The hottest Theory Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Philosophy Topics

Neuroscience is pre-paradigmatic. Consciousness is why

The Intrinsic Perspective • 28015 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🔬 Science Neuroscience Consciousness Research Brain Theory
  1. Neuroscience is considered pre-paradigmatic due to the lack of a well-accepted theory of consciousness.
  2. Consciousness is viewed as the primary function of the brain, influencing all cognitive functions and behaviors.
  3. Anomalies in neuroscience, especially the mystery of consciousness, indicate a ripe field for a paradigm shift.

James Burnham’s managerialism eighty years later

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 555 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🚌 Education Theory History Politics Economics Ideology
  1. James Burnham proposed the concept of 'managerialism' as a replacement for capitalism, where managers rule while capitalists take a passive role.
  2. Burnham's predictions were proven wrong, but his analysis of the shift towards managerialism and the role of state in the economy remains relevant for reflection.
  3. Despite Burnham's inaccuracies, his ideas on managerial revolution and the potential for alternative economic systems in the future can still offer valuable insights.

The Conversational Nature of Reality

The Joyous Struggle • 592 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Reality Identity Dialogue Theory
  1. The Antidebate project aimed to create a space for more meaningful public conversations, bridging the gap between debate and dialogue in addressing modern challenges.
  2. The concept of 'the conversational nature of reality' by David Whyte emphasizes the importance of the interaction between self and the world in shaping our existence and relationships.
  3. The evolution of the Antidebate project showcases the struggle of translating theory into practice, highlighting the complexities and uncertainties of introducing new social practices.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

A Note: What Is "Management" Anyway?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 92 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Consulting Theory Bureaucracy Market
  1. Management is different from hierarchical command-and-control, bureaucratic obedience, and market haggling. It's about reconciling various interests for the smooth operation of the system.
  2. Peter F. Drucker viewed the manager as a trustee of civilization and envisioned a role that balanced freedom, efficiency, equity, and order.
  3. Management is seen as a profession that aligns the interests of all stakeholders while ensuring the free development of individuals within society.

BEWARE of Occam's Razor

Insight Axis • 731 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Macroeconomics Theory Objects
  1. Occam's razor is a tool for finding the best explanations, not a one-size-fits-all solution. It should only be used in specific situations where competing explanations are equally valid.
  2. Good explanations are deep, broad, and hard to vary - not necessarily simple. Choosing simplicity over accuracy can lead to wrong conclusions, like favoring Newton's theory over Einstein's theory of relativity.
  3. Occam's razor can transfer complexity from explanations to objects, but doesn't always eliminate complexity. It's important to apply it correctly by selecting the explanation that avoids unnecessary complexity.

In cosmology, all our errors lean the same way. The implications are... interesting

The Egg And The Rock • 1650 implied HN points • 09 May 23
🔬 Science Cosmology Astronomy Evolution Theory Research
  1. In cosmology, our errors consistently lead us to underestimate the size and complexity of the universe.
  2. A major flaw in our approach may stem from an unexamined assumption underlying our theories.
  3. Shifting from a universe-as-rock paradigm to a universe-as-egg paradigm may help us better understand the universe's complexity.

In Memory of Donald Black

Bullfish Hole • 58 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🚌 Education Sociology Theory Mentorship
  1. Donald Black made significant contributions to sociology with his theory on law and social control, providing a new perspective on understanding social reality.
  2. Donald Black was passionate about developing new ideas in sociology and was dedicated to ensuring the science of social life was explored thoroughly.
  3. Donald Black's work serves as a reminder of the true essence of sociology, focusing on explaining social conflicts rather than taking sides in moral debates.

Controversy On Whether Growth Mindset Works Should Strengthen The Theory

The Future of Education • 157 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🚌 Education Research Theory
  1. Education research needs to move beyond just identifying 'best practices' and look for nuanced insights that work for specific individuals.
  2. Researchers should focus on deductive research to identify anomalies that can lead to a better understanding of interventions.
  3. Acknowledging anomalies in research can help in providing actionable insights that actually benefit educators and students.

Law of Large Numbers and the Gamblers Fallacy[Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 179 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🚌 Education Math Probability Theory Computer Science Technology
  1. The Law of Large Numbers states that as the number of trials increase, the average of results will get closer to the expected value.
  2. This law is crucial in scientific fields, allowing predictions on chaotic events, leading to industries like gambling and insurance.
  3. Misunderstanding the Law of Large Numbers can lead to the Gambler's Fallacy, as it deals with the convergence of infinitely many experiments, not individual ones.

