Alexander Douglas
@axdouglas.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of St Andrews
https://axdouglas.com/
https://axdouglas.substack.com/
Latest book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/456203/against-identity-by-douglas-alexander/9780241648216
Photo by Lauren Douglas
https://axdouglas.com/
https://axdouglas.substack.com/
Latest book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/456203/against-identity-by-douglas-alexander/9780241648216
Photo by Lauren Douglas
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
somebody is doing a public service here github.com/zoicware/Rem...
GitHub - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI: Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11
Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11 - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI
github.com
December 27, 2025 at 5:08 AM
somebody is doing a public service here github.com/zoicware/Rem...
I decided to finally cave and follow my university’s directive to teach students how to use AI ethically. But when I tried it, I found out that AI doesn’t even let you use it ethically:
December 26, 2025 at 12:07 PM
I decided to finally cave and follow my university’s directive to teach students how to use AI ethically. But when I tried it, I found out that AI doesn’t even let you use it ethically:
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
December 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Merry Christmas! 🎄🎄
∀x God bless x
∀x God bless x
December 25, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Merry Christmas! 🎄🎄
∀x God bless x
∀x God bless x
If nothing else, could we at least call a system that trawls through and emulates everything we post online "Artificial Unintelligence"? Surely unintelligence is what it is studying and simulating.
December 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
If nothing else, could we at least call a system that trawls through and emulates everything we post online "Artificial Unintelligence"? Surely unintelligence is what it is studying and simulating.
Erasing the actual ironworkers is also very symbolic of how people think about this technology, which will allegedly "take all the jobs", even though it can't weld girders or indeed build anything.
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
December 12, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Erasing the actual ironworkers is also very symbolic of how people think about this technology, which will allegedly "take all the jobs", even though it can't weld girders or indeed build anything.
I appeared on Osi Atikpoh's podcast, A Song Called Life, to discuss my book:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
open.spotify.com/episode/6Kuu...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
open.spotify.com/episode/6Kuu...
podcasts.apple.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:04 AM
I appeared on Osi Atikpoh's podcast, A Song Called Life, to discuss my book:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
open.spotify.com/episode/6Kuu...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
open.spotify.com/episode/6Kuu...
Note taking more effective than AI for learning
But AI can enrich student learning experience.
www.cambridge.org
December 8, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
Here is the short and pretty version of a paper I published at the beginning of the year in which I argue that sleeping is valuable aesthetically, interpersonally and intrinsically. Happy to say that a short book on this topic is forthcoming with Princeton U press. #philsky #philosophy #sleeping
In a culture that prizes efficiency, sleep is often seen as a waste of time, or something to ‘hack’. But, as @saraprotasi.bsky.social argues, sleep is more than just a tool for higher productivity; it is intrinsically valuable and has its own aesthetic pleasures to be enjoyed
Sleep is not just a physical need but a delicious pleasure | Aeon Essays
The idea that we should reduce sleep to an efficient minimum in our lives gets something fundamentally wrong
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Here is the short and pretty version of a paper I published at the beginning of the year in which I argue that sleeping is valuable aesthetically, interpersonally and intrinsically. Happy to say that a short book on this topic is forthcoming with Princeton U press. #philsky #philosophy #sleeping
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
St Andrews Philosopher Alex Douglas @axdouglas.bsky.social was featured in this discussion on René Girard on BBC Radio 4.
You can listen here:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
You can listen here:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Beyond Belief - René Girard: The Catholic thinker influencing Silicon Valley - BBC Sounds
Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:50 AM
St Andrews Philosopher Alex Douglas @axdouglas.bsky.social was featured in this discussion on René Girard on BBC Radio 4.
You can listen here:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
You can listen here:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I had the honour of speaking with the wonderful Cynthia Haven and Michael Kirwan SJ about the work of René Girard on the BBC:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Beyond Belief - René Girard: The Catholic thinker influencing Silicon Valley - BBC Sounds
Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I had the honour of speaking with the wonderful Cynthia Haven and Michael Kirwan SJ about the work of René Girard on the BBC:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
"I find that [in] the mainstream philosophy... everything is regulated, controlled, and monitored until the life is squeezed out of it. We’ve lost the ability to cope with anything inhomogeneous or unexpected." | By @axdouglas.bsky.social www.contralytic.co.uk/conversation... #PhilosophySky #philsky
Conversation with Contralytic: Against Identity – Interview with Alexander Douglas
Conversations with Contralytic is a digital series of conversations between the editorial of Contralytic Journal and international academic philosophers on the present, past and future of philosophy. ...
www.contralytic.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 9:34 PM
"I find that [in] the mainstream philosophy... everything is regulated, controlled, and monitored until the life is squeezed out of it. We’ve lost the ability to cope with anything inhomogeneous or unexpected." | By @axdouglas.bsky.social www.contralytic.co.uk/conversation... #PhilosophySky #philsky
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
as awful as this is, these examples kinda make me feel giddy and validated, given how i normally feel about our current peer review practices. my personal experience unfortunately has never been consistent with academics' general regard of peer review as a net benefit despite its flaws.
