Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i New Philosopher

“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” Seneca Whether it’s using, seeking, circumventing, benefiting from, being subjected to, or railing against it, it’s impossible to deny the influence of power on our lives. We are born powerless, into a structure that demands that we rely on the benevolence of those around us – our parents, our family, our society, our government – and submit to the systems of power in place when and where we’re born. However, how much power we have, or can potentially have, is more often than not simply a matter of luck. Gender, race, language, preferences – you name it, there are myriad factors out of our control that will determine who holds power, and who does not. Whether you’re powerful…

Americans with incomes of $70,000 per annum shoplift 30% more than those earning up to $20,000 per annum. In 2018, Forbes identified Xi Jinping, the current leader of China, as the world’s most powerful living person. In America, 71% of parents deliberately control the amount of time that their children spend browsing the internet. In feudal-era Japan, the Samurai had the Kirisute-gomen: the right to strike and kill anyone of a lower class who disrespected their honour. ‘Ego depletion’ is the theory that self-control is limited by a finite amount of mental energy. When this is exhausted our ability to resist temptation or control impulses is diminished. Non-violent resistance is twice as likely to lead to achieving gains in political power, compared to coercive tactics. In 2018, the top 5…

In his new book The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab, the British author and researcher Carl Miller describes the mindset of a hacker taking control of a digital device. First comes exhaustive attentiveness: learning how something works, its limitations, its imperfections. Then comes the quest for a method that can turn these imperfections into vulnerability. Finally, the vulnerability is exploited. It’s a model of the scientific method in action – and of power grasped via empirical research. “Through a mixture of knowledge, skill, perseverance,” writes Miller, “you’ve owned the device!” This idea of ‘owning’ something or someone, in the sense of conquest or domination, is central to hacking. To hack is to subvert a system, substituting your intentions for those of the designers. Hackers have the…

1649  Driven from London by revolution in 1642 and defeated in two successive civil wars (1642-1646 and 1648), King Charles I was put on trial by the radical leaders of the New Model Army and their supporters in a purged ‘Rump’ Parliament. He was beheaded in a public execution in Whitehall in 1649 after being condemned as a traitor to the English people. 1762  Peter III served as Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. Originally born in Kiel, Germany, he could barely speak Russian. Following a revolt among his Guards, Peter III was arrested and forced to abdicate on 28 June. It has been suggested that the coup was orchestrated by his wife, who was to succeed him as Catherine II (Catherine the Great). 1868  The Glorious Revolution…

Why do adults get to tell me what to do, but I can’t do it to them? Isn’t it frustrating when someone else tells you what to do? Most of us like to make decisions for ourselves – we want to be free. When someone tells us what to do, they’re basically taking over our decision-making. This makes it a bit hard to figure out why children’s freedom is often seen as less important than that of adults. But there are a couple of things that might explain why lots of adults think it’s OK to tell you what to do, even if you can’t do the same to them. The first reason is because even though freedom is important, it’s not the only thing that matters. Other people’s health…

The Suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst 1858-1928 Women’s militant struggle How mild, by comparison with the despatches in the daily newspapers, will seem this chronicle of women’s militant struggle against political and social injustice in one small corner of Europe. Yet let it stand as it was written, with peace – so-called, and civilisation, and orderly government as the background for heroism such as the world has seldom witnessed. The militancy of men, through all the centuries, has drenched the world with blood, and for these deeds of horror and destruction men have been rewarded with monuments, with great songs and epics. The militancy of women has harmed no human life save the lives of those who fought the battle of righteousness. Time alone will reveal what reward will be allotted…

A note on entomology: A type of ant has been discovered that engages in suicide bombing. This ant, the Colobopsis explodens of Borneo, wriggles so hard when threatened that its body breaks, releasing a toxic slime that repels predators. The ant, of course, dies. The colony survives. Soldiers on a bus into which a grenade is thrown will tell you the same thing. Any of them would fall on the grenade to save the others. In utilitarian terms, this makes perfect sense. The greater good for the greatest number is achieved when ants explode and buses don’t. John Stuart Mill would be proud. The suicide-bombing ants, like stinging bees and soldiers, engage in autothysis: self-sacrifice. Individuals matter less than the group’s well-being. Humans have often been encouraged to live like…