LK-99 red flags and other miscellany

Dan Elton's Newsletter • 98 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🔬 Science Materials Replication Theory Prediction Markets
  1. Potential red flags in scientific research include institutional names, graph quality, and suspicious videos or websites.
  2. Impurities like copper sulfide and uneven copper doping can lead to erroneous results in material studies.
  3. The LK-99 incident highlighted the importance of skepticism, replication, and the limitations of prediction markets and theoretical studies.

Iron Cage

Brain Lenses • 19 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Sociology Economics Capitalism Theory Bureaucracy
  1. Max Weber coined the term 'iron cage' to describe how modern humans are enclosed within capitalistic systems with strict structures.
  2. The structures of capitalism and bureaucracies have created an almost indestructible shell that governs social, relational, and resource management aspects of our lives.
  3. Many people operate within this 'iron cage' without realizing the system they are enclosed in.

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

2x2 games will change your life

Wyclif's Dust • 7 HN points • 24 Feb 24
🚌 Education Game Theory Mathematics Social Sciences Economics Theory
  1. Mathematics can change the way you think by showing how words correspond to underlying structures.
  2. 2x2 games, like the Prisoner's Dilemma, are simple models that offer powerful insights into cooperation, trade, and decision-making.
  3. Understanding game theory, particularly 2x2 games, can help in analyzing real-world scenarios such as economics, politics, and social interactions.

The golden oldies

Theory Matters • 7 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🚌 Education Theory Teaching Learning
  1. It's important to study the foundational thinkers of political theory like Plato, Hobbes, and Locke, even if we don't always agree with them, as their ideas continue to shape contemporary debates about justice and freedom.
  2. Shortcuts in learning and work can lead to a lack of foundational knowledge and reduced quality in outcomes, affecting areas from education to construction.
  3. Putting in the hard work to learn the fundamentals is essential, even in a society where speed and quantity are often prioritized over quality, to avoid producing individuals who lack true understanding and depth of knowledge.

Lines Of Development

Weekly Wisdom • 79 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🚌 Education Development Theory Learning
  1. Lines of development refer to the various capacities within individuals and groups, similar to the concept of multiple intelligences used in education.
  2. Different types of lines of development include cognitive, emotional intrapersonal, emotional interpersonal, somatic, moral, spiritual, and willpower, each representing a specific ability.
  3. There is a correlation between sensory capacities and lines of development, as seen in examples like absolute pitch in blind musicians, showing how individual strengths and weaknesses can lead to diverse human expressions.

Against the Labor Theory of Science

Never Met a Science • 11 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🔬 Science Social Science Theory Machine Learning
  1. New social scientific processes are being developed for more efficiency and improved knowledge production.
  2. Centralization of knowledge production can lead to significant gains in efficiency on both production and consumption sides.
  3. Machine learning algorithms can extract high-dimensional knowledge, reducing the need for human translation and potentially improving accuracy.

The Violent Rules Based Order

Black Lodges • 39 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Theory Capitalism Violence Power Propaganda
  1. The concept of bourgeois legality as a facade for ruling class violence is crucial to understanding power dynamics in the 21st century West.
  2. In the face of government crackdowns, it is essential to move beyond illusions of freedom and work towards a strategic response.
  3. Recognizing the true power structures and oppressive nature of the capitalist class is key to offering a meaningful future by acting accordingly.

Lost in Ideology review

Theory Matters • 3 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
📚 Literature Philosophy Ideology Critique Theory Scholarship
  1. Jason Blakely's book 'Lost in Ideology' offers a new and inventive approach to political and philosophical crises, suggesting that understanding differing maps of ideology can lead to better self-awareness and empathy.
  2. The book explores the idea that ideologies are culturally contingent and dives into various philosophical doctrines, pointing out strengths and weaknesses without rigidly advocating for a specific one.
  3. Blakely's work emphasizes precision and clarity in navigating intellectual traditions, avoiding oversimplification, and making valuable distinctions between different ideological schools and thinkers, making the text accessible for scholars and students alike.

Coase GPT

Knowledge Problem • 58 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🚌 Education Research Academic Interdisciplinary Analysis Theory
  1. Large language models like ChatGPT and Google Bard struggle with interpreting academic research questions accurately.
  2. Coase's analysis in 'The Problem of Social Cost' emphasizes the importance of well-defined property rights and bargaining in resolving externalities.
  3. Specific, focused queries help improve the accuracy of responses from large language models.

