VERDICT: CONSERVATIVE PHILOSOPHERS? THEY’RE TERRIBLE. Seriously. You know, I cri

VERDICT: CONSERVATIVE PHILOSOPHERS? THEY’RE TERRIBLE.

Seriously. You know, I criticize libertarians for a nonsensical view of man every day, but at least we produce pretty rigorous philosophy now and then. At least SOME logical and institutional innovations.

Sure we have conservative public intellectuals – most of them neocons. Murray’s an analyst, not a philosopher. But philosophers?

Who have we got really? Sowell, maybe Weaver? In the past we’ve had only Oakeshott, Burke, Locke, Hume, De Tocqueville and Smith? Is Hayek a conservative (protestations to the contrary). I think so. It is possible to make conservative arguments rationally and scientifically – Sowell does it. Why is it that its rare? Are scientists procedurally conservative, even if their incentives encourage them to be politically progressive? I don’t know. I do know that science at the moment is doing a phenomenal job of reversing a century and a half of progressive psuedoscience. That does not mean scientists are conservative. It does mean however that conservatives operate scientifically: if it can’t happen without the government interfering, then it shouldn’t happen. Let the evidence present itself for all of us to judge. Take small risks. Human hubris is a dangerous thing.

What have the progressives got? I mean, the list is endless.

Why are we so bad at understanding ourselves, but so good at understanding the physical world?

Not sure I can answer that quite yet.