The hottest Philosophy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Philosophy Topics

Happy humility: Philosophy Club call for paid subscribers

Tessa Fights Robots • 8 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Great Reset Humility Social Commentary
  1. The article discusses the concept of a 'great reset' that aims to disconnect people from their empowerment and direct them towards centralized authority.
  2. Throughout history, reformers have tried to undermine rural communities to implement their top-down changes.
  3. Practicing 'happy humility' is crucial to dealing with challenges and focusing on personal responsibilities without trying to carry the weight of the world.

Comparison is the thief of joy

andrewglynch • 4 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
📖 Philosophy Self-reflection Happiness Comparison Personal Growth
  1. Comparing yourself to others can make you feel unhappy, but it's important to focus on your own journey. Everyone has their own challenges and joys that you can't see.
  2. You should measure your success against your own goals and values, not against what others have achieved. It's about your personal growth and happiness.
  3. At the end of the day, what matters is if you're content with your life and how you treat others. Finding joy in your own path is what's truly important.

What Is Your Contribution?

We're Gonna Get Those Bastards • 8 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Purpose Wealth Altruism Legacy
  1. We can measure our contribution to the world in various ways, not just based on traditional accomplishments.
  2. Some jobs, like teachers and social workers, have a direct impact on people's lives, while others may feel disconnected from their positive impact.
  3. Contributing to society can take different forms, whether through work, wealth, or personal efforts, and it's important to find meaningful ways to give back.

we live on planet Earth and we’re human beings

the rohn report • 19 implied HN points • 04 Oct 20
📖 Philosophy Existence Humanity Communication Consumerism Appreciation
  1. Being alive on Earth is a miraculous journey that took 14 billion years of universe evolution.
  2. Communication is essential to human nature, from microbes sending messages to global expressions like rap music.
  3. Our world is filled with consumerism and commerce, but we should appreciate our existence as human beings living on this beautiful planet.
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the xunzi as the basis of a metarational ruling ideology

alice maz • 4 HN points • 22 Sep 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Metaphysics Epistemology Political theory Chinese Philosophy
  1. Confucianism focuses on individual human will and the importance of self-cultivation. By improving ourselves, we can create better households and, eventually, a well-ordered society.
  2. In a complex world, we need a flexible understanding of ideas, not just rigid systems. We can achieve good outcomes by recognizing patterns and adapting, rather than getting stuck in one way of thinking.
  3. Xunzi teaches us that we must honor tradition while also being open to new ideas. A good leader uses wisdom to harmonize different ways of thinking and create a thriving society.

Non-Naive Re-Enchantment

A blog. • 1 implied HN point • 18 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Epistemology Existentialism Rationalism
  1. Enchantment is about feeling a deep connection with the mysterious aspects of life. It’s important to believe there's more to the world than what we see every day.
  2. Modern thinking often dismisses supernatural ideas in favor of a more scientific view, which can lead to feelings of disconnection. Understanding this can help us find ways to reconnect with a sense of wonder.
  3. Re-enchantment should be approached thoughtfully, not by escaping into fantasies. We should strive for a real, meaningful relationship with the mystery around us.

The right to do nothing

Theory Matters • 7 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Rights Personal freedom Political participation
  1. It can be valuable to recognize and respect the right to do nothing, even in a world that often glorifies constant activity and productivity.
  2. In the realm of politics, the choice to not participate should be acknowledged and accepted, as not everyone feels compelled or interested in engaging in political processes.
  3. Deciding how we spend our time is a personal choice, and it's important to appreciate that the right not to act is as significant as the right to act in various aspects of life.

The Truth Is Literally A Vibe

Square Circle • 11 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Truth Intuition Reality
  1. Philosophy often starts with an 'itch' that something is wrong and needs to be explored further.
  2. Truth can evoke both good and bad 'vibes', making it multifaceted and not purely subjective.
  3. Acknowledging and facing truths, even when they bring bad vibes, is essential for understanding reality and making ethical choices.

Is The World A Cake With Systems Thinking

WriMoReMo • 7 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Nature Culture Governance Infrastructure Commerce
  1. The world can be viewed as a layered cake with different levels representing nature, culture, governance, and more. Each layer interacts with and influences the others, impacting global dynamics.
  2. Nature plays a significant role in shaping geopolitics and human tendencies, influencing interactions between nations and communities.
  3. Cultures evolve and spread through regions, impacting belief systems, governance structures, societal outcomes, and even legislative decisions.

More on Unlearning

Charles Eisenstein • 3 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Epistemology Ethics Metaphysics Mindfulness
  1. We're facing both challenges and chances for new beginnings. It's time to rethink our old beliefs and open ourselves to different futures.
  2. As we deal with crisis, new ways of healing and understanding will emerge. It's important to unlearn old habits that limit our growth.
  3. An online course called 'Unlearning for Change Agents' aims to help people let go of outdated thinking. The course is flexible, letting participants learn at their own pace.

