Who’s Perspective?

Professor Martin Phillips Launches New iPulse Live Series

By Spencer A. Backman, Global News Editor

Lynn University Professor Martin Phillips launches his new show segment, iPulse Perspectives, on iPulse Live.

Phillips, a veteran of 20/20 and 60 Minutes, launched his latest endeavor, iPulse Perspectives, which features interviews on a range of issues with experts from a multitude of fields.

For his first interview, Phillips interviewed Dr. Robert Watson, a Lynn University distinguished professor of American History on current issues facing the United States political systems and his perspective on the state of politics in the U.S.

“I’m worried,” said Watson. “Our political situation is worse than any time since the civil war.”

Watson went on to talk about the issues facing the U.S.

“We seem to be living in a post-fact, truth optional society.”

Later, when asked about how people believe falsehoods, Watson referred to historical examples including slavery and the genocide of the American Indigenous peoples.

“We’ve had a long history of fear replacing fact, paranoia and conspiracy theories replacing truth and civility,” said Watson. “This is simply the latest iteration, probably the worst since the civil war.”

Phillips asked, “As a distinguished professor, what is your role in trying to right these lies?”

“My goal in every single class I teach, irrespective of politics, justice, history, philosophy, my goal is critical thinking,” said Watson. “I make the students debate in my classes, I make them put their own amendment to the constitution together, I make them defend their positions. I try to expose them to new ways of thinking, if they agree with ‘A’ I argue ‘B,’ or disagree with them. Critical thinking is probably the best thing we can do.”

“Secondly, in anything I do I try to instill a love of learning,” said Watson.

“You can inspire your journalism students, but you only have X number of days with them, if you can get them to either love journalism or love learning they’ll be lifelong learners,” said Watson. “I think that should be writ large our goal as a society, to return a love of learning, a good sense of critical thinking.”

For his next interview, Professor Phillips interviewed the leader of the local Republican Party.

Future segments of iPulse Perspectives and iPulse Live can be found on the iPulse Live YouTube channel.