Ten Important Thinkers for an Unthinking Age
The world has suffered from a dearth of critical thinking in recent years, but these ten individuals offer hope for a return to reason and thoughtful debate.
Note: I hope to return to an analysis of several current issues very soon, but sharing the work of others who are willing to follow the evidence in search of the truth has seemed even more important in recent weeks.
Much like the real journalists and honest reporters I wrote about recently, the individuals below are willing to engage with evidence and views that contradict accepted narratives; not only that, they are also willing to listen, willing to be persuaded, and willing to be wrong. It is this kind of genuine and open dialogue that leads to greater understanding of what is true and good in the world. I’ve benefited immensely over the past few years from these men and women as I’ve read their writings, listened to their lectures, and observed their interactions with others, and I commend them for their unified opposition to censorship, cancel culture, and political correctness. We have much to learn from thinkers like these, and we should all strive to emulate their courage to stand for truth whatever the cost.
As with the journalists I’ve commended, linking to the individuals below is not an endorsement of every word they speak or write. But it IS an endorsement of their willingness to engage with others with whom they disagree and their openness to hear evidence that counters their preconceived beliefs. They truly are important thinkers whose ideas and arguments are worth considering, even if we ultimately land in different places on some issues.
Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson is one of the most articulate speakers alive today, addressing society-shaping issues with directness and tact. Some of his most important lectures and discussions relate to his critique of marxism and the totalitarian impulses of those who espouse diversity, inclusion, and equity. Despite an enormous amount of false accusations and ad hominem attacks, Peterson continues to speak and write on the dangers of marxist ideologies and the importance of competence, merit, and individual responsibility. Links to some of his most impactful statements, interviews, and lectures are below.
“Identity Politics and the Marxist Lie of White Privilege”
“The Queen's University Talk: The Rising Tide of Compelled Speech”
Interview with Cathy Newman on the Gender Pay Gap, Campus Protests, and Postmodernism (this interview brought Peterson into the international spotlight)
"Jordan Peterson: Why I am no longer a tenured professor at the University of Toronto"
YouTube narration of the above article ("D-I-E must DIE")
Jordan Peterson's Warning To The World ("a wing and a prayer")
Bret Weinstein
Bret Weinstein is an evolutionary biologist who became well-known following the incidents at Evergreen State College (linked below). While I disagree with Weinstein on many foundational issues (his beliefs about God, Darwinian evolution, etc.), Weinstein has proven to be both fair and open-minded on these and other issues. What I appreciate most about Weinstein is his willingness to challenge the accepted narratives of our day, even when it cost him greatly. Weinstein lost his position as a professor at Evergreen State College for standing up to what can best be described as a “woke mob,” and he has been faced with bans from YouTube and other platforms for his willingness to have an open dialogue about various covid-related issues. In addition to links to Weinstein’s podcast, I have provided links to a short YouTube miniseries (3 videos) that shows what happened at Evergreen. This video series is not simply important for understanding Bret Weinstein but is essential to understanding where our society is headed if we do not reverse course. I’ve also linked to several of Weinstein’s most helpful and insightful discussions on various covid-related issues, including masks, vaccines, and Vitamin D. If you take the time to watch or listen to any of these discussions or interviews, I believe you will find Weinstein to be an incredibly fair and measured individual who cares greatly about intellectual honesty.
The Incidents at Evergreen State College (MUST WATCH):
PART ONE: Bret Weinstein, Heather Heying & the Evergreen Equity Council
PART TWO: Teaching to Transgress
PART THREE: The Hunted Individual
Additional Links:
“Covid: The Path not Taken - DarkHorse Podcast with Dr. Peter McCullough”
“Bret and Heather 109th DarkHorse Podcast Livestream: Humanity Unmasked”
“Vitamin D for Covid, What’s the Catch? - DarkHorse Podcast Gruff Davies and Linda Benskin”
Walter Williams
Walter Williams was a syndicated columnist and Professor of Economics at George Mason University. Prior to his passing in December 2020, Williams wrote extensively on economics and many other social and political issues. I first learned of Williams when I was a law student at UNC Chapel Hill, and I’ve read many of his articles over the past decade. Below is a link to his website that contains a host of articles and other resources in addition to a short review of his life and work. I’ve also included links to several noteworthy articles, lectures, and interviews as well as an excellent documentary on his life and writings.