Let the kids out If you go to the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, London, you will find that it has been transformed into a gigantic playground. newphilosopher.com/articles/let-the-kids-out/ Just a game? In the 18th and 19th centuries, moralists fretted that novels would leave readers sexually inflamed, disconnected from reality, and prone to vice. newphilosopher.com/articles/just-a-game/ New Philosopher online store Visit the online store for previous issues of New Philosopher magazine, subscriptions, and other gift ideas. newphilosopher.com/products-page/magazines/ The promise of play The mistake we make, maintains the author and game designer Ian Bogost is in thinking that play involves a turning away from ‘real life’. newphilosopher.com/articles/the-promise-of-play/ New Philosopher Writing Prize Entries are open for the New Philosopher Prize for Philosophical Writing. Enter now to win $1,000 and have your work featured in…

“There is nothing which power cannot believe of itself, when it is praised as equal to the gods.” 756 The Donation of Pepin provided a legal basis for the erection of the Papal States, which bestowed political and secular authority to the Popes beyond the duchy of Rome. Pepin the Short (the Frankish King and father of Charlemagne) granted this to Pope Stephen II. 1150 The Knights Templar effectively set up the first private credit banking system. A pilgrim or crusader could deposit money or valuables within a Templar stronghold and receive an official credit letter describing what they had. The letter would then be used to receive the written sum in any stronghold of the Templars. 1397 Founded by Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici in Florence, the Medici bank…

Thrasymachus sprang at the panic-stricken Socrates “like a wild beast”, looking as if he was about to tear the hapless philosopher to pieces. Thus Plato introduces us to the ‘villain’ of his classic dialogue on morality and the ideal society, The Republic. Where Socrates is a philosopher who spreads wisdom for its own good, Thrasymachus is a sophist who charges for his insights. Where Socrates is humble and knows he knows nothing, Thrasymachus is arrogant and argues to win rather than to learn. Where Socrates is an idealist who believes pursuing justice leads to an enlightened society, Thrasymachus is an immoralist who insists that justice is a giant con. However, like most good villains, I have come to believe Thrasymachus is really just misunderstood. The general gist of The Republic…

Machiavelli was a diplomat, public official, and theorist of political power who rose to prominence in the Italian city-state of Florence at the turn of the 16th century. After his death in 1527, his name became a byword for evil. He was depicted or mentioned in many literary works, perhaps most prominently in his incarnation as the sinister Machiavel, whose self-congratulatory speech introduces Christopher Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta (first performed in 1592). Here, Machiavel boasts of his own ruthlessness and amorality; he gloats that even those who hate him follow his advice in their respective quests for power. During Machiavelli’s lifetime, the Italian peninsula was divided into small, mutually distrustful, frequently warring states, the most powerful being Florence, Milan, Naples, Venice, and the Papal States (since the popes of…

power/ˈpaʊə/ 1. The ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way; 2. The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events; 3. Political or social authority or control, especially that exercised by a government; 4. Authority that is given or delegated to a person or body; 5. The military strength of a state; 6. A state or country, especially one viewed in terms of its international influence and military strength; 7. A person or organisation that is strong or influential within a particular context; 8. A supernatural being, deity, or force; 9. Denoting something associated with people who hold authority and influence, especially in the context of business or politics; 10. Used in the names of movements aiming…

It seems to me that it is those without power who complain about political and social structures; whereas those who have power have few complaints. And so it is at my workplace: the powerless complain, while those with power rule. But the power seems to be taken, not given – no matter their formal place in the hierarchy, it’s the bullies who run the show. I’ve noticed that those who get more recognition and better results are the ones who adopt an attitude closer to that of a bully. I really enjoy my work and get on with my colleagues, but it seems that the workplace demands that I either tread on or be trodden on. Going to management won’t win me many friends, and is likely to adversely affect…

