Category Archives: Philosophy

Christof Koch on ‘What is Consciousness?’

Posted on May 25, 2018 by LM

In Scientific American, Christof Koch (a giant in the field of consciousness studies) summarizes the latest status of neuronal correlates of consciousness (NCC) research, as well as the Integrated information theory (IIT), which has been the most significant theoretical development … Continue reading →

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Russell’s Mind

Posted on May 14, 2018 by LM

“Many years ago I visited Bertrand Russell in his rooms at Trinity College and he showed me a manuscript of his in which there was not a single correction for many pages. With the help of his pen, he had … Continue reading →

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Bryan Magee Interviews Bernard Williams About René Descartes

Posted on May 6, 2018 by LM

There used to be a time when things like this were on TV. My head almost exploded from just the title card alone:

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Being, Place and Living Authentically

Posted on April 17, 2018 by LM

Here’s a nicely produced video short with various AR figures discussing the Heideggerian sense of place and its central role in forming authentic ethnic identity and the rootedness of Being.

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Rothman on “Virtual Embodiment”

Posted on April 2, 2018 by LM

For those interested philosophy of mind (how can you not be?) and the possible directions that VR will take, Joshua Rothman has a good piece titled “Are We Already Living in Virtual Reality?”. Rothman visits and experiences firsthand experimental lab … Continue reading →

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The Deniers

Posted on March 14, 2018 by LM

Esteemed philosopher Galen Strawson has a very good piece on the poverty of materialism as an explanation for consciousness (“The Consciousness Deniers”). He traces the lineage from early behaviorism to Dennett-style functionalism, leading to the absurdity that is reductive materialism: … Continue reading →

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Axiomatic Conservatism vs. Holistic Conservatism

Posted on February 28, 2018 by LM

I recently read Michael Oakeschott’s very influential long form essay “Rationalism in Politics” (1947), which properly argues against the Axiomatic Rationalism underlying various ideologies from Marxism to Libertarianism. The attempt to build a system of governance from the ‘ground up’ … Continue reading →

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The New Yorker: Profile of Peter Sloterdijk

Posted on February 20, 2018 by LM

In The New Yorker, Thomas Meaney has a profile of Germany’s gadfly public intellectual Peter Sloterdijk (“A Celebrity Philosopher Explains the Populist Insurgency”). Of Sloterdijk’s slightly pomo brand of pastiche philosophizing: This profligacy makes Sloterdijk hard to pin down. He … Continue reading →

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John Stuart Mill: Liberty & Flourishing

Posted on February 18, 2018 by LM

From Christopher Macleod’s brief essay on “John Stuart Mill: higher happiness”: In contrast to many contemporary thinkers, Mill’s defence of liberal principles is historical and local – not abstract and universal. Whereas the prevailing wisdom maintains that individuals possess certain … Continue reading →

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Patrick Deneen – Why Liberalism Failed

Posted on January 9, 2018 by LM

Despite it being conducted by a renowned cuck, there’s a worthwhile email interview with Patrick Deneen, professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame, whose new book Why Liberalism Failed was published today. Deneen’s diagnosis of the crisis … Continue reading →

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