The Philosophy of the Open Society James Calvert

The Philosophy of the Open Society James Calvert 21 June 2009

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Open Society Nihilism Freedom and Responsibility

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Nihilism Essentialism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Open Society Precise definitions Freedom and Responsibility Nominalism Conjectural - trial and error

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Open Society Nihilism Essentialism Freedom and Responsibility Nominalism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Precise definitions Conjectural - trial and error Biological or psychological naturalism Ethical positivism Minimal ethical guidelines and individualism

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Open Society Nihilism Essentialism Freedom and Responsibility Nominalism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Precise definitions Conjectural - trial and error Biological or psychological naturalism Ethical positivism Minimal ethical guidelines and individualism Historicism Collective destiny Might is right Responsibility Even for the meaning of history

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power Open Society Nihilism Essentialism 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Nominalism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Precise definitions Conjectural - trial and error Biological or psychological naturalism Ethical positivism Minimal ethical guidelines and individualism Historicism Collective destiny Might is right Unlimited Sovereignty Great Leader Democracy: rule of the people 5. Purpose of the State Freedom and Responsibility Even for the meaning of history Limited Sovereignty Role of institutions Democracy: change without bloodshed

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Open Society Nihilism Essentialism Freedom and Responsibility Nominalism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Precise definitions Conjectural - trial and error Biological or psychological naturalism Ethical positivism Minimal ethical guidelines and individualism Historicism Collective destiny Might is right Unlimited Sovereignty Responsibility Even for the meaning of history Limited Sovereignty Great Leader Democracy: rule of the people Role of institutions Democracy: change without bloodshed Collectivism Individualism Guardian of public morality Protective of freedom

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Open Society Nihilism Essentialism Freedom and Responsibility Nominalism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Precise definitions Conjectural - trial and error Biological or psychological naturalism Ethical positivism Minimal ethical guidelines and individualism Historicism Collective destiny Might is right Unlimited Sovereignty Responsibility Even for the meaning of history Limited Sovereignty Great Leader Democracy: rule of the people Role of institutions Democracy: change without bloodshed Collectivism Individualism Guardian of public morality Protective of freedom Utopian Social Engineering Piecemeal Social Engineering State remade to some ideal Incremental improvement

Closed Society Authoritarianism 1. Epistemology 2. Ethics 3. Meaning of History 4. Political Power 5. Purpose of the State 6. Possibilities of Progress Conclusion Open Society Nihilism Essentialism Freedom and Responsibility Nominalism Plato’s forms Aristotle’s encyclopedia Precise definitions Conjectural - trial and error Biological or psychological naturalism Ethical positivism Minimal ethical guidelines and individualism Historicism Collective destiny Might is right Unlimited Sovereignty Responsibility Even for the meaning of history Limited Sovereignty Great Leader Democracy: rule of the people Role of institutions Democracy: change without bloodshed Collectivism Individualism Guardian of public morality Protective of freedom Utopian Social Engineering Piecemeal Social Engineering Parody of Liberal Ideas Tolerance and Openness State remade to some ideal Reason is rationalization Freedom as a cog in great wheel Politics is manipulation Incremental improvement Reason is shared enterprise Freedom as responsible individual Politics is improvement of institutions