Combining Philosophers

Ideas for David Fair, Johann Winckelmann and Yuval Noah Harari

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2 ideas

24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State
The Nazi aim was to encourage progressive evolution, and avoid degeneration [Harari]
     Full Idea: The main ambition of the Nazis was to protect humankind from degeneration and encourage its progressive evolution. …Given the state of scientific knowledge in 1933, Nazi beliefs were hardly outside the pale.
     From: Yuval Noah Harari (Sapiens: brief history of humankind [2014], 12 'Worship')
     A reaction: It still sounds a fairly worthy ambition, close to the heart of educationalists everywhere. The problems start with the definition of 'degeneration' and 'progress'.
24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 5. Culture
We stabilise societies with dogmas, either of dubious science, or of non-scientific values [Harari]
     Full Idea: Modern attempts to stabilise the sociopolitical order either declare a scientific theory (such as racial theories for Nazis, or economic ones for Communists) to be an absolute truths, or declare non-scientific dogmas (such as liberal values)
     From: Yuval Noah Harari (Sapiens: brief history of humankind [2014], 14 'Ignoramus')
     A reaction: [compressed]