“To see like a dog in a work of art is to have moral perceptions about human beings”
“To see like a dog in a work of art is to have moral perceptions about human beings”
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Curated essays on ideas, philosophy, literature, and the arts.
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30 of 277"AIs like talking about sweetness, loudness, quiet, age and beauty. There is a lot of insisting," says Malin Hay, "as well as a lot of promising"
"AIs like talking about sweetness, loudness, quiet, age and beauty. There is a lot of insisting," says Malin Hay, "as well as a lot of promising"
There are two types of anti-woke intellectuals. The first type criticizes ideas; the second is consumed by them
There are two types of anti-woke intellectuals. The first type criticizes ideas; the second is consumed by them
Psilocybin is doing what decades of philosophy couldn't: turning committed materialists into reluctant mystics
Psilocybin is doing what decades of philosophy couldn't: turning committed materialists into reluctant mystics
Harold Bloom, flatterer. John Ashbery was “THE POET ABSOLUTE,” yet A.R. Ammons’s work was “larger and better” — and then there was Henri Cole
Harold Bloom, flatterer. John Ashbery was “THE POET ABSOLUTE,” yet A.R. Ammons’s work was “larger and better” — and then there was Henri Cole
Denis Johnson's life was a mess. His prose, somehow, was immaculate. How to explain the distance between life and art?
Denis Johnson's life was a mess. His prose, somehow, was immaculate. How to explain the distance between life and art?
The humanities spent decades decentering the human. Now Big Tech is doing it better
The humanities spent decades decentering the human. Now Big Tech is doing it better
Imagine a metastasizing heap of incalculable, forgotten junk. That’s what we’re all storing away in “The Cloud”
Imagine a metastasizing heap of incalculable, forgotten junk. That’s what we’re all storing away in “The Cloud”
To anyone in love with the precious, fleeting things of this world, resistance to disappearance seems only natural and proper. And yet
To anyone in love with the precious, fleeting things of this world, resistance to disappearance seems only natural and proper. And yet
The publishing midlist isn't shrinking. It's growing faster than the pool of available readers
The publishing midlist isn't shrinking. It's growing faster than the pool of available readers
Every generation of professors has complained that their students cannot read. Now there’s data to back it up
Every generation of professors has complained that their students cannot read. Now there’s data to back it up
The dons of Oxbridge have traded the BBC for podcasts. Is this decline or progress?
The dons of Oxbridge have traded the BBC for podcasts. Is this decline or progress?
Not simply trivia, not simply a hobby — for the believer, quiz verges on a way of life
Not simply trivia, not simply a hobby — for the believer, quiz verges on a way of life
The grand tour’s most enduring truth: Even the most miraculous work of art is born not just into history, but also out of it
The grand tour’s most enduring truth: Even the most miraculous work of art is born not just into history, but also out of it
Harold Bloom read everything, praised lavishly, and struggled mightily with self-doubt
Harold Bloom read everything, praised lavishly, and struggled mightily with self-doubt
Alasdair MacIntyre believed that Western morality, having lost its rationale, had been replaced by something thinner: mere moral passion
Alasdair MacIntyre believed that Western morality, having lost its rationale, had been replaced by something thinner: mere moral passion
You’ve heard of effective altruism, but what about “effective accelerationism”? Adherents believe that the solution to our cultural ills lies in technology
You’ve heard of effective altruism, but what about “effective accelerationism”? Adherents believe that the solution to our cultural ills lies in technology
Sensitivity readers promise authenticity but deliver essentialism. Who really benefits when identity polices the imagination?
Sensitivity readers promise authenticity but deliver essentialism. Who really benefits when identity polices the imagination?
Trivial pursuits. How do you know if a game — whether elegant, complex, or embarrassingly simple — truly matters?
Trivial pursuits. How do you know if a game — whether elegant, complex, or embarrassingly simple — truly matters?
"Information commons" sounds democratic. But it suggests that knowledge is something you retrieve, not carry
"Information commons" sounds democratic. But it suggests that knowledge is something you retrieve, not carry
"The age when you can run a literary magazine on trust is over. You can either decide AI submissions are fine, or you can filter for them"
"The age when you can run a literary magazine on trust is over. You can either decide AI submissions are fine, or you can filter for them"
He appeared to be a pauper, but John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, was quite successful, owning 1,200 acres across three states
He appeared to be a pauper, but John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, was quite successful, owning 1,200 acres across three states
For Sergiu Klainerman, mathematics and physics aren't neighboring disciplines. They're two fields destined to converge
For Sergiu Klainerman, mathematics and physics aren't neighboring disciplines. They're two fields destined to converge
She called Judith Butler evil and Susan Sontag boring. Camille Paglia is 79 and unrepentant
She called Judith Butler evil and Susan Sontag boring. Camille Paglia is 79 and unrepentant
Leslie Fiedler, the wild man of American letters, argued that our literature was less realism than repression
Leslie Fiedler, the wild man of American letters, argued that our literature was less realism than repression
On BookTok, the reader’s response to a book isn’t evidence in service of a judgment; it is itself the judgment
On BookTok, the reader’s response to a book isn’t evidence in service of a judgment; it is itself the judgment
Houston is a city of unexpected adjacencies, and so it was the natural home of the genre-defying Donald Barthelme
Houston is a city of unexpected adjacencies, and so it was the natural home of the genre-defying Donald Barthelme
Em dashes, bad metaphors, and not-X-but-Y sentence constructions. Did a literary prize go to an entirely AI-written short story?
Em dashes, bad metaphors, and not-X-but-Y sentence constructions. Did a literary prize go to an entirely AI-written short story?
Is criticism a moral good? In 1968, the question was unavoidable. Now we've forgotten to ask.
Is criticism a moral good? In 1968, the question was unavoidable. Now we've forgotten to ask.
Gramsci, Marcuse, Adorno: How recondite mid-century thinkers became villains in America's culture wars
Gramsci, Marcuse, Adorno: How recondite mid-century thinkers became villains in America's culture wars