism in a global context.

52:02

Episode guests

Steven Pinker

John Mearsheimer

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Quick takeaways

Enlightenment ideals have made significant progress in life expectancy, poverty reduction, literacy, and peaceful democracies.

Unfettered reason leads to disagreements on moral issues, challenging the notion of Enlightenment progress.

Deep dives

Debate on the Enlightenment and Its Alternatives

In this debate, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Pinker question the success of the Enlightenment in bringing moral progress. They deliberate on whether the Enlightenment ideals of rationality and reason have truly advanced human flourishing and moral values, also pondering on viable alternatives to the Enlightenment vision.

Enlightenment Ideals and Modern Societies

00:53

The Link Between Truth and Progress

01:14

Distinguishing Moral and Political Principles

01:02

Introduction

4min

Exploring the Impact of Enlightenment Ideals and Alternatives on Human Development

4min

Enlightenment, Reason, and Progress

26min

Tribalism, State Violence, and Multiculturalism

5min

Exploring Liberalism and the Challenge of Agreement on First Principles

2min

The Quest for Human Progress

8min

Exploring Enlightenment Ideals and the End of History

3min

Can we attribute societal progress to enlightenment ideals?

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The Enlightenment advocated reason, science, democracy, and universal human rights as a grounding for human morality and social organization. In the quarter millennium since, to what extent have these ideals been realized? Has the Enlightenment in fact been successful in bringing about moral progress? Are there viable alternatives to the Enlightenment vision?

Sophie Scott-Brown, Director at Gresham College, hosts a debate between two of the most influential thinkers of our time. Join John Mearsheimer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, and Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, as they discuss the Enlightenment and its alternatives.

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