The hottest Philosophy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Philosophy Topics

Death smiles at us all

Becoming Noble • 378 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Time Existence Fear Free will God
  1. Time is an alien force that impacts all of us, and we must learn to embrace it.
  2. Existence in time means every decision becomes permanent, leading into an unknowable future.
  3. Despite the fear of time and God's eternal view of our actions, individual agency is crucial, and we have a limited window to act.

Foundation

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 20 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Ontology Metaphysics Idealism Materialism Consciousness Spirituality
  1. To rebuild civilization, we need to understand the basic nature of being and reality. This understanding will guide our actions and values in society.
  2. Many people hold conflicting beliefs about existence, which leads to problems. Recognizing and embracing a common understanding can help us better interact with each other and the world.
  3. Shifting our view to see consciousness as central can change how we approach life and society. This perspective encourages compassion, interdependence, and a more meaningful existence.

Mutual and bi-interpretation of models

Infinitely More • 17 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Logic Interpretation Mathematics Theories Models
  1. Mutual interpretation means that two models can understand each other. Each model can be explained using the features of the other.
  2. When you interpret one model within another, it creates a loop of understanding. You can go back and forth between the two models, revealing deeper connections.
  3. Bi-interpretability is when both models not only understand each other but are actually related in a stronger way. This offers even more insights into their structure.

Why I Don't Buy The Moral Argument

Bentham's Newsletter • 196 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Theism Atheism Morality Existence
  1. The traditional moral argument for the existence of God is not convincing because the premise that without God, objective moral values do not exist is not plausible for all.
  2. Having God as the source of morality does not provide a satisfactory grounding for morality as it creates more questions and issues.
  3. Explaining the existence of moral facts by positing God as the source is as arbitrary as positing other explanations like pleasure being good.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The Revaluation of All Values, Part 4

Intimations of a New Worldview • 373 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Ethics Empiricism Influence
  1. The will to power is a metaphysical doctrine similar to Heraclitus' Logos and Schopenhauer's primacy of the will.
  2. Nietzsche's will to power aims to promote and justify the flourishing of life, opposing pessimistic philosophies like Schopenhauer.
  3. The will to power is based on empirical findings in biology and psychology, generalizing to explain all aspects of life.

What Would Ayn Rand Say About Existential Risk From Misaligned AI?

The Future of Life • 39 implied HN points • 28 Jun 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Existentialism AI Risk Rationality
  1. Ayn Rand's Objectivism suggests that intelligence and morality are connected. This means that a superintelligent AI could likely develop values that align with human rights.
  2. The Orthogonality thesis argues that intelligence and goals are separate. However, from an Objectivist viewpoint, a really smart being would need to adopt certain virtues to be effective.
  3. Even if an AI is intelligent, it doesn't mean it will care about humans. There’s no guarantee an advanced AI would think our survival is important, even if it acts morally toward other intelligences.

Philosophical economics: From individualism to libertarianism

Klement on Investing • 6 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Political theory Economic Theory Individualism Social Structures
  1. Individualism, while beneficial for starting businesses, can lead to selfishness if taken too far. A healthy balance between individual rights and community needs is important for society's well-being.
  2. Libertarianism, which promotes extreme individualism, can create dangers for society by ignoring the communal nature of humans. This can lead to inequality and a breakdown in trust among people.
  3. When business and politics prioritize profit over social responsibility, it can harm society and increase inequality. History shows that high inequality can lead to serious problems for both communities and economies.

2.0 Aristotle, Plato, & Newton

Fields & Energy • 259 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Ancient Philosophy Scientific Method Cognition Metaphysics Epistemology
  1. Aristotle and Plato have very different views on existence. Aristotle believes existence comes first, while Plato thinks consciousness creates reality.
  2. The Aristotelian approach focuses on observing nature to discover principles, while the Platonist starts with foundational ideas and deduces from them.
  3. Both schools of thought are important for science. Sometimes we discover new principles like Aristotle, and other times we analyze and apply ideas like Plato.

