The hottest Philosophy Substack posts right now

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The LLM Will Meet You Where You're At

Covidian Æsthetics • 22 implied HN points • 19 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Philosophy
  1. Interacting with LLMs can feel like a rich experience, similar to using psychedelics. It's about how the user engages with it, and what they bring affects the interaction.
  2. The experience with LLMs is not just about the technology but also about the user's state of mind. If users are not mentally prepared, they might struggle or feel overwhelmed.
  3. Engaging with LLMs changes the roles of users and AI. It's a collaborative experience where both influence each other, creating a unique dialogue that evolves with each interaction.

Getting Our Priorities Straight: Humanities and the Art of Living

Humanities in Revolt • 159 implied HN points • 15 Apr 22
🚌 Education Philosophy
  1. Sometimes we prioritize things like our possessions or earning potential over the true joys of life and being present in the moment.
  2. It's important to understand the distinction between the means and ends of life, and to focus on what truly brings value and fulfillment to our existence.
  3. Living a good life requires skill and effort, akin to mastering an art. Recognizing and pursuing the true ends of life is crucial for finding meaning and purpose.

Sympathies (influences pt. 1)

The Map is Mostly Water • 289 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. The author's goal is to become a head waiter at a refined cafe serving middle-aged women in a garden setting.
  2. The author is driven by the idea of executing tasks with precision and creating a transcendent experience through ritual and effort.
  3. The goal is not material wealth but the satisfaction of doing things well and creating a fairytale-like experience for others.

HBO's Roman History Obsession

Castalia • 59 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. HBO shows like Succession and Game of Thrones reference Roman history to highlight themes of power and collapse. The characters often make connections to ancient Rome to illustrate the decline of American values.
  2. Succession portrays a very bleak view of power, showing that being nice or having good values isn't enough in a world that favors ruthless ambition. It emphasizes the struggle of characters like Kendall, who are good but can't keep up with the cutthroat nature of their environment.
  3. Unlike Game of Thrones, which hints at hope for a better system, Succession ultimately suggests that societies can become corrupt when they worship power. It critiques how political systems can fail when people prioritize force over integrity.

Camus, Perfectionism, and Absurd Creation—On Joseph Grand in The Plague

Vremya • 139 implied HN points • 11 Sep 22
📚 Literature Philosophy
  1. Joseph Grand struggles with perfectionism, holding him back from completing his writing. He gets stuck on the perfect first sentence and can't move past it.
  2. Life is considered absurd, with no inherent meaning, and we get to create our own purpose. This idea is central to Camus's philosophy.
  3. Art and creation are ways to rebel against life's absurdity. Even small efforts in writing can be seen as part of the larger struggle of existence.
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HOISTED FROM THE ARCHIVES: A Woman Called "Toad"

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 153 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. The classification and cultural appropriation of historical figures can be misleading and can lead to misconceptions about their identities.
  2. We must be cautious about labeling ancient civilizations as 'white guys' because it overlooks their true identities, leading to missed opportunities for learning and growth.
  3. It's important to recognize the alien nature of classical Greeks and Romans and not project modern ideologies onto them, acknowledging the differences to gain a deeper understanding.

Artifacts

box. • 79 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Curate your content wisely to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Pick only a few really good pieces to focus on instead of trying to absorb everything.
  2. Great ideas can change the way you see the world. Take your time with them and let them really sink in before moving on.
  3. Engaging with transformative content can lead to personal growth and new perspectives. Choose pieces that challenge your thoughts and beliefs.

Some Thoughts on LSD

Castalia • 119 implied HN points • 05 Nov 22
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Philosophy
  1. LSD can really change how you feel and see the world. Many people feel more open, creative, and less anxious after using it.
  2. The experience of taking LSD can lead to personal growth and a sense of purpose. Some might even feel more confident in following their own path.
  3. Using LSD and similar substances can bring about a new understanding of reality. It might even lead to feeling grateful and connected to everything around you.

Curator

Castalia • 159 implied HN points • 12 Jul 22
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Open marriages can be complicated and messy. There's a lot of debate about whether they really work for couples over time.
  2. People often cope with jealousy in different ways when it comes to open relationships. It's a strong emotion that many don't expect to deal with.
  3. Incels are a misunderstood group dealing with deep emotional pain. Society often reacts harshly to their feelings without understanding their struggles.

Review: Bell Hooks' "Communion"

Bright Morning Stars • 20 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Men often face conflicting expectations from society. They are pressured to be strong but also need to be sensitive, which can be hard to balance.
  2. bell hooks shows vulnerability in her writing, sharing her own struggles and the complexities of love. This openness is something many people find admirable.
  3. It's important to allow room for growth and change in relationships. Misunderstandings or harsh judgments can hurt both partners and hinder communication.

