This source critiques the interpretation of The Hunger Games as a narrative of moral decline. Instead, it argues the series portrays the manipulation of morality by the Capitol, transforming ethical instincts into tools of control and entertainment. The author suggests morality is not disappearing but being redefined through propaganda and fear, creating a distorted societal norm. Katniss Everdeen is presented not as a restorer of morality but as a rebel disrupting this constructed ethical narrative. Ultimately, the piece concludes that the horror of Panem lies not in the absence of morality but in its perversion and weaponisation.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/21/hungering-for-morality-when-right-and-wrong-are-just-a-matter-of-pr/

This text critiques the frequent justification of negative societal issues, such as inequality and war, as being inherent to "human nature". The author argues that this explanation is a convenient myth used by those in power to normalise their dominance and discourage resistance. Instead, the piece posits that the desire for cooperation and peaceful existence is more fundamental, while the drive to dominate is a harmful tendency exploited by certain individuals and systems. The author suggests that this "power-lust" should be treated as a problem to be dismantled, rather than an unchangeable aspect of humanity. By framing negative behaviours as simply "human nature", the ruling classes maintain their control and discourage the majority's natural inclination towards cooperation. Ultimately, the text calls for a rejection of this deterministic view and encourages the creation of new narratives that recognise the potential for a more equitable and peaceful society.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/19/the-tyranny-of-human-nature/

This source examines deduction, induction, and abduction, the fundamental methods of human reasoning, highlighting both their strengths and inherent weaknesses. It argues that in the modern information landscape, these flawed tools are exacerbated by social media and echo chambers, leading to overconfidence in incorrect conclusions. The author uses analogies to illustrate the limitations of each reasoning type and suggests that a crucial aspect of sound reasoning is recognising these limitations with both confidence and humility. Ultimately, the text posits that reason is not a guarantee of truth but rather a fallible wager we must continue to make.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/19/the-dubious-art-of-reasoning-why-thinking-is-harder-than-it-looks/

Bry Willis presents a critical view of the legal system, likening it to a "Casino of Justice" where civil liberties are gambled and the system inherently favours its own outcomes. It argues that forensic science is often presented as definitive despite lacking scientific rigour, citing examples like the polygraph and fingerprint analysis. The author suggests that these methods are used for control and to extract confessions rather than to ascertain truth. Furthermore, the text contends that the system prioritises efficiency and resolution over genuine justice, with plea deals being common due to this inherent bias. Ultimately, the source portrays the pursuit of justice as a theatrical performance where flawed science and procedural decorum obscure the reality of a biased system.

This philosophical piece from "Philosophics" explores Yanis Varoufakis's perspective on contemporary society, contrasting it with Guy Debord's concept of the Spectacle. The author suggests that Debord identified our alienation through pervasive imagery but offered no solution. Varoufakis, however, argues we have moved beyond the Spectacle into "Technofeudalism," where digital platforms exert control through rent and surveillance, effectively resolving Zeno's paradox of endless critique by asserting the system has already fundamentally changed. The article posits that naming this new reality is crucial for developing strategies to overcome it.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/17/varoufakis-solves-zenos-paradox/

This text critiques the prevalent notion of eroded public trust in science post-COVID-19. It argues that the issue lies not with science itself but with the public discourse surrounding it, particularly how authorities presented and sometimes misrepresented scientific information. The author contends that the pandemic revealed a "crisis of theatre" where "The Science" was weaponised and oversimplified, leading to a breakdown of trust in messengers, media, and motivations. Instead of declining trust in the scientific method, the piece suggests a redistribution of epistemic authority and calls for a more honest and nuanced engagement with scientific uncertainty, moving away from "scientism" towards a more mature public sphere.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/16/whats-missing-trust-or-influence/

The provided text offers a critical examination of Yanis Varoufakis's proposed "workplace democracy" as a means of escaping what he terms "technofeudalism". While acknowledging the sharp analysis of the preceding chapters of Varoufakis's book, the author finds the utopian vision presented in Chapter Seven, particularly the idea of Democratised Companies with employee shares and collective decision-making, to be uncompelling and impractical. The critique focuses on potential inefficiencies in hiring and strategy, the challenges of democratically determining pay and bonuses through digital tokens, and the unrealistic assumption of rational and cooperative employee voters. Ultimately, the author concludes that applying democracy to every facet of a business would lead to bureaucratic inefficiency and a dilution of excellence, deeming the proposal a flawed "cosplay of collectivism" rather than a viable escape plan.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/15/technofeudalism-its-a-wrap/

Bry Willis argues Yanis Varoufakis position that the West, particularly America, has transitioned into a state of "technofeudalism" and is losing ground to China's technologically advanced authoritarian system. The author contends that America's post-WWII economic strategies, including the dollar's dominance, ultimately paved the way for China's rise in "cloud capital" and surveillance technology. Western attempts to counter this, like banning Chinese tech, are portrayed as panicked and ineffective. The piece concludes that both the West and the Global South face a future where they are subservient to either American or Chinese technological dominance, while Europe is already a vassal state.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/12/clouds-crowns-and-clowns/

Bry presents a reader's reflections on Yanis Varoufakis's Technofeudalism, noting its argument that modern economies have shifted from capitalism's profit-driven model to one dominated by platform-based rents, which exert significant power. This observation leads into a second source proposing a radical overhaul of taxation by differentiating between profit, earned through productive activities, and rent, considered unearned income derived from controlling scarce assets like land, data, and intellectual property. The author argues that this distinction is crucial under "technofeudalism," where rent extraction is pervasive, and suggests methods for identifying and then heavily taxing rents through measures like adjusted corporate reporting and sector-specific levies. The ultimate aim is to redirect economic activity towards value creation rather than "parasitic extraction," highlighting the political challenges and the necessity of such changes for the survival of markets and democracy.https://philosophics.blog/2025/04/12/technofeudalism/

The provided text is a first-person account that debunks the notion of a literal death experienced during a near-death event in March 2023, which was only a rumour. The author humorously criticises the misuse of the phrase "I died" to describe close calls, contrasting popularised near-death experiences with the mundane reality of physical trauma and hospital care. The piece asserts that true death is final and that reported visions are likely biological phenomena rather than glimpses of an afterlife. Ultimately, the author, an atheist, presents a grounded and anticlimactic view of mortality, rejecting spiritual interpretations in favour of a finite existence.