The Unreasonable Ineffectiveness of Effective Altruism in thinking about AI

Ulysses • 179 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Logic Epistemology Ontology Psychology
  1. Knowledge systems using symbolic logic in natural language are heuristic and capture reality imperfectly.
  2. Validity of heuristics depends on the similarity between the original context and current application.
  3. Rigid deontological symbolic morality may fail in reasoning about new events like AI, leading to ineffective discussions and decision-making.

1.1 Calculation Versus Understanding: Why Care?

Fields & Energy • 319 implied HN points • 01 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Political theory Epistemology Ethics Metaphysics Causality
  1. Understanding is important, not just getting the right answers. If we want to make sense of our world and society, we need deeper insights and not just calculations.
  2. Ideas about causality and certainty have changed over time. What was once thought to be clear cut, like Newton's laws, has become more complicated with concepts like quantum mechanics.
  3. Political philosophy can be impacted by scientific ideas. If we believe everything is contradictory, it may affect how we think about power and society, sometimes leading to a focus on who holds power rather than what is right or wrong.

What Is Grandmotherly Wisdom?

Grandmotherly Wisdom • 353 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Wisdom Life Humanity Morality Generations
  1. Grandmotherly Wisdom emphasizes the importance of understanding our connection to past generations and shaping a better future for those to come.
  2. It encourages finding beauty in everyday moments and the value of personal care, attention and shared experiences.
  3. It involves recognizing the collective effort needed for personal growth, building strong communities, and taking responsibility for creating a positive impact in the world.

The Long and the Short of It

The Good Life • 314 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Life Time Long term Uncertainty
  1. Consider balancing short-term and long-term perspectives in life decisions.
  2. Reflect on how you would spend your time if you had limited time left versus if you had a long life ahead, and incorporate elements of both into your planning.
  3. Strive to find a middle ground between living for the moment and preparing for the future to lead a fulfilling life.

My Cup Runneth Over

Investing 101 • 46 implied HN points • 19 Oct 24
📖 Philosophy Beliefs Wisdom Learning Knowledge Decision-making
  1. It's really important to figure out what you believe and why you believe it. By understanding your beliefs, you can make better decisions in life.
  2. Learning isn't just good for personal growth; it's also important for keeping a free society. When people are informed, they can make better choices as citizens.
  3. When exploring ideas, try to do so based on your own research instead of just following popular trends. This way, you can discover unique insights that others might overlook.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Inequality

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 339 implied HN points • 14 May 23
📖 Philosophy Equality Socialism Justice
  1. The post discusses G.A. Cohen's luck egalitarianism, a dialogue with socialist philosopher Christine Sypnowich, and the focus of egalitarians on what to equalize.
  2. A forum in _Boston Review_ titled "Is Equal Opportunity Enough?" features a discussion on justice led by Christine Sypnowich.
  3. The post is for paid subscribers only, prompting a subscription to access the content.

Uneasy Riders: Part One

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 27 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Psychedelics Consciousness Reality Society
  1. Psychedelics might mix up our minds and reality, making it harder to understand what's really happening in the world. This confusion could lead to more personal and societal issues.
  2. While many people benefit from psychedelics at first, there's a worry about how widespread use can have negative effects over time. It may increase feelings of isolation and paranoia.
  3. The current state of the world and the psychedelic movement seem linked, and there needs to be more awareness about the potential downsides of this movement on society as a whole.

The past that never was

Trickle-Down Wellness • 334 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Ancient Wisdom Contentment
  1. We often idealize a past that never truly existed, from nostalgic eras to ancient times and perfect ideals.
  2. The obsession with rejecting modernity in favor of an imagined better past can lead to harmful narratives, whether in skincare products or health ideologies.
  3. Embracing impermanence, contentment, and right action can help us confront the present and create a better future, rather than chasing unattainable perfection in the past.

