Power Over Rules
The idea that fair rules are binding in themselves is largely an illusion. The powerful can be compelled to honor agreements only by someone more powerful still—and no one, in…
The Great Redistribution
When BlackRock CEO Larry Fink declared that more wealth has been created since the 1980s than in the entirety of previous human history, he was not merely exaggerating. He was…
From experience to experiment
A few days ago I wrote about a decisive turning point in human history: the transition from experience to experiment. Experimentation allows us to see more clearly and produces more…
Against the Cult of Mental Decline
We are told almost daily that artificial intelligence is rotting our brains. We are warned that it distorts our view of the world — amplifying some things, suppressing others, and…
On the Loss of “Authenticity”
One of the recurring themes in the philosophical critique of Western society is the claim that modern people are losing their authenticity. We are said to be cut off from…
Genius and Nonsense
One of the most common rhetorical moves of our age is to point out how many top scientists supposedly believe in various forms of spiritual mysticism, cosmic consciousness, or fashionable…