Classical Liberalism and Libertarianism - Lecture 2

Lecture 2 examines the first piece of progressivism’s ideological corpus: classical liberalism and libertarianism. Dr. Petrusek discusses the common roots of these two political ideologies in the enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, as well as their shared conclusion that individual autonomy is the sole foundation of morality and politics.

In this lecture series, Dr. Matthew Petrusek discusses contemporary progressive ideology, also frequently referred to as “wokeism,” and the response of the Catholic social thought tradition.

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[ascott]

Many young adults, including myself, have been starving for a conversation like this. Thank you, Word on Fire and Dr. Petrusek!

[guygeorgesvoet]

Excellent series, excellent argumentation, clear, precise, concise with due attention to some inevitable historical discernment when needed. More of this kind of thing, much more, please. It's just a sheer pleasure to be able to send this to friends wavering in judgment. This is ideology critique at its best. Many thanks.

[johncolozzi]

G.K.Chesterton said it well, "If everything is relative, to what is it relative?"

[PhilosophicalGospelPodcast]

This lecture series is wonderful, you guys did an excellent job. I have been longing for someone to compile an anti-wokeist series in such a philosophical manner. Great job.

[jackwilliamsen]

Terrific series, with content and presentation absolutely top-notch!

[conornagle]

As they say, common sense isn't so common. God bless Word On Fire.

[thomasreiter]

Excellent! Thanks for being so honest and brave. God bless you

[presidentschneider]

There is a real misunderstanding of classical liberalism and its relationship to whatever is meant by progressivism.
It's generally a bad idea to have academics who directly oppose a different view point to try and offer an accurate summary of that view point. It never brings about a true dialogue. That requires the Other. But this is a one-sided conversation. The tone comes across as ridiculing of the Other rather than an invitation for conversation. But wait, isn't that what he's criticizing in progressivism?

[josiemascorro]

Ditto Ditto Ditto on so many comments! Thank you Dr Petrusek and Word on Fire!

[Classic_Liberal]

You are on point with Progressivism and Libertarianism can and often does veer into moral relativism, however Classical Liberalism’s epistemology is in Enlightenment values and Protestantism and it’s founding principles are moored in objective reality and truth of Human Nature. Now I do admit that German Idealism has eaten into and extensively weakened Classical Liberalism but it’s objectively real and true moorings are still there. It is possible and viable to have a steeled version of Classic Liberalism but it requires a society also steeled in Faith, Purpose, Reason and Truth.

[chihuynh]

We need more people like this in the world.

[bluelake]

“ Frankenstein of political ideologies “
Great description.

[CatholicWithaBiblePodcast]

As a member of the Libertarian Party who isn’t “a libertarian”, I can say that this is a conversation that doesn’t get fleshed out enough.

[Smithistory]

As any libertarian Christian will tell you, libertarianism is a diagnosis on the ills of the state, not a comprehensive worldview. Once the issue of the state is solved the problem of ethics and morality don't wither away, only one unethical option has been removed. An ethic, and for the libertarian Christian, a Christian ethic, is still needed to live the good life.

[themirrorflattersnot]

God bless you. Clear, to the point, no euphemistic “Christian kindness, be nice” bullshit. Just intelligent truth, without insult. Thank you.

[walteraymerich]

Christ made it simple. Love God and your neighbor as yourself. He not only showed us on the cross but said it in so many other ways that his words can not fit on one book. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. 🙏

[sweetbabytrae]

Coming out of the gates swinging at libertarians, I love it.

[momochago]

This is complicated i have to watch This a few times. Its like a tongue twister.

[peripheralarbor]

While I understand that you are probably saving it for the talk on postmodernism, you left out the part where the ability to define the good in morality and politics also allows you to redefine reality itself.

[AnthonyKuenzel]

It seems that the only way the case is made to connect progressivism with classical liberalism and libertarianism in this video is through the late-18th century departures from historical libertarian tradition by Kant. I would say this is a highly speculative approach, which ignores most of the rest of the classical liberal and/or libertarian philosophical tradition. This is so that the conclusion can be drawn that these traditions are all wholly relativistic, and thus, fundamentally indifferent from progressivism. Historically, this is simply untrue. I hope that a correction could be made, so as not to mislead people about the nature of these political philosophies.