A Philosopher Looks at America’s Founding Document - Dan Bonevac
Dan Bonevac has been a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin for a few years short of half a century. In honor of America's 250th birthday, Peter and Dan discuss the philosophical and intellectual underpinnings of the Declaration of Independence, the basic truths about human nature, and pivotal chapters of the American story. Two hundred and fifty years later, the Declaration still raises the questions worth asking — and Bonevac has spent a career thinking through the answers.
Pursuit of Happiness
The Rise of Latino America
In The Rise of Latino America, Hernandez & Kotkin argue that Latinos, who are projected to become America’s largest ethnic group, are a dynamic force shaping the nation’s demographic, economic, and cultural future. Far from being a marginalized group defined by oppression, Latinos are integral to America’s story. They drive economic growth, cultural evolution, and workforce vitality. Challenges, however, including poverty, educational disparities, and restrictive policies, threaten their upward mobility. Policymakers who wish to harness Latino potential to ensure national prosperity and resilience should adopt policies that prioritize affordability, safety, and economic opportunity over ideological constraints.
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Spielberg’s Empty Hope
'Disclosure Day' should have been called 'Hope and Change,' or rather 'Change and Hope.'
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Deliberative Republicanism and the Triumph of the American Founding
Instead of rejecting the moral urgency of the postliberal right and left, it is fitting and proper that we redirect it through the right kind of education—both formal and informal—that can inspire affection for our Constitution.
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