Punishment Art; Algorithms and Propaganda; Ask The Philosopher
An event with Renée DiResta; an essay by Benjamin George Coles; a chit-chat with our editors
Dear all,
We are about to send the manuscript of our new print issue to the typesetters. It will be out by the middle of next month, all being well. The topic is “Marx and Philosophy”, and it is edited by our very own Andrés Saenz de Sicilia. Featuring seven essays and conversations on Marx, along with a selection of other writings and reviews, I am really excited to publish this one. And we will be hosting a launch event at the Marx Memorial Library in London on Thursday 29th May, so please add that to your diary if you are in or near London. More information on all this shortly.
Your Sunday Read
“Towards an Art of Punishment” by Benjamin George Coles
In this essay, Benjamin George Coles argues that artistic means should often be incorporated into punishments – and indeed that we would benefit generally from thinking of punishment in more aesthetic terms. He first identifies the various objectives that we standardly have with punishment and argues for the primacy of an educational one. He then describes a series of real-life educational punishments and closes with a discussion of why the notion of punishment art is such a strange one. You can read his essay here.
Monday Event: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK/8pm CET
“On Algorithms and Propaganda”
Renée DiResta in conversation with Audrey Borowski
Renée DiResta’s new book Invisible Rulers: The People who Turn Lies into Reality explores the machinery and the dynamics of the interplay between influencers, algorithms, and online crowds. Anyone who wishes to destroy legitimate political and social power now has a new weapon, at the confluence of the rumour mill and traditional propaganda. It shapes public opinion, often in a violently toxic manner, undermining the legitimacy of institutions that make society, and wields an unprecedented degree of influence on the destinies of millions of people. While propagandists position themselves as trustworthy Davids, their reach, influence, and economics make them classic Goliaths—invisible rulers who create bespoke realities to revolutionize politics, culture, and society. Their work is driven by a simple maxim: if you make it trend, you make it true. This conversation will probe the radical shift of power currently taking place as invisible rulers create bespoke realities revolutionizing politics, culture, and society. You can find out more and register here.
Ask The Philosopher
Registration is now open for this month’s “Ask The Philosopher” session, which will take place on Tuesday at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm UK/7pm CET for 90 minutes via Zoom.
This month, SOAS philosopher (and one of our managing editors) Paul Giladi will join regular panelist Michael Bavidge for a lively and fun philosophical chat. You can register here.
Ending
The Philosopher is unfunded and relies on your support to keep doing the work we do. Through becoming a supporter via Patreon, you can get all our print/digital issues sent to you, enjoy priority access and discounted rates for our groups/classes, join philosophical discussions with our editorial team, and more. The income we generate via Patreon helps us to keep our events series free and to pay our contributors. You can find out more and become a member here.
Wishing you all a lovely Sunday, wherever you are.
Anthony Morgan
Managing Editor