Animal Suffering, Paralysis, and Infinite Horror

A blog. • 1 implied HN point • 29 Jun 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics Animal Rights Moral Philosophy Utilitarianism Consequentialism
  1. Many people feel deep concern for animal suffering but often struggle to address it fully. This can lead to feelings of paralysis when considering the vast scale of suffering in nature.
  2. The debate around animal welfare often boils down to extremes, like excluding animals from moral consideration or fully embracing veganism. Moderation is key for practical action without overwhelming guilt.
  3. Insect suffering is frequently overlooked due to their uncharismatic nature, yet acknowledging it challenges our moral frameworks. We have to find a balance between caring for all life and maintaining our own well-being.

Decoupling decoupling from rationality

Unconfusion • 1 HN point • 07 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Rationality Cognition Psychology Thinking Bias
  1. Some people think differently about ideas, separating them from context, while others mix context with their thoughts. This difference can help explain disagreements between people.
  2. Rational thinking involves a careful process where we slow down our automatic thoughts and consider ideas more deeply. This is important to avoid mistakes and biases in our reasoning.
  3. The term 'decoupling' has changed over time and now it sometimes refers to a personality trait rather than a careful thinking process. It's important to understand this shift to better discuss rationality and disagreements.

A Cage For Your Head

Square Circle • 11 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Spirituality Science Art Reason Truth
  1. The world can be seen as an encounter with God in various aspects of life.
  2. The scientific viewpoint can act as a restriction or a 'cage' for understanding truth, but is necessary for certain insights.
  3. Truth is a multifaceted concept found in science, religion, art, philosophy, and more, and engaging with diverse viewpoints can lead to a deeper understanding.

A theory of truth

Infinitely More • 5 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Logic Truth Semantics Theory Structure
  1. Truth in a structure is defined by recursion on sentences, reducing to assertions with temporary assignments of variables
  2. The concept of valuation in a model involves assigning variables to specific individuals, treating them as constants in that context
  3. Tarski's disquotational theory of truth posits that an assertion is true when the proposition it asserts is true, forming the foundation of a compositional theory of truth

Maybe You're Not Actually Trying to Solve Your Problems?

FutureIQ • 1 implied HN point • 30 May 25
📖 Philosophy Agency Advice Self-help Psychology Decision-making
  1. We often give better advice to others than we take for ourselves. When faced with our own problems, we might ignore good solutions we would recommend to a friend.
  2. People can solve issues at work but struggle with personal challenges. Sometimes, if we applied the same skills from one area of our life to another, we'd find better outcomes.
  3. Our mindset can get stuck in a low point, causing us to miss out on solutions. It's important to remember that our capacity for action can change over time, and we should revisit problems with a fresh perspective.

Throughlines

Creative Destruction • 7 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Nature Humanity Connection Identity Existence
  1. Creating a new, desirable story is crucial to address uncertainty and complexity in society.
  2. Reconnecting with nature and acknowledging our entanglement is vital to tackle climate and biodiversity crises.
  3. Re-humanizing involves reconnecting with our inner selves, embracing diversity, and finding balance with our natural environment.

“Intellectual humility” is a copout

Building the Builders • 9 implied HN points • 18 May 23
📖 Philosophy Knowledge Truth Virtue
  1. Intellectual humility should not be a way to avoid seeking knowledge and certainty but should push us to strive for deep understanding and confidence.
  2. Being intellectually ambitious involves questioning assumptions, admitting mistakes, and actively seeking wisdom and self-trust.
  3. True intellectual ambition requires the courage to act on well-founded convictions, pursue worthwhile possibilities, and persist through uncertainty.

Affect is Protocol

Donkeyspace • 5 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Emotions Perception Aesthetics Knowledge
  1. Our perception and understanding of the world are influenced by our emotional state and personal experiences.
  2. Affect can be viewed as a protocol that formats and processes data, shaping the information we extract from our environment.
  3. Our emotional responses and preferences play a significant role in how we perceive and interact with the world, affecting what we notice and how we interpret things.

Adam Smith Revisited: Beyond the Invisible Hand

Optimally Irrational • 7 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Behavioral Economics Social Dynamics Human Psychology Social Inequality
  1. Adam Smith's insights go beyond just the concept of the invisible hand in economics.
  2. Smith saw the benefits of market mechanisms but also criticized how powerful elites could exploit them.
  3. Adam Smith had a sophisticated understanding of human psychology and social interactions, anticipating concepts in behavioral economics.

Thoughts on Game B: Bonnitta Roy

The Bigger Picture • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 20
📖 Philosophy Change
  1. Bonnitta Roy discusses Game B, a concept focused on changing the current global game.
  2. The conversation delves into radically altering the dynamics of the world we live in.
  3. Rebel Wisdom's Alexander Beiner engages with Bonnitta Roy on redefining the paradigm of existence.