The Website of Walter E. Williams
“Walter Williams: Suffer No Fools” (Excellent documentary of his life and work—if you want to understand why I’ve listed Williams here, watch this documentary (full video free on YouTube))
“Walter Williams on White Privilege and Other Controversies” (an interview with Tom Woods, 2015)
"Discrimination and Prejudice"
“The Legitimate Role of Government in Free Society” (Lecture at Villanova University, 2012)
“How Much Can Discrimination Explain?"
“Benefits vs. Costs and COVID-19”
Thomas Sowell
At 90 years old (in 2021), Thomas Sowell is still one of the sharpest thinkers alive today. Sowell has served as a professor of economics for nearly 20 years and as a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution for more than 40 years, and he has written more than 40 books on a wide array of topics including economics, race, and education. More than that, Sowell has offered wise and fact-based critiques of government policies and popular narratives for nearly six decades, proving himself to be one of the most articulate proponents of both free markets and limited government. I have always appreciated his willingness to respectfully engage with those who disagree and his fervor to ensure that every position he holds is genuinely and truthfully supported by facts and evidence. One of his most recent books, Discrimination and Disparities, shows very clearly that many oft-repeated narratives are not reflective of reality. As his writings show, these narratives cause a great deal of harm because they promote idealized versions of the world that do not account for actual facts. Below is a link to a free (and very well-produced) documentary on Sowell’s life as well as links to some of Sowell’s writings and recent interviews.
“Thomas Sowell: Common Sense in a Senseless World - Full Documentary”
“Discrimination and Disparities | Thomas Sowell | POLITICS | Rubin Report”
“An Economist Looks at 90: Tom Sowell on Charter Schools and Their Enemies”
"Thomas Sowell on Intellectuals and Society”
Charter Schools and Their Enemies
Discrimination and Disparities
Larry Elder
Larry Elder is an attorney, author, and commentator who has effectively challenged many mainstream narratives on race, policing, and more. I first heard of Elder many years ago, but I did not really engage with any of his writings or content until I watched an interview of Elder with Dave Rubin. Prior to this interview, Rubin believed the mainstream narrative on race and policing, but Elder challenged Rubin’s beliefs with an overwhelming number of facts and statistics. I gained tremendous respect for Elder following this interview (not to mention great respect for Rubin for his willingness to reconsider his positions). I’ve since watched several more interviews with Elder and have read multiple articles and posts. I’ve also watched his fantastic film “Uncle Tom,” which I’ve linked below along with several books and interviews.
“Conservatives, Black Lives Matter, Racism | Larry Elder | POLITICS | Rubin Report” (this is the interview I referenced above)
“Real Racism, Trump, Fake News, and More | Larry Elder | POLITICS | Rubin Report”
“Uncle Tom” (Amazon link but also available elsewhere)
Double Standards: The Selective Outrage of the Left
The Ten Things You Can't Say In America
Nancy Pearcey
Perhaps no one else has written more carefully and eloquently on how a biblical worldview necessarily shapes our perspective on all of life than Nancy Pearcey. I read Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey’s How Now Shall We Live? when I was a freshman in college, and my understanding of the world was forever changed. Colson and Pearcey explained the competing worldviews of naturalism and theism and showed how theism (and specifically Christianity) makes the best sense of our world. In the years following How Now Shall We Live?, Pearcey has continued her excellent research and writing, completing multiple life-shaping works including Total Truth and Love Thy Body. This latter work shows how a biblical understanding of our bodies and human sexuality is not only the worldview that makes the most sense of our world but the only one that truly makes human flourishing possible. Below are links to her website, Twitter, and several recent lectures.
Nancy Pearcey’s Personal Website
“Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality”
“One Strategy to Rule Them All: How to Answer Skeptics from Romans 1”
Albert Mohler
I’ve learned so much from Albert Mohler over the years, not just in terms of actual knowledge but in how to communicate this knowledge in a tactful, gracious, and effective way. I regularly listen to (and highly recommend) The Briefing, Mohler’s daily podcast where he addresses news and events from a Christian worldview. Mohler also produces another semi-regular podcast called Thinking in Public, where he interviews other authors and thinkers about a variety of topics. Mohler’s willingness to engage with very difficult subjects with humility and wisdom is exemplary; I pray that my own interactions will display similar wisdom and grace. Below are links to several of the most helpful podcast episodes I’ve listened to over the past few years as well as links to articles that have challenged and sharpened my thinking.
