Why Philosophy is Dangerous Now

Not long ago, I received an email informing me that my Introduction to Philosophy class had been suspended.

The message was brief and unspecific. There was no accusation of misconduct, no description of policy violations — only that the course was being “paused” pending review.

The following morning, I was visited by agents from the United States Secret Service.

They were professional and courteous. They asked questions. They clarified a misunderstanding. Within minutes it was clear that there was no allegation of wrongdoing and no investigation underway. The matter, procedurally speaking, was resolved.

The class resumed.

Nothing more happened.

And yet something had happened.

A routine discussion of political reasoning — the analysis of arguments, the distinction between explanation and endorsement, the examination of assumptions — had escalated, through institutional anxiety and political context, into a matter of state concern.

No one intended this escalation. No one acted maliciously. And yet the event revealed something important: under certain conditions, philosophy begins to look dangerous again.

This essay is not about a grievance. It is about a pattern.

A Foundational Essay for the School of Thought

FOUNDATIONS