Set in a dystopian future, the story follows Cayce Varin, a Professor of AI-neuroscience who challenges the mainstream beliefs of the Federation of Pandemos. His controversial ideas lead to his arrest by a Robot Police Agent, marking the beginning of a life filled with fear and paranoia. As a covert Thought Deviationist, he grapples with the threat of betrayal from friends and the struggle to maintain his identity in a society that punishes dissent. The narrative explores themes of conformity, identity, and the consequences of intellectual rebellion.
Focusing on the movement founded by George Jacob Holyoake, this book presents a fresh perspective on secularization in the nineteenth century. It positions Holyoake's Secularism as a pivotal moment in modernity, challenging traditional views of the secularization thesis. The narrative also explores various secular trends of the era, including Carlyle's 'natural supernaturalism', Carlile's anti-theist science, Lyell's geological principles, Newman's naturalized religion, and Eliot's contributions to secular thought.
Exploring the origins of the contemporary "social justice" movement, Michael Rectenwald offers a candid memoir that intertwines personal experiences with a critique of postmodern theory. Through fast-paced narrative, he recounts his controversial Twitter presence and the backlash from NYU's administration and faculty. As he navigates his evolving political views, Rectenwald expresses his discontent with social justice developments and reflects on the challenges he faced from the academic left, providing a unique lens on the intersection of academia and politics.
Google Archipelago argues that Big Digital technologies and their principals represent not only economic powerhouses but also new forms of governmental power. The technologies of Big Digital not only amplify, extend, and lend precision to the powers of the state, they may represent elements of a new corporate state power.
The narrative follows Michael Rectenwald, a former Marxist professor at NYU, who becomes disillusioned with the prevailing campus culture characterized by victimhood and political correctness. His response is to satirically critique these issues through his Twitter account, @TheAntiPCProf. However, his outspoken views lead to his dismissal from the university, highlighting the tensions between free speech and campus ideologies. The book delves into themes of academic freedom, the consequences of dissent, and the evolution of Rectenwald's political beliefs.
Global Secularisms addresses the state of and prospects for secularism
globally. Drawing from multiple fields, it brings together theoretical
discussion and empirical case studies that illustrate on-the-ground, extant
secularisms as they interact with various religious, political, social, and
economic contexts. Its point of departure is the fact that secularism is
plural and that various secularisms have developed in various contexts and
from various traditions around the world. Secularism takes on different social
meanings and political valences wherever it is expressed. The essays collected
here provide numerous points of contact between empirical case studies and
theoretical reflection. This multiplicity informs and challenges the
conceptual theorization of secularism as a universal doctrine. Analyses of
different regions enrich our understanding of the meanings of secularism,
providing comparative range to our notions of secularity. Theoretical
treatments help to inform our understanding of secularism in context, enabling
readers to discern what is at stake in the various regional expressions of
secularity globally. While the bulk of the essays are case-based research, the
current thinking of leading theorists and scholars is also included.