Nigel Warburton: Power is a major theme in some philosophers’ work, and it seems to be a major theme in politics too: it’s something that people are very much concerned with, either gaining or keeping hold of. But it’s not always clear exactly what it is. You’ve given a very clear analysis of three types of power in your work. But I wonder if you could just begin by very generally sketching what those are, and then perhaps we could flesh out with some examples, each one of those three. Steven Lukes: Yes, you call them three ‘types’, but actually I use the metaphor of dimensions. So, I think of these as three dimensions of power, the point being that if you look at power one-dimensionally, you only…

Recently I’ve been delivering the news to loved ones that my husband and I are expecting our first baby. This has been an overwhelmingly joyful experience. But at the same time, I’m struck by the dissonance between the unequivocally delighted reactions of family and friends, and the truth of the matter – that the decision we’ve made to reproduce is of questionable moral status, and should be subjected to the same (or greater) scrutiny as other, less momentous life decisions, such as purchasing an SUV. In a controversial 2017 paper, Wynes and Nicholas showed that the most effective “lifestyle choice” an individual can make to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions is to have one fewer child. I can try to teach my child to respect other life – even bring…

Is there any point to protesting? “Digital-age movements tend to be organisationally toothless, good at barking at power but bad at forcing ultimatums or chewing through complex negotiations. When the Gezi Park occupation intensified and the Turkish government expressed an interest in talking, it was unclear who, in the assembly of millions, could represent the protesters, and so the government selected its own negotiating partners. The protest diffused into disordered discussion groups, at which point riot police swarmed through to clear the park.” newyorker.com/magazine/2017/08/21/is-there-any-point-to-protesting Devil’s dictionary REVOLUTION, n. In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment. It’s official: power creates a narcissist “Although the corrupting nature of power has been noted for centuries, the way it changes how people see themselves in relation to others remained an enigma.…

In the ancient Greek poem Works and Days, Zeus orders the gods to create Pandora as an evil for humankind. They make her as enticing as a goddess but they also give her treacherous ways. When she comes across a tightly-sealed jar that conceals all the calamities of the world, she cannot control her curiosity. Pandora forces the lid open; out pours all the misery, spreading anguish and sorrow. Though she slams it shut, it is too late. Only a small grain of hope is left caught under the lip. The legend of Pandora conveys the dire consequences visited upon humankind when mortals investigate that which they have no right to know. It warns of the allure of secrecy, and of the calamities that will befall those who approach and…

Keith Dowding Keith Dowding is Professor of Political Science at ANU, with a special interest in power, freedom, and politics. Formerly Professor of Political Science at London School of Economics, Dowding received a degree in Philosophy and Politics from Keele University and a DPhil from Oxford University. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia and edited the Journal of Theoretical Politics from 1996 to 2014. Since 2014 he has been Associate editor of Research and Politics. Oliver Burkeman Oliver Burkeman is a writer based in New York. The winner of the Foreign Press Association’s Young Journalist of the Year, Burkeman was also shortlisted for the Orwell Prize in 2006. His books include HELP! How to Become Slightly Happier and Get a Bit More Done and The…

There are certain secrets for getting ahead in life that only work because they remain secret: as with magic tricks, they cease to be effective once everyone knows how they’re done. So I probably shouldn’t be using the pages of this magazine to spread the word about “strategic incompetence”, one of the sneakiest methods for getting your own way at work or at home. Nevertheless, here goes: if there are tedious and effortful tasks you’d prefer to avoid… simply pretend you can’t do them. Aggravated that it’s your turn to organise an after-work event for you and your office colleagues? Screw it up – while giving every appearance of doing your best, obviously – and it’ll never be your turn again. The same applies to dishwasher-stacking, garden-raking, photocopier-paper-jam-resolving – even…

