After Justice: Catholic Challenges to Progressive Culture, Politics, Economics and Education

by Thomas A. Michaud, Ph.D.

In recent decades in the United States, various derivative forms of Progressivism have emerged that manifest its lack of philosophical cohesion and authoritarian proclivity, such as:

1) Postmodernism, which was actually anti-Modernism with its rejections of Rationalism, Scientific Positivism and any traditional-based metaphysics and ethics;

2) Authoritarian Politically Correct and Cancel Culture standards of moral righteousness; and,

3) Woke mentality that employs social and mainstream media to transform the “people” into a conformist, hive-minded ruling mob.

This book demonstrates in an Augustinian manner how contemporary Progressivism, to its own detriment, has become a political ideology and can no longer be considered a political philosophy.

Paperback: $19.95 | Kindle: $9.99

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REVIEW

Hancock, Curtis. (2023, Feb. 1). “The Catholic Challenge to Progressivism.” The Postil Magazine. To read the review, click here.

 

TESTIMONIALS

“What kind of Catholics are needed in modern politics? Considering Thomas Michaud’s book After Justice: Catholic Challenges to Contemporary Culture, Politics, Education and Economics, one can argue that modern politics especially needs Catholics of intelligence and virtue. For only an intelligent Catholic will recognize the fact that the contemporary political forum is under the spell of Progressivism, giving preference to opinion over truth, positive law over natural law, and ideology over philosophy. In turn, only a virtuous Catholic will be able to oppose the power of Progressive nominalism, conventionalism, and manipulation in the most ethical and effective way. With Michaud’s book comes the hope that the intelligence and virtue that make up Catholic ethos will also make it possible to protect current and future culture, politics, education, and economics against the disastrous consequences of Progressivism.” – Fr. Paweł Tarasiewicz, Ph.D. – Adler–Aquinas Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

“Thomas A. Michaud’s After Justice is a collection of the author’s articles focused on issues fundamental to understanding Western culture, including philosophy, religion, politics, democracy, leadership, education, rhetoric, and economics. Michaud explains these issues, pointing to their threats occurring in contemporary reality, as well as showing the deep context of philosophical transformations taking place in these areas of culture. He explains in a very perceptive way the causes of the phenomena discussed, which include nihilism, relativism, progressivism, atheism, liberalism, individualism, collectivism, and totalitarianism. The problems explored here are fundamental and eminently practical issues, both for humanity itself and for our culture.  The path we take in explaining them, however, is extremely important. It must be an authentic philosophical cognition, which is built on the search for knowledge of the ultimate truth about the meaning of human life, as well as reality as a whole. This cognition, which is essentially at the service of the truth and respect for the human good, offers the chance to reveal and overcome the evils of various errors and ideologies. Such is the very rich philosophical perspective that this book presents to us.” – Dr. Habil. Imelda Chłodna-Błach, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin

“Tom Michaud is a genuinely unforgettable character. He has a certain American quality in strength of character and voice, and yet these qualities are complemented by a graceful and dexterous imagination, a razor-sharp intellect, and an irrepressible sense of humor. These talents combine to make him an arresting storyteller, with a talent for perceiving in ordinary events grounds for extraordinary narrations. Dr. Michaud is also an accomplished academic of international renown. He is a philosopher’s philosopher because he loves the truth, fortified by the conviction that reason and realism are necessary conditions to find the truth. As a lover of reason, he also explores truth in Christian teachings, recognizing, as did Aquinas, that reason is faith’s best friend. This book is both an intellectual treasure and a remedy for our deformed times, especially for those who hope for the triumph of justice.” – Professor Dr. Hab. Piotr Jaroszyinski, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thomas A. Michaud, Retired, Dean, School of Professional Studies and Professor of Philosophy, West Liberty University (WLU) earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from Marquette University and his B.A. (Honors) from Fairfield University (CT). He has taught at Wheeling Jesuit University, Marquette University, Mount St. Mary’s University (MD), Siena University (NY), and Rockhurst University (Kansas City, MO). His international experience includes a Smith Fellowship for the Husserl Archives at the University of Louvain (Leuven), Belgium, a Senior Fulbright Lectureship for the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the inaugural lecturer for the Rev. Jacek Woroniecki Memorial English Language Lectures in Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland.

Emphasizing his “common sense” approach, he has held seminars in leadership and ethics for many government and civic groups, professional associations, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions (including Duke Univ.’s Fuqua School of Business MBA program). In addition, Tom has designed and delivered extensive leadership ethics education programs for Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Corp., Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., Columbia Gulf Transmission Company, Columbia Natural Resources Corp., Cabela’s Distribution Center and Dermox Corp.

He is the recipient of a WV Humanities Council Research Fellowship, former Director of the WV Business and Professional Ethics Project, a Kettering Foundation Contract Scholar, and a past-President of the Gabriel Marcel Society. He is also past-Vice President of the WV Humanities Council, and a former member of the Executive Council of the American Catholic Philosophical Association.

Besides writing a business ethics and leadership column (1996 to 2007) for The State Journal (WV’s leading business newspaper), he also has regularly written editorials for Nasz Djiennik (a Polish Catholic newspaper). His course text, The Virtues of Business Ethics, is published by Copley Custom Publishing Group, Third Edition, 2010.  His numerous papers, articles and reviews include publications in Philosophy Today, Renascence, The Review of Metaphysics, The Philosophy Research Archives, The lnter-American Review of Bibliography, Studia Gilsoniana, Man in Culture, The Kettering Review, Higher Education Exchange, Studia Philosophiae Christianae, Business Ethics Magazine and Ethics West Virginia. The anthology he edited and introduced, Gabriel Marcel and the Postmodern World, appeared as a special double volume of the Journal of the American Society of Philosophy in the French Language. He was also the Guest Editor for and a contributor to the Gabriel Marcel special issue of The American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly.

Dr. Michaud regularly designed courses for, taught in, developed and implemented various types of non-traditional, accelerated adult degree completion programs.  These include both undergraduate and graduate (Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, MBA, Executive MBA, Master of Professional Studies- MPS) programs. As Dean, Michaud essentially started the WLU School of Professional Studies (SPS), initiating its programs (Bachelor of Leadership and Administration, Professional Studies course concentrations, Master of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership and Justice Leadership) and contributing to the management of the WLU Highlands Center.

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