Science & Technology

"The nineteenth century believed in science but the twentieth century does not." — Gertrude Stein

Sadism as Psychotherapy
Jon Stock’s recent book examines the deplorable career of prominent psychiatrist Willam Sargant and his brand of bio-therapeutics.
Andrew ScullMar 4
- Science & Technology
- History
Can the Internet Be Saved?
After troubleshooting Tim Berners-Lee’s memoir, it becomes clear that the internet’s flaws were there from the start.
Nicholas CarrFeb 28
- Science & Technology
- History
Making a Literary Future with Artificial Intelligence
Five writers and AI researchers discuss the future of literature.
Dashiel Carrera, Katy Gero, Christian Bök, Nick Montfort, Amy CatanzanoFeb 14
- Science & Technology
- Literary Criticism
Monsters of the Anthropocene
Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ reduces Mary Shelley’s novel to a one-dimensional warning about technological hubris.
Deborah R. CoenFeb 9
Medical Education and the Harm of ‘Goodly Heritage’
In the 12th essay of the Legacies of Eugenics series, three researchers describe how eugenic ideas linger in the institutions and practices of contemporary healthcare.
Daniel Martinez HoSang, Marco Antonio Ramos, Alana SlavinFeb 8
The End of Psychiatry (Kind Of)
Neurologist Pria Anand lauds Khameer Kidia’s new dissection of Western psychiatric imperialism.
Pria AnandFeb 3
- Science & Technology
- Cultural Studies
Ascetic Ghosts in the Machine
M. D. Usher on Paul Kingsnorth’s impassioned and flawed new manifesto against the pervasiveness of technology in modern life.
M. D. UsherJan 24
- Philosophy & Religion
- Science & Technology
Learn to Love Engineers
New books by Dan Wang and Hu Anyan depict ‘both the achievements and the costs of China’s technological rise,’ and why Americans should take note.
Afra WangJan 22
- Politics
- Science & Technology
Science on Ice
Neil Shubin’s stories of polar exploration tell us about the losses ahead.
Marissa GrunesJan 13
- Science & Technology
- Environment
The Mysterious Eugenics of Aesthetic Taste
In the 11th essay in the Legacies of Eugenics series, Michael Rossi shows how American scientists and artists used their discovery of racial ‘types’ to buttress eugenicist notions of aesthetic taste.
Michael RossiJan 11
The Globalization of US Healthcare
Eram Alam’s new book uncovers the ways that immigrant physicians have propped up the American medical system.
Kim AdamsJan 6
- Science & Technology
- History
Energy from Heaven, Not from Hell
Bill McKibben makes the case for combating the climate crisis by transitioning from fossil fuels to solar power.
Miyo McGinnJan 5
- Science & Technology
- Environment