Aesthetic Theory

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Aesthetic Theory

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A wooden sailing ship faces rough seas, with waves and dolphins in the foreground; a Dash ghost ship appears mysteriously in the mist behind.
Books
The haunted history of the ghost ship Dash
In this excerpt from "America's Most Gothic," Leanna Hieber and Andrea Janes examine the history and folklore of Maine's vanished schooner.
Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes
Collage of ancient philosophers' portraits partially revealed through cutouts on a textured background with handwritten script, evoking the timeless influence of history.
Mini Philosophy
One of the most quoted lines in philosophy is completely misused and misunderstood
We don't learn from history because we can't learn from history.
Jonny Thomson
A woman sits in a Victorian-style room, reading a large book of classic books. She is surrounded by bookshelves, decorative objects, and a curtained window letting in natural light.
Books
7 literary classics you can read in a weekend
These short books offer insights and meditations on timeless themes, without the time commitment.
Kevin Dickinson
A digital collage with overlapping purple-tinted images, including a traditional building and a sculpture, explores panpsychism under the title "The Nightcrawler" on a black grid background.
Business
On consciousness, AI, and panpsychism
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Eric Markowitz
A man in historical clothing nails a document featuring a cartoon animal face—a nod to popular memes—to a wooden door, while two others watch.
Mini Philosophy
What makes a meme take off? The 3 rules of virality
One does not simply make a meme go viral.
Jonny Thomson
A painting of a praying woman with clasped hands and an upward gaze appears through the outline of a keyhole, set against a black background, evoking an air of mysticism.
Mini Philosophy
The public-private myth: Why religion can’t be kept behind closed doors
It makes no sense to talk about a “religious life” and a “public life” — there is just life.
Jonny Thomson
A man dressed in red crawls on all fours with a bit in his mouth, while a woman in a checkered dress rides on his back, indulging in a playful kink scenario.
Mini Philosophy
The Tree of Kink: What science teaches us about fetish clusters
How deep is your kink?
Jonny Thomson
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