Springer-Nature statement
“Whilst the details of peer review are confidential, we can confirm that the article underwent two rounds of review from two independent peer reviewers, supporting an accept decision.”
How am I now expected to believe that two people looked at the paper twice and DGAF?
“Whilst the details of peer review are confidential, we can confirm that the article underwent two rounds of review from two independent peer reviewers, supporting an accept decision.”
How am I now expected to believe that two people looked at the paper twice and DGAF?
Riding the Autism Bicycle to Retraction Town
Does anyone *really* know their Factor Fexcectorn?
nobreakthroughs.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:14 PM
as awful as this is, these examples kinda make me feel giddy and validated, given how i normally feel about our current peer review practices. my personal experience unfortunately has never been consistent with academics' general regard of peer review as a net benefit despite its flaws.
To thank me for my module on Zhuangzi, my students presented me with various useless objects: a pen that leaks, a watch that has stopped, a jar too small to contain anything, a useless tree (from chapters 1 and 4). I am moved beyond words, which is appropriate.
November 27, 2025 at 3:38 PM
To thank me for my module on Zhuangzi, my students presented me with various useless objects: a pen that leaks, a watch that has stopped, a jar too small to contain anything, a useless tree (from chapters 1 and 4). I am moved beyond words, which is appropriate.
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
I love coming across unusual architectural features, like this apparently circular room linking between two late Victorian buildings at the junction of Clarkston and Merrylee Roads in the Cathcart area of Glasgow.
Cont./
#glasgow #architecture #architecturephotography #cathcart
Cont./
#glasgow #architecture #architecturephotography #cathcart
November 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
I love coming across unusual architectural features, like this apparently circular room linking between two late Victorian buildings at the junction of Clarkston and Merrylee Roads in the Cathcart area of Glasgow.
Cont./
#glasgow #architecture #architecturephotography #cathcart
Cont./
#glasgow #architecture #architecturephotography #cathcart
Beautiful, driech Amsterdam!
November 23, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Beautiful, driech Amsterdam!
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
I’m really looking forward to doing two events at this festival:
one on my book, Against Identity
one on a panel with @philipgoff.bsky.social and Fleur Jongepier to discuss the “charms and dangers” of AI
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl#D1
one on my book, Against Identity
one on a panel with @philipgoff.bsky.social and Fleur Jongepier to discuss the “charms and dangers” of AI
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl#D1
November 1, 2025 at 12:08 PM
I’m really looking forward to doing two events at this festival:
one on my book, Against Identity
one on a panel with @philipgoff.bsky.social and Fleur Jongepier to discuss the “charms and dangers” of AI
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl#D1
one on my book, Against Identity
one on a panel with @philipgoff.bsky.social and Fleur Jongepier to discuss the “charms and dangers” of AI
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl#D1
I posted this _before_ the big fight started on Substack
Whenever I think of the "Analytic-Continental" divide in philosophy, I remember this Economist headline from decades ago.
November 23, 2025 at 8:19 AM
I posted this _before_ the big fight started on Substack
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
I have contributed to the debate!!
Academic Philosophers and “Writing Clearly”
open.substack.com/pub/axdougla...
Academic Philosophers and “Writing Clearly”
open.substack.com/pub/axdougla...
Academic Philosophers and “Writing Clearly”
Cold, limp, lifeless prose is not clear
open.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:31 AM
I have contributed to the debate!!
Academic Philosophers and “Writing Clearly”
open.substack.com/pub/axdougla...
Academic Philosophers and “Writing Clearly”
open.substack.com/pub/axdougla...
Reposted by Alexander Douglas
I'm speaking at the G10 festival in Amsterdam 21-23 November. You can join online. Zizek will also be speaking. Should be interesting! (link in first comment)
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl
Festival G10 van de economie 2025
Welcome to G10 festival of great ideas on philosophy, science, and art. A unique opportunity to delve into the minds of the world’s leading thinkers. Make the invisible visible by drawing special conn...
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl
November 13, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I'm speaking at the G10 festival in Amsterdam 21-23 November. You can join online. Zizek will also be speaking. Should be interesting! (link in first comment)
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl
www.g10vandeeconomie.nl