Fake Noûs

Fake Noûs is a Substack platform that dives into a wide range of critical discussions encompassing philosophy, politics, arts, and ethics, while also scrutinizing social phenomena, political ideologies, and cultural trends. It employs both analysis and critique to address contemporary issues, theoretical frameworks, and public figures with the aim of fostering reasoned discourse.

Philosophy Politics Arts and Culture Ethics and Morality Social Phenomena Education Economics Immigration Marriage and Society Political Theory

The hottest Substack posts of Fake Noûs

And their main takeaways

Why Do Progressives Like Islam?

388 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Progressivism Islam
  1. Progressives support Muslims as part of their focus on oppressed groups like women, blacks, and the poor.
  2. The definition of oppressed groups for progressives has expanded over the years to include Muslims as important.
  3. Leftists have a foundation in advocating for those who are marginalized and have continued this trend with Muslims.

Why Can't We Solve the Arab-Israeli Conflict?

475 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Middle East
  1. The Arab-Israeli conflict has been ongoing for decades and has garnered significant attention, especially after specific events.
  2. Following the October 7 attacks, there seems to be an increased level of sympathy for the cause of Hamas from left-leaning observers in the West.
  3. The post requires a paid subscription to access additional content.

U.S. Supreme Court Chickens Out

197 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Supreme Court Presidency Election
  1. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Trump ineligible for the Presidency but the USSC overruled this decision, sparking discussion on why they did this
  2. The decision on whether Trump should appear on the Republican primary ballot in Colorado was contested between state and federal jurisdictions
  3. The article delves into the implications of the USSC overruling the Colorado Supreme Court decision

Why People Are Irrational About Politics

226 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Psychology Politics
  1. The post discusses why people are irrational about politics and presents an explanation for this behavior.
  2. The content is available only for paid subscribers, indicating a sense of exclusivity.
  3. The author references a publication in _Philosophy, Politics, and Economics_ as a basis for the post, showing an academic foundation.
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Inferential Appearances

81 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Epistemology Inference
  1. The post discusses how inferential justification is obtained through appearances.
  2. Explicitly inferring a belief from a premise is highlighted as a method of gaining this justification.
  3. The post is for paid subscribers, with the option to subscribe or sign in for those already subscribed.

The Price of Liberalism: The Fertility Problem

359 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Liberalism Fertility Philosophy Technology Society
  1. The world is experiencing a decline in fertility rates, particularly in more prosperous nations.
  2. Liberalism, with its focus on individual freedom and prosperity, may contribute to the decline in fertility due to factors like career options and personal pursuits.
  3. Possible solutions to the fertility problem include promoting the idea that having children is valuable, advancing technology like artificial wombs, and providing incentives for people to have more children.

Beethoven vs. Baby Shark

371 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Art Music Philosophy Literature Beauty
  1. Baby Shark has brought more total enjoyment and viewership compared to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
  2. The quality of aesthetic pleasure produced by art can be a factor in determining its value.
  3. The purpose and definition of art play a significant role in determining its artistic value.

Tips for Debate, part 1

336 implied HN points • 14 Oct 23
🚌 Education Debate Emotions
  1. Argue for progress, not to win or hurt others.
  2. Avoid assumptions and emotional responses in discussions.
  3. Respect others, their views, and be open to changing your own.

What's So Great About Marriage?

307 implied HN points • 30 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Marriage Benefits
  1. Skepticism and humor around the concept of marriage is common, but many people still take marriage vows seriously.
  2. Marriage serves important social functions like providing stable child-rearing environments and reducing social strife.
  3. Getting married can offer personal benefits like longevity, happiness, and financial savings, along with legal and social recognition.

Two Master Fallacies

301 implied HN points • 16 Sep 23
🚌 Education Logic Critical Thinking
  1. Assumption is a common error where people quickly believe something with little evidence.
  2. Dogmatism is the resistance to changing beliefs, even in the face of evidence.
  3. To avoid assumption, consider alternatives, objections, empirical tests, and listen to different perspectives. To combat dogmatism, question your beliefs and avoid dogmatic techniques like ignoring contrary evidence and appealing only to your belief system.

In Praise of Passivity

272 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Knowledge Values Rationality Social theory
  1. History shows that solutions without proper knowledge often do more harm than good.
  2. Public ignorance and the dismissal of expert advice are major obstacles in policymaking.
  3. Rational ignorance, lack of clear motives, and the complexity of social issues contribute to our inability to effectively address societal problems.

Is There a Right to Immigrate?

318 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🌍 World Politics Immigration Rights Nationalism Economics Ethics
  1. Immigration restrictions can violate individual rights by preventing people from escaping poverty or oppression.
  2. There is a simple argument that supports the idea that immigration restrictions are typically wrong.
  3. Reasons often given for restricting immigration, like protecting jobs or culture, may not justify the harmful coercion and violation of rights that come with those restrictions.

The State

336 implied HN points • 20 May 23
📖 Philosophy Authority Utilitarianism Fairness Anarchism
  1. The problem of authority in political philosophy questions the basis for political legitimacy and obligation.
  2. The Utilitarian Account suggests the state's authority comes from providing social order, but doesn't explain unnecessary laws.
  3. Anarchism challenges the notion of state authority, advocating for minimal coercive activities and privatization of necessary government functions.

The Vice of Crappy Moralism

284 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Morality Judgment Social media
  1. Social media often invites us to judge others, but we may not truly know the whole story.
  2. Crappy moralizing involves gossiping, invading privacy, piling on attacks, and seeking a false sense of superiority.
  3. There are times when moral judgment is necessary, like addressing mistreatment or evaluating public officials, but excessive moralizing may not be helpful.

Who Is the Next President?

266 implied HN points • 27 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Candidates Debate Campaign
  1. The Republican nomination for the next president is likely to go to Trump due to strong support and lack of serious challengers.
  2. The Democratic nominee for the next president is expected to be Biden, with little competition, despite concerns about health and moderate views.
  3. In a potential rematch between Trump and Biden, factors like inflation, Biden's policies, and health may heavily influence the outcome.

Education: How Can It Cost So Much?

289 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🚌 Education Cost Research
  1. College education has become extremely costly over the last 50 years, with average tuition soaring to high levels.
  2. A significant portion of the high cost of college goes to faculty salaries, research, administrative work, and not necessarily to benefit students directly.
  3. Academia's administrative procedures can be overly redundant, biased, and counterproductive, leading to high costs without much added value.