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  (Dis)Obedience in Digital...

  Sven Quadflieg, Klaus Neuburg,...

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  Algorithms are not to be regarded as a technical structure but as a social phenomenon - they embed themselves, currently still very subtle, into our political and social system. Algorithms shape human behavior on various levels: they influence not only the aesthetic reception of the world but also the well-being and social interaction of their users. They act and intervene in a political and social context. As algorithms influence individual behavior in these social and political situations, their power should be the subject of critical discourse - or even lead to active disobedience and to the need for appropriate tools and methods which can be used to break the algorithmic power.

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  The Temples of Egypt - Sacred...

  Omar Khalil

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  Temples in ancient Egypt were far more than mere places of worship. They stood at the very heart of Egyptian civilization, functioning as both spiritual centers and instruments of political and social order. Each temple was seen as a dwelling place for a god or goddess, and the rituals performed within their walls were believed to maintain the cosmic balance known as ma’at. The presence of a temple in a city or region signaled divine favor and legitimacy, reinforcing the bond between the gods and the ruling pharaoh. 
  Pharaohs were considered divine intermediaries between the gods and the people, and their authority was deeply rooted in religious belief. Temples were a direct reflection of this divine connection. Often constructed by pharaohs to honor specific deities, temples helped assert royal power and ensure harmony across the land. Through grand architecture and lavish offerings, rulers demonstrated their piety and reaffirmed their right to govern. This link between kingship and temple worship made temples central to the ideological framework of the state. 
  Beyond their religious significance, temples also played a pivotal role in the social life of ancient Egyptians. They were the sites of numerous festivals and ceremonial events that brought entire communities together. These occasions were marked by processions, music, dancing, and the display of sacred statues, all of which reinforced communal identity and devotion. The most prominent of these was the Opet Festival in Thebes, during which statues of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu were transported from Karnak to Luxor Temple in a public procession along the Nile. Such festivals reminded people of the gods’ presence and the pharaoh’s divine role in upholding order.

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  Genius Makers: Book Summary &...

  Briefly Summaries

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  This is a concise summary and analysis of Genius Makers, by Cade Metz.
   
  It is not the original book and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cade Metz.
   
  Ideal those seeking a quick and insightful overview.
   
  Genius Makers delves into the competitive and high-stakes world of artificial intelligence, uncovering the stories of the brilliant minds and groundbreaking technologies behind the rise of AI. The book examines the battle between tech giants and researchers to create the most powerful AI systems, exploring the ethical dilemmas, power struggles, and transformative potential of this technology. It provides a compelling look at the revolution shaping our future and the people driving it.

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  The Libertarian Ideal - How...

  Arlo Holders

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  Libertarianism is a political philosophy that places individual liberty at its core, emphasizing the importance of personal freedom, limited government, and voluntary cooperation. Rooted in centuries of intellectual thought, libertarianism advocates for a society in which individuals are free to pursue their own goals and aspirations as long as they respect the rights of others. This emphasis on freedom and responsibility makes libertarianism distinct from other political ideologies, which often prioritize collective goals or centralized authority. 
  The roots of libertarian thought can be traced back to classical liberalism, a tradition that emerged during the Enlightenment. Philosophers such as John Locke, Adam Smith, and John Stuart Mill laid the foundation for the principles that underpin libertarianism today. Locke's theories of natural rights and property ownership, Smith's advocacy for free markets, and Mill's emphasis on individual autonomy and freedom of expression all contribute to the philosophical underpinnings of libertarianism. In the modern era, thinkers like Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, and Ayn Rand have further developed these ideas, providing a framework for how a free society can function effectively. 
  At its heart, libertarianism is built on the idea of self-ownership—the belief that individuals have an inherent right to control their own lives, bodies, and property. From this principle flows the concept of voluntary interaction, which holds that relationships and exchanges between people should occur through mutual consent rather than coercion. Libertarians reject the use of force, except in cases of self-defense or the defense of others, and they champion the principle of non-aggression as a moral guide.

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  The Essential Peirce Volume 1...

  Nathan Houser, Christian Kloesel

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  The first of two volumes of key texts from American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce, the father of pragmatism.“Often considered the greatest American philosopher, Peirce produced no comprehensive treatise; until now, students and scholars had to read through widely scattered papers to gain an overall view of his thought. This anthology remedies that situation by offering a full representation of his work, including several hard-to-obtain items. . . . Highly recommended for scholarly collections.” —Library JournalA convenient two-volume reader's edition makes accessible to students and scholars the most important philosophical papers of the brilliant American thinker Charles Sanders Peirce. Volume 1 presents twenty-five key texts, chronologically arranged, beginning with Peirce’s “On a New List of Categories” of 1867, a highly regarded alternative to Kantian philosophy, and ending with the first sustained and systematic presentation of his evolutionary metaphysics in the Monist Metaphysical Series of 1891–1893. The book features a clear introduction and informative headnotes to help readers grasp the nature and significance of Peirce’s thought system. Bringing together all the writings needed for the study of Peirce’s systematic philosophy and its development, Volume 1 is ideal for classroom use. Volume 2, covering the period from 1894 until Peirce’s death in 1914, will highlight the development of his system of signs and his mature pragmatism.“A first-rate edition, which supersedes all other portable Peirces. . . . All the Peirce most people will ever need.” —Louis Menand, The New York Review of Books“The Monist essays are included in the first volume of the compact and welcome Essential Peirce; they are by Peirce's standards quite accessible and splendid in their cosmic scope and assertiveness.” ―London Review of Books

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  Becoming a Cosmopolitan - What...

  Jason D Hill

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  The philosopher and author of Beyond Blood Identities offers a new paradigm of persona freedom and moral self-possession. As a Jamaican immigrant arriving in the United States at the age of twenty, Jason Hill noticed how often Americans identified themselves in terms of race and ethnicity. He observed, for example, the reluctance of West Indians to joins 'black causes' for fear of losing their identity. He began to ask himself what sort of world he wanted to live in, a quest that in time led him to the idea of the cosmopolitan.   In Becoming a Cosmopolitan, Jason D. Hill argues that we need a new understanding of the self. He revives the idea of the cosmopolitan, the person who identifies the world as home. Arguing for the right to forget where we came from, Hill proposes a new moral cosmopolitanism for the new millennium.

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