Why Philosophy? Round-up #1
Recent Substack posts from immortality to parenthood
Hi Why Philosophizers!
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This week, in an effort to promote the creative intellectualism of the wider philosophy blogging community, we’ll be providing you with a round-up of recent noteworthy Substack posts from philosophy-centered writers. Though they range from 3-minute reads to posts requiring at least seven hearty scrolls to complete, these are all equally worth diving into and we suggest you check out their respective bloggers’ pages for even more intriguing and varying content.
1. Who wants to live forever? - Kieran Setiya (6-min read)
In this first post, Kieran Setiya questions the idea that death gives life meaning, refuting arguments that immortality would make us bored or aimless. Are we really unable to care, act, and find purpose without a deadline or sense of urgency? Are the arguments against immortality avoiding the realities of our humanity?
2. A Pox on the Culture War - Richard Y. Chappell (3-min read)
Next up, previous Why Philosophy? contributor Richard Y. Chappell argues for a middle-ground view on social justice, rejecting both anti-woke denial of real injustices and the excesses of woke culture. Chappell suggests the culture war debates distract from more pressing global issues like poverty and animal suffering, and criticizes the epistemological faults often found in progressive circles. Chappell calls for a return to open, critical dialogue that allows for growth and a more rational, traditionally liberal approach to doing good.
3. Epictetus on Family Affection - Massimo Pigliucci (5-min listen)
Offering a switch in sensory consumption in this list, Massimo Pigliucci reflects on a brief exchange between Epictetus and a distraught father, using it to explore Stoic ideas about duty, emotion, and the right action. The story offers food for thought on how philosophy can help us think through our roles and responsibilities. Specifically, we’re asked to consider the difference between what feels natural and what might actually be right.
4. Professional Philosophy in the Age of Neoreaction - Robin James (18-min read)
In the densest post of the round-up, Robin James explores how the structure of U.S. academic philosophy—especially the alliances between continental, feminist, queer, and non-white traditions—has helped isolate reactionary movements like the Dark Enlightenment. James argues that theory isn't politically neutral: its ethical value depends on the groups it aligns us with and what material conditions it supports.
5. Seneca’s Advice About Reclaiming Our Past - Gregory B. Sadler (12-min read)
Exploring a different aspect of Stoicism, Gregory Sadler develops a deeper reading of Seneca’s famous line about time (The present is brief, the future doubtful, the past certain), arguing that the past—far from being useless or best forgotten—can be a source of lasting fulfillment, meaning, and reflection. Sadler ponders how our relationship to memory depends on the lives we’ve lived and whether we've made peace with our past actions. We should seek to live the present in ways that will give future us a past worth cherishing.
6. Pictures of Parenthood Very Different From Our Own - Brad Skow (4-min read)
Last, yet far from least, Brad Skow reflects on contrasting views of parenthood, focusing on David Archard’s argument that the right to raise children comes from the child’s and society’s goals and desires, not the parent’s. He contrasts this with Elizabeth Anscombe’s disfavor toward the modern question of “why have children?” which she believes reflects a troubling shift from what was once a given component of life. Skow finds Archard’s analogy flawed and Anscombe’s critique intriguing but incomplete, raising questions about how we justify and value parenthood today.
We hope you’ll enjoy learning from each of these posts and digging into each of their Substacks. Make sure to keep watch for more Why Philosophy? content on the way soon!