Early this century there was an outcry about the extent of CCTV surveillance in the UK. Britain had long been bristling with cameras, but the news that Londoners in particular were reportedly being caught on camera up to 300 times a day was particularly startling. Later, however, it turned out the estimates were vastly inflated: in fact, you would ‘only’ appear on CCTV about 70 times a day. In a way, though, the precise number didn’t matter. What mattered was the very idea that nobody could be sure at any time they weren’t being watched, at least in public. Then came Edward Snowden’s revelations of industrialised electronic spying, and suddenly worrying about the odd security camera seemed a bit quaint. To a certain extent this new world of total surveillance…

“From this we learn that a wise prince sees to it that never, in order to attack someone, does he become the ally of a prince more powerful than himself, except when necessity forces him, as I said above. If you win, you are the powerful king’s prisoner, and wise princes avoid as much as they can being in other men’s power.” Niccolò Machiavelli The Ancient Greek slave and Stoic philosopher Epictetus believed that you could control your feelings. He filed feelings under “things that are up to us”, in contrast to something like reputation, which he categorised as out of our control. If your feelings are causing you suffering, the Stoics believed that you could heal yourself by getting a handle on them. Through a series of lifelong…

Zan Boag: Have you arrived at your own definition of power? Keith Dowding: No, I don’t really have one, actually, and I’m not sure that that’s the right way to go about science. I mean, it seems to me that scientists don’t define energy and then go and search for it. What they do is examine certain phenomena and then they look at their characteristics and they say that’s what energy is.They define it after analysis, not before. I think it’s fine to say look, this is my definition of power and this is how I’m going to look at power for this particular analysis – I’m not making the claim that it’s the notion of power which should be defined in all places and all times. I…

I used to think that knowledge was power, that it could be wielded like a weapon, or built up like a wall, then used to justify the limits and boundaries of any given group. If you possessed certain knowledge you were ‘in’ and if not you were ‘out’ – an elitist U and non-U, but for the brain rather than societal manners. The effect, in any case, is the same, which is to consolidate a hierarchy of dominance. And you feel it the more keenly when you are on the receiving end of the power kick that is knowledge: when knowledge is used against you, to keep you in your box or deny you access to realms you might want access to, to belittle you, shame you, talk over you…

Essential Works of Foucault Michel Foucault The question of power To put it very simply, psychiatric internment, the mental normalisation of individuals, and penal institutions have no doubt a fairly limited importance if one is only looking for their economic significance. On the other hand, they are undoubtedly essential to the general functioning of the wheels of power. So long as the posing of the question of power was kept subordinate to the economic instance and the system of interests this served, there was a tendency to regard these problems as of small importance. Power: A Radical View Steven Lukes Exercise of power A may exercise power over B by getting him to do what he does not want to do, but he may also exercise power over him by…

Bright Thinking Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Australia Monthly throughout 2018 Launched in 2017, this monthly philosophy discussion series is held on the second Thursday of each month beneath the vaulted gables of an 1840s warehouse at the Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart, Australia. Bright Thinking is participatory rather than dictatorial and a topic is chosen ahead of time to allow attendees to prepare. Previous speakers include Tasmanian Australian of the Year and speech pathologist Rosie Martin, infectious diseases specialist Dr Samuel Mahoney, and conservation ecologist James Hattam. Hosted by New Philosopher’s editor Zan Boag and Womankind magazine’s editor Antonia Case, in partnership with Island magazine, the Salamanca Arts Centre, and poet store. www.meetup.com/Bright-Thinking / HowTheLightGetsIn London, UK 22-23 September 2018 To celebrate its 10th year, HowTheLightGetsIn festival will take…

What is your demon? It is Morton’s Demon. The constant battle against feeling settled in what I know. What is the most important part of your education? The bit that fires curiosity. I had a wonderful Year 10 English teacher who introduced me to Gerard Manley Hopkins. For the first time I had a sense of the power and brilliance of words placed in the right order. It opened a world of delight that has never dimmed. What do you doubt most? That institutions still function for the benefit of the citizenry. If you could change one thing about the world, what would that be? It would be nice if small children stopped dying in agony because of conflicts and policies beyond their awareness, let alone their control. What is…