Freedom on the Fritz: Rationalism Run Amok Written by Shawn Funk The Enlightenment promised to wake us from our dogmatic slumber, to reveal the world in numbers, allowing us to master nature and increase our overall happiness. It is, therefore, surprising that the rationalization of our world has produced some very irrational outcomes. For example, in the last 80 years, we have developed the capability to extinguish our species in more than one way. Can a civilization where technological innovation has led to the development of world-ending technologies call itself rational? This is rationalism run amok, that is, the rational formulation and execution of very stupid ideas. According to Max…
Alienation in a Capitalist Economy Written by Shawn Funk Capitalism is an economic system that is characterized by the private ownership of the means of production and unfettered competition in the marketplace (Marx, 1844/2007). It has led to a high level of innovation and growth while increasing the standard of living for the general population, yet for all its grandeur, capitalism has a cost. That is, the alienation of the human from themselves, their work, their products, and their fellow citizens. At the heart of Marx’s theory of history is the idea that our consciousness is derived by our material conditions. This is called dialectical materialism. In other words, Marx…