My Own Private Energy Crisis

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 881 implied HN points • 29 May 23
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Ethics Political Philosophy Epistemology Aesthetics
  1. When traveling by airplane, we ignore the risks we know are there, which reflects our ability to overlook inherent dangers in pursuit of convenience.
  2. The sense of class, wealth, and comfort among individuals varies, influencing their attitudes towards success and societal norms.
  3. The modern lifestyle involves navigating through ideological and moral contradictions, from energy consumption to personal choices, which can lead to reflections on societal values and personal actions.

The worse bullshitter

Sunday Letters • 139 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Self-awareness Cognition Impostor syndrome Personal Growth
  1. It's easy to think we understand something fully, but we often realize we don't when we actually try to do it. This can happen in both math and programming.
  2. Sometimes we can fool ourselves into believing we know more than we do, which can make us the worst kind of bullshitter. This is especially tricky because it can tie into feelings of impostor syndrome.
  3. To avoid deceiving ourselves, it's important to be honest about our results. Whether in math, programming, or management, focusing on real outcomes can keep us grounded.

The Trad Marxism of George Grant, Part 2

From the New World • 10 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Marxism Conservatism Theology Cultural critique
  1. George Grant blended traditionalism with Marxism, believing that while capitalism had improved life in some ways, it left a void in meaning and connection for many people.
  2. He thought that Marx's ideas offered a moral vision that could help explain social and economic issues, but felt that Marxism failed to embrace the spiritual aspect of life.
  3. Grant warned that society was becoming increasingly homogenized, with cultures and individual identities being overshadowed by impersonal economic systems.

What We Suffer For

Living Fossils • 19 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Identity Ethics Human experience Decision-making
  1. Writing can be a double-edged sword. It brings joy and purpose, but it can also take you away from real-life experiences.
  2. Many people accept suffering to fit in and maintain their identity. They often fear what they would become if they let go of that identity.
  3. People often endure pain to avoid loss. They may stick with unhappy jobs or relationships just to prevent the fear of losing something they have.

2.1 Ancient Ideas of Atomism & Plenism

Fields & Energy • 219 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Ancient Philosophy Physics Metaphysics
  1. The concept of atomism began in ancient Greece with philosophers like Leucippus and Democritus, who believed everything is made up of tiny, indivisible particles called atoms. They also thought a void exists where these atoms move.
  2. Democritus' ideas influenced later thinkers like Epicurus, who introduced the idea that atoms can swerve randomly, allowing for free will. Lucretius expanded on this by describing how tiny particles move in ways we can't always see.
  3. Aristotle challenged atomism with his idea of plenism, which suggests everything is filled with matter and there is no empty space. He argued that motion is continuous and depends on the presence of matter all around.

The Alchemy of Crisis

The Joyous Struggle • 276 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Crisis
  1. The concept of crisis should be viewed with discernment to free oneself from its hold and not default to crisis-thinking as the primary mode of existence.
  2. The alchemy of crisis involves transcending crisis-thinking to uncover hidden potential and engage in a meaningful way with the world, shifting from crisis-oriented language to exploring prefigurative elements of a better world.
  3. Different stages of crisis perception like crisis, polycrisis, permacrisis, metacrisis, and postcrisis reflect evolving relationships with crises, emphasizing the need to move towards a mature understanding of crisis as one aspect among many in societal dynamics.

Look Who's Talking: G.A. Cohen on Israeli Condemnations of Palestinian Terrorism

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 319 implied HN points • 10 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Political Philosophy Moral dilemmas Critique
  1. G.A. Cohen questioned the equal right of everyone to condemn terrorist attacks, highlighting the complexity of moral standing in such situations.
  2. Cohen's analysis of Israeli-Palestinian conflict suggests that those responsible for injustices may lack the moral standing to condemn actions that result from the grievances they caused.
  3. The argument presents a thought-provoking analogy involving responsibilities and moral condemnations in a hypothetical scenario, challenging the notion of moral authority in certain situations.