Whom do you read even though you disagree with them?

Originally asked

Vox, to writers and thinkers, 9 Questions, 2017

Vox used this as one of nine fixed questions in its 2017 series on intellectual habits.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Harry Sidebottom said elsewhere, not written here
This is an odd choice because I disagree with almost all his conclusions. He argues that the reign of Augustus sees the Roman élite finally dealing with the problems of the Greek culture that they love and the nasty Greeks they rule. He’s just wrong. They don’t. They carry on loving the culture and despising Greeks. I don’t agree with his methods. He doesn’t argue things. He just tells you stuff.

Anna Blundy, Five Books interview, published transcript, 4 October 2010 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 27 →
John Gray Political philosopher; emeritus professor at the London School of Economics
I would include among philosophical writings some liberals. For example, John Stuart Mill, even though I disagree with him profoundly — a very resourceful and intelligent thinker.
Recorded Tyler Cowen, Conversations with Tyler podcast, published transcript source ↗
Martha Nussbaum Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago
This strikes me as the most hilarious question, given that I’m a philosopher. Philosophy is all about respectful disagreement, and learning from disagreement. No decent philosopher simply parrots some other philosopher, so there must be disagreements somewhere in every case. I disagree less with J.S. Mill than with any other major philosopher, but I still disagree with Mill a good deal. Aristotle is insightful on some matters, not so insightful on others. As for Plato, Kant, Bentham, Sidgwick, and Rawls, my disagreements are larger, but still compatible with thinking that in some very major ways they were on the right track. I would not say that about Lord Devlin or James Fitzjames Stephen, but I still teach both, in order to learn from their arguments. If I didn’t disagree with a philosopher it would hardly be worth engaging with him or her, because there would be nothing to learn.
Recorded Sean Illing, Vox, “9 questions” series, 23 April 2017 source ↗
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Novelist and essayist
The Wall Street Journal editorial page, because I imagine it to be what the thoughtful American right reads.
Recorded Sean Illing, Vox, “9 questions” series, 27 May 2017 source ↗
Guy Raz Radio journalist and podcast host
I don’t think there is a better journalist than Hitchens writing in English. The power of his arguments – they’re so crisply written, they’re so forceful that, if you are on the other side, they almost strangle you. There’s nobody more compelling to read. Every time I read him, I learn something from him. His arguments are so tight, they’re hermetic. It’s very difficult to take them apart. I certainly don’t agree with him a lot of the time, but you can’t but be in awe of the way he can build an argument.
Recorded Five Books interview, published transcript source ↗

More on attention & the world

Also answered this

Skye C. Cleary, Alain de Botton, Adam Gopnik, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Celeste Ng, David Hare

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer