Our words' relationship to reality is far more complicated than we realize. Thus, when we say things we think we state facts but we also endorse certain uses of words. That has consequences, which causes public discourse to become a war zone where we fight for control over our common pool of mental and social equipment. Read more (13 min, 3300 words).
Tag: erisology
Leaving 2017 For 2018
I discuss what happened on the blog in 2017 and what I'm aiming for in the future. Read more (8 min, 2100 words)
The Signal and the Corrective
The truth often lies somewhere between two opposing views. But even among people whose opinions are moderate and balanced, it matters a great deal which of the two sides come first and which is simply a moderation of the other. Read more (15 min, 3800 words)
The Nerd as the Norm
What sort of people would be considered weird if nerdiness was the norm? Read more (14 min, 3400 words)
Guest Post: Editing for All
An article I received from the future, making a passionate argument about gene editing and inequality. Read more (5 min, 1200 words)
The Big List of Existing Things
We feel there should be a clear answer to the question of whether some thing exists or not. I argue that often there isn't, because follwing our self-contradictory intuitions leads us to weird places. Instead we should interpret talk about what exists as talk about how we best represent the world. Read more (12 min, 3100 words)
Dangers at Dilettante Point
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing" it's said. Here I try to explain how and why. Read more (5 min, 1100 words)
Erisology of Self and Will, Part 2: Representative Campbell Speaks
Part 2 of a series adapted from my 2009 Bachelor's Thesis in philosophy. Describes the traditional view of the self, using the philosopher C.A. Campbell as a representative. Read more (11 min, 2800 words)
Erisology of Self and Will, Part 1: Introduction
An adaptation of my 2009 Bachelor's Thesis in philosophy about how scientific statements about the self and the will are interpreted differently inside and outside science, with dangerous consequences. Part 1 of 7. Read more (4 min, 900 words)
Introducing r/erisology
I've decided to put my collection of erisology links on a dedicated subreddit and everyone's invited. Read more (1 min, 200 words)










