Thomas Sowell on Intellectuals

[church mouse guy]

It’s difficult resisting calling intellectuals by the slang term of eggheads, but the great Thomas Sowell is serious about the damage to humanity done by American intellectuals. As he himself says in an expression he coined, “The road to Hell is paved with Ivy League diplomas.”

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Didn't the intelligentsia bring the world communism? They are not yet finished with that failed experiment.

 

[Revmitchell]

Walter Williams and Thomas Sowel some of the best minds of our time.

 

[JonC]

Walter Williams and Thomas Sowel some of the best minds of our time.

Exactly....Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, JohC and Revmitchell are some of the best minds of our time. Well said Rev.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Didn't the intelligentsia bring the world communism? They are not yet finished with that failed experiment.

Intelligentsia also brought us the United States. The Founding Fathers were brilliant men, we versed in classical studies and students of historical, social, political, and philosophical writing.

The blanket dismissal of intelligentsia is foolish. Ideas should be judged on their own merits, not who said them.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Intelligentsia also brought us the United States. The Founding Fathers were brilliant men, we versed in classical studies and students of historical, social, political, and philosophical writing.

The blanket dismissal of intelligentsia is foolish. Ideas should be judged on their own merits, not who said them.

Agreed. To the degree they acknowledge God, their ideas gain merit. I would say more, but better not.

 

[church mouse guy]

Intelligentsia also brought us the United States. The Founding Fathers were brilliant men, we versed in classical studies and students of historical, social, political, and philosophical writing.

The blanket dismissal of intelligentsia is foolish. Ideas should be judged on their own merits, not who said them.

That is not what Sowell said at all.

 

[Baptist Believer]

That is not what Sowell said at all.

I was responding to post #2.

 

[church mouse guy]

I was responding to post #2.

Intellectuals did bring us communism but the Founding Fathers were not intellectuals. Sowell defines intellectuals as those whose products are strictly ideas. He also notes that they in force are a modern power brought about by the move to republics.

 

[Revmitchell]

Intellectuals did bring us communism but the Founding Fathers were not intellectuals. Sowell defines intellectuals as those whose products are strictly ideas. He also notes that they in force are a modern power brought about by the move to republics.

What Sowel was talking about did not include the founding fathers. The attempt to include them is an attempt to justify those he was actually talking about.

 

[church mouse guy]

What Sowel was talking about did not include the founding fathers. The attempt to include them is an attempt to justify those he was actually talking about.

Exactly! The old world had monarchs and others who did not tolerate intellectuals and kept them at the bottom is what Sowell said. Also, he defined intellectuals as those who produce only ideas, such as professors. They grew up after the republic. Sowell is very explicit about his definition.