Joe Carlsmith
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Spirit

At some point, I'm hoping to write more about what I mean by "spirituality" (section IV and onwards of "Problems of evil" is one gesture; also section VII and onwards of "Contact with reality"). In the meantime: the essays below tend to cover topics especially close to my heart.

12.23.2022
On sincerity

Nearby is the country they call life.

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04.19.2021
Problems of evil

Is everything holy? Can reality, in itself, be worthy of reverence?

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04.04.2021
The innocent gene

Richard Dawkins imagines genes as selfish agents. I find it evocative (and in some cases, tragic) to stay within his gene-centered framing, but to remember that the genes are passive patterns, that don’t want to survive, that know not what they do — even as they structure the violence and beauty swirling around them.

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02.14.2021
Contact with reality

If God were playing a concert, would you take some hit to your overall pleasure in order to go? Against experience machines.

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01.24.2021
On clinging

How can “non-attachment” be compatible with care? We need to distinguish between caring and clinging.

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12.06.2020
Thoughts on being mortal

You can’t keep any of it. The only thing to do is to give it away on purpose.

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@ Joe Carlsmith, 2023
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