The Briefing Episodes
Thinking in Public Episodes
“Karl Marx Meets the Devil: A Conversation with Historian Paul Kengor”
“Live Not by Lies: A Conversation with Author Rod Dreher about Moral Resistance in a Secular Age”
“Critical Theory and the Cynical Transformation of Society: A Conversation with James Lindsay”
Articles
“Black Lives Matter: Affirm the Sentence, Not the Movement”
“Assisted Suicide and the ‘Balance of Harm’”
Carl Trueman
In an article devoted to important thinkers, it may seem redundant to refer to Carl Trueman as one of the most important thinkers of our day. But that is exactly what he is. Trueman currently teaches at Grove City College and has perviously served as the William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and Public Life at Princeton University. Trueman has written extensively for various publications including First Things and World Magazine, and he has authored or edited more than a dozen books. Perhaps his most important work is his recent book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (Dr. Bruce Ashford has said this book is “perhaps the most significant analysis and evaluation of Western culture written by a Protestant during the past fifty years”). I’ve provided a link to the book as well as a link to an interview that discusses the book. Links to several other articles and interviews are also listed below.
“The Triumph of the Modern Self: A Conversation with Theologian Carl Trueman”
“The Body Is More Than A Tool”
“Self-love and the Subversion of the Family”
“The Failure of Evangelical Elites”
“Evangelicals and Race Theory”
“The Apocalypse of the Modern Self”
John Piper
Perhaps no other pastor or theologian has had a greater impact on me than John Piper. I first heard about Piper during my freshmen year of college, and I regrettably dismissed both his character and his writings because of what I had heard others say about him. But after I graduated, I finally listened to several sermons and began reading his writings, and my perspective on Piper—and my entire life—changed dramatically. I don’t just mean my perspective on God and the Christian life; I mean my perspective on all of life. His “Don’t Waste Your Life” sermon shook me awake, and his book Desiring God shaped my understanding of what it means to love and delight in God. I’ve linked to several sermons, articles, and books below (books are all available in free PDFs at the links provided; all links are from the website Piper founded, desiringGod.org).
“Ten Ways Not to Waste Your Cancer”
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
The Power of Words and the Wonder of God
Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God
Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry
“Where Does Child Killing Come From?”
"Exposing the Dark Work of Abortion (Ephesians 5:11)"
Ben Shapiro
Ben Shapiro can be a very polarizing figure, and he has sadly developed a reputation for “owning” people in various interviews. It is true that Shapiro is often direct and even terse; he shoots straight and is a very quick thinker. He also can be somewhat sarcastic (at least in some clips I’ve seen of his show). But he is also a very careful thinker who cares deeply about facts and evidence, and he is genuinely fair in his treatment of various issues and respectful of the opinions of others—even those with whom he sharply disagrees. What he cannot tolerate (and is perhaps too strong in addressing) are distortions of the facts. Perhaps most importantly, Shapiro is an advocate of free speech and a fierce opponent of censorship, believing that the free exchange of ideas is central to a free society.
While I aspire to have the tactfulness and grace of individuals like Mohler and Piper (and the measured demeanor of Weinstein and Trueman), I also desire to examine the evidence with as little bias as possible and to present my conclusions boldly and clearly without fear of what others may think. Shapiro is a good example of such boldness, and even if I may disagree with some of his conclusions, his willingness to examine all the facts is worthy of emulation. I’ve provided links to some thoughtful interviews and clips below that highlight his engagement with the evidence and his clear and thoughtful argumentation.
“Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro: Religion, Trans Activism, and Censorship”
“Trump, Trans, Religion, Abortion, and Tax Cuts | Ben Shapiro | POLITICS | Rubin Report”
“Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Eric Weinstein, and Dave Rubin LIVE! | POLITICS | Rubin Report”
“Frontline of Free Speech (LIVE) | Jordan Peterson & Ben Shapiro | POLITICS | Rubin Report”