When Reason Goes on Holiday

Philosophers usually emphasise the importance of logic, clarity, and reason. Therefore, when they address political issues, one would expect them to inject a dose of rationality into these discussions, right?

Wrong. When Reason Goes on Holiday provides numerous examples illustrating the unexpected level of political irrationality among leading contemporary philosophers. The book presents a detailed analysis of extreme leftist views held by a number of renowned philosophers and their occasional descent into an apology for—and at times even active participation in—totalitarian politics. Most of these episodes are either virtually unknown, even within the philosophical community, or have received very little attention.

The author explores how it was possible for so many luminaries of twentieth-century philosophy, who invoked reason and exhibited rigour and careful thinking in their professional work, to succumb to irrationality and end up supporting some of the most murderous political regimes and ideologies. The significant leftist bias in contemporary philosophy and its persistence over the years is certainly a factor but does not entirely explain the phenomenon.

Interestingly, the indisputably high intelligence of these philosophers did not protect them from descending into political insanity. On the contrary, it is argued that both their brilliance and the high esteem they enjoyed within their profession made them more self-confident and less cautious. This, in turn, ultimately blinded them to their betrayal of reason and the monstrosity of the causes they defended.