Publicações

Catch up - lots of cognitive republic posts

Here’s a catch-up service for many prior Cognitive Republic posts, starting with the first, below. There are also book reviews here for members only.… Here’s a catch-up service for many prior Cognitive Republic posts, starting with the first, below. There are also book reviews here for members only.…

09/06/2026 09/06/2026

cognitive warfare: rehearsing for the wrong tomorrow (part 1)

(note: this is the first in an in-depth multipart series, with many more pieces to follow; c. 2212 words) War has always been fought over land, sea, air, cities, ports,… (note: this is the first in an in-depth multipart series, with many more pieces to follow; c. 2212 words) War has always been fought over land, sea, air, cities, ports,…

03/06/2026 03/06/2026

brighton, belfast, and the afterlife of violence - two books on the…

I’m reviewing two books this week on the related theme of Northern Ireland: Rory Carroll’s Killing Thatcher, published by Mudlark in 2023, and Patrick Radden Keefe’s Say… I’m reviewing two books this week on the related theme of Northern Ireland: Rory Carroll’s Killing Thatcher, published by Mudlark in 2023, and Patrick Radden Keefe’s Say…

29/04/2026 29/04/2026

‘Cognitive Ecologies’: understanding mutual misunderstanding between…

no polity can afford brittle cognition How do we make sense of politics? Contemporary politics is often analysed by political scientists as a contest of interests,… no polity can afford brittle cognition How do we make sense of politics? Contemporary politics is often analysed by political scientists as a contest of interests,…

27/04/2026 27/04/2026

Cognitive Republic Catch Up

This is just a brief note to say thank you to all the recent subscribers to this Cognitive Republic newsletter (click for details). Here are recent pieces - a mixture of… This is just a brief note to say thank you to all the recent subscribers to this Cognitive Republic newsletter (click for details). Here are recent pieces - a mixture of…

05/03/2026 05/03/2026

MAGA is an ‘identity-centred’ political form - take it seriously

MAGA is usefully analysed less as a coherent ideology and more as an identity-centred political form. We should take MAGA very seriously indeed. You might wonder why. It… MAGA is usefully analysed less as a coherent ideology and more as an identity-centred political form. We should take MAGA very seriously indeed. You might wonder why. It…

25/02/2026 25/02/2026

Trump at Davos: How Democracies Lose - and Recover - Their Minds

Why the Alliance Can’t Run on Courage—and What Cognitive Repair Looks Like Part One – the Cognitive Republic response to the past week What a week. I joked to a friend… Why the Alliance Can’t Run on Courage—and What Cognitive Repair Looks Like Part One – the Cognitive Republic response to the past week What a week. I joked to a friend…

26/01/2026 26/01/2026

What if our societies were (deliberately) built to learn? (part one)

(21 Jan 2026; 1851 words) My thinking about the Cognitive Republic - that to survive and prosper, liberal democracies must reinvent themselves as learning systems, ones… (21 Jan 2026; 1851 words) My thinking about the Cognitive Republic - that to survive and prosper, liberal democracies must reinvent themselves as learning systems, ones…

21/01/2026 21/01/2026 2 reações

Podcast 1: Announcing the Cognitive Republic

Hi everyone, here’s my first cognitive republic podcast. This is a reading of the first piece I published back on 12 Nov 2025. I’ll gradually catch up on all the… Hi everyone, here’s my first cognitive republic podcast. This is a reading of the first piece I published back on 12 Nov 2025. I’ll gradually catch up on all the…

17/01/2026 17/01/2026 1 reação Contém áudio

Abundance (Klein & Thompson) reviewed: a conventional success; but…

Abundance: How We Build a Better Future by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson (Profile Books, 2025; paperback). Read, December 2025. Headline reaction: a deeply disappointing… Abundance: How We Build a Better Future by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson (Profile Books, 2025; paperback). Read, December 2025. Headline reaction: a deeply disappointing…

14/01/2026 14/01/2026

Democratic operating systems are glitching everywhere: Let's (not)…

Our default politics says: let’s patch and repair our operating systems, muddle onwards, share things, hope that something turns up. It’s not enough... Our default politics says: let’s patch and repair our operating systems, muddle onwards, share things, hope that something turns up. It’s not enough...

07/01/2026 07/01/2026

Two books, one theme: the modern state versus the lone operator

For Cognitive Republic members — a paired review of a classic thriller and a monumental political biography. I promised myself I’d sometimes pair a famous novel with a… For Cognitive Republic members — a paired review of a classic thriller and a monumental political biography. I promised myself I’d sometimes pair a famous novel with a…

23/12/2025 23/12/2025

Last-minute gifting help: a Cognitive Republic membership ⏰

Hello Cognitive Republic subscriber The holidays are here, and if you’re scrambling for a thoughtful gift, I’ve got the perfect solution. Give the gift of a Cognitive… Hello Cognitive Republic subscriber The holidays are here, and if you’re scrambling for a thoughtful gift, I’ve got the perfect solution. Give the gift of a Cognitive…

22/12/2025 22/12/2025

Cognitive Republic - 2026

Here’s a quick reminder regarding the last few posts: The Cognitive Republic is: a book-length project written online, in public, building to a full length text:… Here’s a quick reminder regarding the last few posts: The Cognitive Republic is: a book-length project written online, in public, building to a full length text:…

18/12/2025 18/12/2025

The conventional response to our democratic malaise (interlude):-…

(3183 words, 8 Dec 25)  Last time, I discussed the malaise afflicting our democracies, including the general survey evidence indicating there is grave and great… (3183 words, 8 Dec 25)  Last time, I discussed the malaise afflicting our democracies, including the general survey evidence indicating there is grave and great…

10/12/2025 10/12/2025

Coming next week in the Cognitive Republic

A brief reminder: the next section of the Cognitive Republic will drop next week - I will keeping up an approximately fortnightly publishing schedule. I had intended… A brief reminder: the next section of the Cognitive Republic will drop next week - I will keeping up an approximately fortnightly publishing schedule. I had intended…

03/12/2025 03/12/2025

The Unfinished Contract —Our Democracies Must Learn or Die (Part One)

Welcome to this experiment: a book written section by section in public. Last time, I described what this endeavour is about: a book-length project written online, in… Welcome to this experiment: a book written section by section in public. Last time, I described what this endeavour is about: a book-length project written online, in…

26/11/2025 26/11/2025 3 reações

Become a subscriber – it’s free

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12/11/2025 12/11/2025

the tech industry’s flawed model of your brain: a case study in how…

Two news stories today hit a consistent theme of mine: the tech industry has a serious problem - profound, deep, worrisome. BL, UF: they have precisely no idea how… Two news stories today hit a consistent theme of mine: the tech industry has a serious problem - profound, deep, worrisome. BL, UF: they have precisely no idea how…

17/10/2025 17/10/2025 1 reação

the self as a governance unit

some reflections on how identity, cognition, and agency converge in the architecture of democracies (some reflections on democracies and selves, with a reading list at… some reflections on how identity, cognition, and agency converge in the architecture of democracies (some reflections on democracies and selves, with a reading list at…

26/09/2025 26/09/2025

learning styles: a seductive but utterly useless idea

Fuggetaboutit, they don't exist ‘Learning styles’ is simple in theory, possibly even flattering to the learner, and utterly ridiculous in practice (when you think about… Fuggetaboutit, they don't exist ‘Learning styles’ is simple in theory, possibly even flattering to the learner, and utterly ridiculous in practice (when you think about…

25/09/2025 25/09/2025