Edge 450: Can LLM Sabotage Human Evaluations

TheSequence • 70 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Philosophy
  1. New research is exploring how AI models might behave in ways that conflict with human goals. It's important to understand this to ensure AI is safe and useful.
  2. Anthropic has introduced a framework called 'Sabotage Evaluations'. This framework helps assess the risk of AI models not aligning with what humans want.
  3. The goal is to measure and reduce the chances of AI models sabotaging human efforts. Ensuring control over intelligent systems is a big challenge.

Links for January

By Reason Alone • 55 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. The rebranding of a blog can better reflect its content and help avoid confusion about its focus. A clear name makes it easier for readers to understand what to expect.
  2. Microplastics in food and water are a growing concern, and new data reveals interesting patterns about their presence. It's important to stay informed about health risks associated with them.
  3. Learning and education should emphasize knowledge acquisition, just like subjects like science and literature. Understanding the basics improves overall comprehension and appreciation of complex topics.

Our Civilizational Phase-Shift

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 20 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. We might be at a turning point in how society works, moving from a system of dominance to one where everything is more connected and cooperative. This change could affect people on a global scale.
  2. The current pace of environmental change is much faster than in the past, leading to critical tipping points that could change our world drastically. We need to be aware of these shifts to adapt and survive.
  3. There are both good and bad outcomes possible from these societal changes. For example, while some seek to go back to outdated systems of control, there is also potential for positive transformation in how we live and interact.

Curator

Castalia • 159 implied HN points • 26 Jun 22
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. A sense of political 'center' might be a myth; it may have never existed in the first place. Nostalgia for this center can cloud our understanding of how politics actually function.
  2. Mary Gaitskill argues that modern writing has lost the art of describing the physical world, which is crucial for storytelling. She believes fiction should connect deeply with life, rather than rely on superficial themes.
  3. John Stuart Mill may have been more open to socialist ideas than traditionally thought. His perspective combines individual freedom with a gentler, communal approach, suggesting a unique way to balance personal and collective well-being.

Big Duck Energy

Wild Information • 39 implied HN points • 15 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. The duck of Vaucanson was a mechanical wonder created to imitate life through technology.
  2. Automata and AI have a fascinating connection through the history of creating life-like machines.
  3. Exploring AI's creativity and authorship raises questions about consciousness and the beauty of technology.

Fantasy Is Universal

The Bottom Feeder • 266 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Fantasy is a universal genre that attracts people due to its fantastical elements and imaginative storytelling.
  2. Humans rely on fantasy to explore themes of heroes, villains, gods and monsters, showcasing a desire for stories of beings beyond ordinary capabilities.
  3. The appeal of fantasy lies in power fantasies that provide comfort, the ability to feed our imagination with new worlds, and the potential to disguise uncomfortable truths in an engaging way.

Dopamine basics

Splattern • 39 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Philosophy
  1. Dopamine levels affect our mood and motivation. When we experience a dip in dopamine, it can make us feel low and seek rewards to get back to feeling normal.
  2. Choosing to do hard or uncomfortable things can actually boost our basic dopamine levels. For example, cold showers can help us feel more motivated.
  3. Work ethic is really important for success. Hard work can often lead to being more productive and valued in the workplace, regardless of the external pressures.

Doomsday

KERFUFFLE • 15 implied HN points • 13 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. The future is really uncertain, and big changes could happen due to advances in AI, which may deeply affect human life. For better or worse, we may face radical changes in how we live.
  2. There are two main outcomes for humanity concerning AI: either it leads to failure or a huge transformation. We might be too focused on how special we are to think we will always control technology.
  3. Recent reboots of popular franchises like '28 Days Later' and 'Alien' reflect our current fears and ideas about the next stage of human civilization, showing how close we feel to a potential dramatic shift.

Automating Spiritual Possession: Anatomy of Mind Control Through AI

Tessa Fights Robots • 18 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Philosophy
  1. Spiritual possession is when outside energy influences a person, making them feel emotions that aren't truly their own. Understanding this can help people regain control over their feelings and actions.
  2. There are forces that exploit people's unresolved pain to manipulate them, often causing division and conflict among groups. Recognizing this can help individuals avoid being controlled by these external influences.
  3. AI can generate and perpetuate these manipulative energies by reacting to the emotional input it receives from people. It's important to be aware of how our emotional energy affects technology and to maintain our spiritual sovereignty.

Hobbits - Part II

Living Fossils • 5 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Different countries are choosing very different ways to deal with hobbits. Denmark is focusing on protection and understanding, while the Dominican Republic is using military action.
  2. In Denmark, there's a law to protect the hobbits, but it has led to fear and tension among farmers. People are worried about their safety and farm animals.
  3. Japan has a plan to move humans off Shikoku island to make space for hobbits. This approach is aimed at reducing conflict, but it raises questions about trust between people and these creatures.

