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The transformation of self in Western and Japanese narratives
[Disclaimer: This post has spoilers for The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Dragonball Z and Hana-bi] A good friend of mine, Dan Gidion, runs a blog discussing localisation issues with games and anime when transported from Japan to the West. … Continue reading
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Tagged Christianity, Dragonball, Hana-Bi, Japan, narrative, Nietzsche, Nihilism, philosophy, storytelling
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Complexity and collapse: towards a systems view of society
This paper was presented on the 17th April 2013 at the Research Seminars in Critical Thought seminar series which took place at the University of Brighton. Some minor modifications were made to its form during its presentation, the content however … Continue reading
What the content-free conversation says about communication
For years I have had a number of friends with whom I have perfected the art of the content-free conversation. Such a conversation is primarily one had in quotes and pop-culture associations where the point is more to test the … Continue reading
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Tagged banter, communication, conversation, free conversation, gesture and speech, Luhmann, meaning, normativity, personal nature, semiotics, speech act, speech action
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Can biology really be reduced to chemistry?
I recently posted a question on Facebook with the aim of deducing what distinguishes biology from chemistry with regards to reductionism, more specifically whether biology is just an abstracted form of chemistry or whether biology has within it a kernel … Continue reading
The three variants of nihilism in Watchmen
In the graphic novel Watchmen, there are three characters who can essentially be classed as nihilists. These are The Comedian, Rorschach and Dr Manhattan. Each of them exhibits this attribute in different ways and each of them comes to this … Continue reading
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Tagged graphic novel, melancholy, Nihilism, philosophy, Watchmen
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The problem with communication – part one
Niklas Luhmann, the German social theorist whose work I will have the pleasure of becoming intimate with over the next few years, believed that communication was highly improbable despite our use of it daily. Communication is something we all assume … Continue reading
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Tagged communication, Niklas Luhmann, philosophy, political philosophy, social theory, society, SPT
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The fundamental lie is always to oneself
Despite the claims of many, it is clear that people are not rational. Whilst many can make rational decision some of the time, we mostly act on irrational thoughts or are compelled by subconscious urges. If Freud taught us anything … Continue reading
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