On “degeneracy” and piety in civilisation
Moralists warn that “degeneracy” corrodes civilisation and justifies (or creates) strongmen to restore civilisational norms. History says otherwise. “Why do you defend this degeneracy?” That
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Now the hard part begins
With the election over, the hard part now begins. Clichéd, trite, but accurate. Whoever takes office across most of the country now inherits the responsibility of attempting to make its local administrations function. The campaign period has made apparent how
Classical liberalism must find its African soul – part two
I concluded the first part of this essay yesterday by suggesting that we should recognise the importance of treating Africa as a source of philosophical development rather than merely an audience for ideas formulated elsewhere. An African classical liberalism cannot
A ripple of hope for UCT
Sixty years after Robert Kennedy spoke at UCT, the university's future depends on whether its graduates are willing to speak too. Sixty years ago, on 6 June 1966, Robert Kennedy stood in UCT's Jameson Hall and spoke words that have
Book now for next week’s Hoernlé Memorial Lecture on real “transformation”
A more inclusive, sustainable and diversity-based form of transformation that could foster a genuine common South Africanness is the theme of the 2026 Hoernlé Memorial Lecture, the IRR’s flagship public lecture, to be delivered next Wednesday by outspoken critic of
Classical liberalism must find its African soul – part one
Human beings are individually distinct, yet socially interdependent. In this two-part essay, I argue that African philosophy has much to contribute to our understanding of this relationship, and to the development of a classical liberalism grounded in the realities of
Where AI fears to tread
My wife was away. It was she who suggested I take a drive out to Agulhas. Three years have gone by since we were there, and it would be interesting to see the recently completed facilities at the lighthouse. She
Protecting public safety while preserving the right to expression
The violence in Durban and Soweto earlier this month, which saw 24 vehicles torched, foreign-owned shops looted and police forced to use rubber bullets, was another reminder of how quickly public unrest can spiral out of control in South Africa.
After the ballot, the neighbour still needs the water to run
From: Douglas Vandergraph Via emailA ballot is cast and the campaign arguments continue. Some voters feel hopeful; others are disappointed. Political parties begin to discuss what the results will mean. The public conversation may remain focused on winners, losers and