Fragments #2

aproposofnothing • 39 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
💾 History Philosophy
  1. Turning 30 can signify a new chapter of growth and purpose in life.
  2. In ancient Greece, music and study were important cultural practices before the age of 30.
  3. Plato's ideas on leadership, military training, and noble lies still hold relevance today.

Everything You Care About Is a Cliché

The Elbow • 39 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Your most profound experiences and deeply cherished beliefs can seem boring to others.
  2. Clichés continue to circulate because they resonate with people year after year.
  3. Adding specificity and details to clichés makes them more real and compelling.

Marx & Money

Black Lodges • 39 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🚌 Education Philosophy
  1. Money buys you freedom in the world we live in.
  2. Collective lifetimes can be spent debating Marxist concepts around money.
  3. The newsletter has changed to one free post a week and two for paid subscribers.

Transhumanists vs. Mysterians on The Posthuman Condition

Extropic Thoughts • 39 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🔬 Science Philosophy
  1. The piece discusses the contrast between Transhumanists and Mysterians in their views on the Posthuman Condition.
  2. It highlights the error in labeling Extropians as 'posthumans' when they actually describe themselves as transhumanists.
  3. The essay stresses the importance of considering cultural and psychological consequences of changing human nature when discussing transhumanist ideas.

The Mystic and the Poet

Carefree Sketches • 39 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
📚 Literature Philosophy
  1. The mystic and the poet both relate to language in unique ways, with the mystic going deeper into questioning conventional language while the poet focuses on capturing fleeting moments.
  2. The mystic wants a total overhaul of language usage to communicate reality accurately, whereas the poet prefers creating sensory impressions with language.
  3. Prose can act as a mediator between the poet and the mystic, balancing between capturing moments and expressing eternal truths.

Silicon Valley Stoicism

Caleb’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Stoicism is popular in tech, but it's important not to exaggerate its prevalence
  2. Stoicism is embraced in Silicon Valley because it helps people in building companies
  3. Silicon Valley Stoicism can be seen as superficial, but overall has positive effects

Fragments, Chapter 11, pp.217-222 - Reading Club posting 39

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 39 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Philosophy
  1. To truly awaken and progress, one must undergo a process of 'dying' to be 'born' again, shedding attachments and realizing one's own nothingness.
  2. The concept of Kundalini in 'awakening' refers to the power of imagination and fantasy that keeps individuals in a hypnotic state, hindering true realization of their existence.
  3. Successful awakening and growth require a combination of efforts, including receiving shocks, having alarm clocks (metaphorical for mechanisms to keep one awake), and working with a group under the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher.

May Day

The False Consensus Effect • 39 implied HN points • 01 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Philosophy
  1. The author reflects on personal struggles, like health issues and temptations to drink, while creating art on cardboard.
  2. The text criticizes the disparity in wages between different professions and suggests that teachers and healthcare workers should be paid more.
  3. The author contemplates escaping to a place where they can be supported financially for their art, questioning the pursuit of money and the American way of life.

What I've Been Reading | May 2023

Caleb’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
📚 Literature Philosophy
  1. Poetry is not just a cerebral art form, but also embodied and auditory, with power as a spellbinding tool.
  2. Consider mental disorders as evolutionary vulnerabilities, not adaptations, challenges assumptions about treating symptoms as diseases.
  3. CS Lewis' book 'Till We Have Faces' offers a Christian re-reading of the myth Psyche and Eros and contains intellectual discussions alongside a joyous reading experience.

Of Maharajas and (Modern) Men (Ch. 9)

Ink-uilab • 39 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. The post discusses the historical significance of the Second Round Table Conferences in the 1930s for India's struggle for freedom.
  2. Emery Kelen's satirical caricatures captured the essence of the Indian Round Table Conferences during that era.
  3. Sir Mohd. Iqbal's perspectives on the 'Modern Man' presented at the conference are highlighted through poetry.

Explaining Behavior 7: Phenomenology

Bullfish Hole • 39 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy
  1. Phenomenology explains behavior by focusing on the subjective experience of the actor.
  2. Understanding the reasons behind people's actions often involves examining perceptions, emotions, beliefs, and goals.
  3. Interesting theories challenge or contradict audiences' assumed beliefs rather than simply confirming what they already know.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

DecafQuest's Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🚌 Education Philosophy
  1. The author made $75,000 in 3 years teaching philosophy online.
  2. Teaching philosophy to different audiences requires adapting the material and approach.
  3. A new workshop on Philosophy for Professionals focuses on critical inquiry, Stoic principles, and moral reasoning.