On the limits of utility theory

Sam’s Newsletter • 58 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🔬 Science Theory Decision-making Artificial Intelligence Creativity Conflicts
  1. Utility theory is a powerful tool in academic fields like decision theory and economics, explaining human behavior based on preferences and optimization.
  2. Utility theory, while universal in application, has limitations when it comes to conflicting preferences that require creativity to resolve.
  3. Applying utility theory to scenarios like AGIs, which involve conflicting desires and behaviors, may result in unrealistic models and outcomes.

Horseshoe This!

Black Lodges • 39 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology Theory Centrism Extremism Authoritarianism
  1. The Horseshoe Theory compares far-left and far-right political extremes, suggesting they are closer together than to the moderate center.
  2. The Radical Center rejects traditional left-right divides, focusing on pragmatic policymaking influenced by corporate interests and market-based solutions.
  3. The Horseshoe Theory oversimplifies complex political ideologies, fails to consider fundamental differences between left and right, and misrepresents political reality.

A Space Between Eras: 0

Bit Personality • 2 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🚌 Education Philosophy Theory Solutions Love Crisis
  1. There's a crisis in education - dropping test scores, teacher turnover, and school violence. Various solutions are proposed, highlighting the complexity of the issue.
  2. Galacto-Amorous Personism philosophy emphasizes the importance of love (_Amor_) in education. Lack of love in schools is seen as a root cause of the crisis.
  3. The presentation promises to delve into the theory of _Amor_, link it to learning and education woes, discuss its connection to the internet, and present solutions developed by the speaker and colleagues.

Best YouTube Channels to learn about Graph Theory for Software Engineering for free[Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 10 Oct 22
🚌 Education Math Coding Computer Science Theory Algorithms
  1. Focus on using a mix of channels to become an expert in Graph Theory for Software Engineering. Channels vary in their emphasis on math, coding, and computer science.
  2. Utilize the recommended channels like Wrath of Math, David Amos, Trev Tutor, and FreeCodeCamp to sharpen your understanding of Graph Theory.
  3. Engage with the content from different channels to build strong theoretical foundations and improve your performance in coding interviews.

What is Price Theory?

Economic Forces • 7 implied HN points • 05 Oct 23
🚌 Education Economics Models Theory Knowledge
  1. Price theory focuses on analyzing how real world agents arrive at agreeable prices through a process of exchange.
  2. Price theory emphasizes that competition is omnipresent and considers how firms strategically respond to rivals in a competitive context.
  3. Prices coordinate economic behavior across markets, carry important information, and contribute to resolving the coordination problem through mechanisms beyond price changes.

Understanding™, or the computational theory of mind

Silicon Reckoner • 19 implied HN points • 12 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Mind Understanding Intelligence Science Theory
  1. The computational theory of mind is based on a metaphor and tends to take symbolic logic too seriously.
  2. Trademarked concepts like intelligence™ may limit the full understanding of intelligence by excluding certain human emotions like wonder and anxiety.
  3. Understanding in mathematics involves knowing what to calculate and having the technical skill to make those calculations.

Giving Thanks for Price Theory, 2023 Edition

Economic Forces • 2 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🚌 Education Economics Theory Lessons Efficiency
  1. Costs involve more than just money, they include opportunity costs and trade-offs that consider various factors like time and value.
  2. Efficiency in economics refers to Pareto efficiency, where all gains from trade are exhausted, and serves as a tool for understanding real-world allocations.
  3. Profits and losses in market economies act as selection mechanisms, with losses signaling inefficiency and prompting resources to be reallocated effectively.

The Economics of McCormick

Economic Forces • 3 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
💼 Business Economics Regulation Crime Demand Theory
  1. Deregulation may not always lead to societal benefits due to factors like rent-seeking and public ignorance of economics.
  2. Increasing the number of referees in college basketball can reduce the rate of fouls, showcasing the impact of policing quality on behavior.
  3. The Alchian-Allen theorem demonstrates how travel costs can impact consumer behavior when it comes to goods of varying quality and transportation modes.

International Cartels

Economic Forces • 2 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
🌐 International Cartels Politics Economics Theory Defense
  1. International cartels face challenges in surviving due to incentives to cheat and antitrust laws
  2. One theory suggests that international cartels may be formed to offset wartime distortions and attract investment through higher prices
  3. Another theory proposes that international cartels could serve as a way for countries to prevent alignment with enemies by providing benefits through monopoly profits