The Architecture of Thought: On Mind, Meaning, and Reality

Saiya Sahai Mittal

Explore the surprising and enduring influence of classical philosophy on the Scientific Revolution. This essay challenges the narrative that modern science simply discarded Aristotle. It traces his unique methodology, centered on empirical observation, from its roots in his debates with Plato to its crucial role in the work of Galileo, arguing that Aristotle’s process—not his conclusions—profoundly shaped the modern scientific method.

Brian Glucksman

Engage with the cutting edge of semiotic theory in this critical analysis of Saussure and Baudrillard’s ideas on signification. This essay uses the textual and thematic structures of H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction as an unlikely key to argue against the postmodern collapse of meaning, proposing a revised semiotic model that can withstand Baudrillard’s critique and restore meaning in an age of simulation.

Lang Ming

Bridge one of modern philosophy’s greatest divides by focusing on what its key figures do, rather than what they say. This essay examines passages from Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Derrida, and others not as rivals, but as participants in the 20th-century linguistic turn. It proposes a unified system for understanding their work based on how they use language as a practical tool, fostering a more inclusive approach to comparative philosophy.

Clarence Chen

Is consciousness merely a function of the brain? This paper delivers a sharp critique of reductive physicalist theories of the mind, arguing that their claims are incompatible with the irreducible, subjective nature of consciousness. It champions emergentism as a compelling physicalist alternative, positing consciousness as a higher-order phenomenon that transcends—and cannot be reduced to—its constituent physical parts.

Siddharth Swaminathan

What makes you the same person across all possible worlds? This essay tackles the metaphysical problem of transworld identity by challenging traditional theories. Using classic thought experiments from the philosophy of mind, it argues that the essence of an individual is not their origin, but their unique, subjective conscious experience. The paper proposes “mental essentialism” as a new framework that can more intuitively account for both human and non-biological consciousness, such as artificial intelligence.

Roy Wei

In an age of algorithms and social media, has power truly changed, or just become less visible? This study argues for the continued relevance of Michel Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power. It demonstrates how the classic frameworks of observation and normalization that he identified have not been replaced, but have instead converged with biopolitics and new technologies to create an even more potent and subtle system of societal control.