(This is part 1 of a 2-part course.)
Harry Frankfurt’s work on human agency and responsibility are staples of academic philosophy. But it is his popular appearances on The Daily Show that have made him one of the best-known living philosophers. In his provocative essay, “On Bullshit,” Frankfurt argues that the bullshitter is indifferent to truth and without concern for reality. Frankfurt’s analysis gives us insight into key Objectivist concepts and themes: the primacy of existence, the virtue of honesty, and the second-hander. Part one of this two-part series will focus on Frankfurt’s analysis of bullshit (a.k.a. humbug) while part two will explore what this analysis can tell us about Objectivism.
Shawn E. Klein is a philosophy professor at Rockford College. He earned his Master’s in Philosophy from Arizona State University and is completing his doctorate there.