Optimally Irrational
@lionelpage.skystack.xyz
Deciphering why people and society work the way they do
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This is an automated Substack Account of https://lionelpage.substack.com
Discover more/Create at: @skystack.xyz
A defence of morality as respect for a social contract • The absence of absolute moral truths does not mean that "anything is permitted"
A defence of morality as respect for a social contract
The absence of absolute moral truths does not mean that "anything is permitted"
www.optimallyirrational.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:56 PM
A defence of morality as respect for a social contract • The absence of absolute moral truths does not mean that "anything is permitted"
Morality works without absolute moral truths • Replacing theories of the Good and the Right with a theory of the Seemly
Morality works without absolute moral truths
Replacing theories of the Good and the Right with a theory of the Seemly
www.optimallyirrational.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Morality works without absolute moral truths • Replacing theories of the Good and the Right with a theory of the Seemly
No, religion isn't required for morality • Our moral sense precedes religious doctrines
No, religion isn't required for morality
Our moral sense precedes religious doctrines
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
No, religion isn't required for morality • Our moral sense precedes religious doctrines
Morality without skyhooks • Shedding light on what morality is and how it works
Morality without skyhooks
Shedding light on what morality is and how it works
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Morality without skyhooks • Shedding light on what morality is and how it works
Does the arc of history bend towards democracy? • Why the world became more democratic, and whether it will continue
Does the arc of history bend towards democracy?
Why the world became more democratic, and whether it will continue
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Does the arc of history bend towards democracy? • Why the world became more democratic, and whether it will continue
What are we really doing on social media? • The motives and strategies that shape our online presence
What are we really doing on social media?
The motives and strategies that shape our online presence
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
What are we really doing on social media? • The motives and strategies that shape our online presence
Artificial General Intelligence will likely require a general goal, but which one? • AGI, LLMs and the challenge of alignment
Artificial General Intelligence will likely require a general goal, but which one?
AGI, LLMs and the challenge of alignment
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Artificial General Intelligence will likely require a general goal, but which one? • AGI, LLMs and the challenge of alignment
Power balance and ideology • Why the cultural hegemony of the left erodes its epistemic standing
Power balance and ideology
Why the cultural hegemony of the left erodes its epistemic standing
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Power balance and ideology • Why the cultural hegemony of the left erodes its epistemic standing
The truth about sport • Why we really care about it
The truth about sport
Why we really care about it
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
The truth about sport • Why we really care about it
Friendship politics • Everything you have always wanted to know about friendship
Friendship politics
Everything you have always wanted to know about friendship
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Friendship politics • Everything you have always wanted to know about friendship
Why science is politically disruptive • With a few examples
Why science is politically disruptive
With a few examples
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Why science is politically disruptive • With a few examples
Epstein files: how arguments really make people change political side • The not totally ineffective nature of political arguments
Epstein files: how arguments really make people change political side
The not totally ineffective nature of political arguments
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Epstein files: how arguments really make people change political side • The not totally ineffective nature of political arguments
What are the chances you’re right about everything? • The somewhat (but not entirely) arbitrary nature of political ideological bundles
What are the chances you’re right about everything?
The somewhat (but not entirely) arbitrary nature of political ideological bundles
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
What are the chances you’re right about everything? • The somewhat (but not entirely) arbitrary nature of political ideological bundles
Why has the right become more popular among low-income voters? • Explaining the growing defection of the working class from the left
Why has the right become more popular among low-income voters?
Explaining the growing defection of the working class from the left
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Why has the right become more popular among low-income voters? • Explaining the growing defection of the working class from the left
Why has the left gentrified? • How shifting social realities and ideological crises reshaped the left
Why has the left gentrified?
How shifting social realities and ideological crises reshaped the left
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Why has the left gentrified? • How shifting social realities and ideological crises reshaped the left
The gentrification of the left • And the popularisation of the right in Western countries
The gentrification of the left
And the popularisation of the right in Western countries
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:14 PM
The gentrification of the left • And the popularisation of the right in Western countries
Why and how political ideas matter • Political ideologies both reflect the world and help shape it
Why and how political ideas matter
Political ideologies both reflect the world and help shape it
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Why and how political ideas matter • Political ideologies both reflect the world and help shape it
Dystopia is closer than you think • We take our usual way of life too much for granted
Dystopia is closer than you think
We take our usual way of life too much for granted
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Dystopia is closer than you think • We take our usual way of life too much for granted
Why Mearsheimer is wrong • A criticism of Mershmeier "great power politics": The misjudgement of too little realism
Why Mearsheimer is wrong
A criticism of Mershmeier "great power politics": The misjudgement of too little realism
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Why Mearsheimer is wrong • A criticism of Mershmeier "great power politics": The misjudgement of too little realism
The entropy of victory • Why empires crumble, why revolutions eat their own children, and why there will always be conflicts in office politics
The entropy of victory
Why empires crumble, why revolutions eat their own children, and why there will always be conflicts in office politics
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The entropy of victory • Why empires crumble, why revolutions eat their own children, and why there will always be conflicts in office politics
Why we so often fail to work together • The unescapable reality of intracoalitional entropy
Why we so often fail to work together
The unescapable reality of intracoalitional entropy
www.optimallyirrational.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Why we so often fail to work together • The unescapable reality of intracoalitional entropy