Tom Shipka

Commentaries Tom Shipka

"Commentaries" is a compilation of 162 essays by Tom Shipka which aired on WYSU, the National Public Radio affiliate in Youngstown, Ohio, from 2005 to 2015. Shipka was professor of philosophy at Youngstown State University from 1969 to 2015. The essays cover a wide range of issues, including the philosophical roots of the U. S. system of government, separation of church and state, the impact of social conditioning, free will versus determinism, religious extremism, the "new atheists" and their critics, the Golden Rule, terrorism, the role of the individual in social and political progress, the status of women, the problem of evil, family fragmentation in the U. S., conflicts between science and religion, the rising cost of higher education, and many others. The essays often use recently published books to highlight these issues. After outlining the relevant arguments on an issue, a typical commentary challenges the listener/reader to take a fresh look at his or her position.