Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kieran Setiya

@ksetiya.bsky.social

1.6K followers 120 following 130 posts

MIT philosopher; would-be self-help guru; master of the semi-colon; substack: http://bit.ly/-ksetiya; podcast: http://bit.ly/-five-q; home: http://bit.ly/-ks-home

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 4d

I wrote about Jonathan Lear on the virtue of irony: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/becoming-h...

Becoming human is not that easy

“In what did Socrates’ irony really lie?”, Søren Kierkegaard asked, and answered rhetorically: "In expressions and turns of speech, etc.? No, such trivialities, even his virtuosity in talking ironical...

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 4d

I wrote about Jonathan Lear on the virtue of irony: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/becoming-h...

Becoming human is not that easy

“In what did Socrates’ irony really lie?”, Søren Kierkegaard asked, and answered rhetorically: "In expressions and turns of speech, etc.? No, such trivialities, even his virtuosity in talking ironical...

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 10d

Zadie Smith writes about a secret breakthrough in non-fiction: the SIX paragraph essay!
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

The Art of the Impersonal Essay, by Zadie Smith

In my experience, every kind of writing requires some kind of self-soothing Jedi mind trick, and, when it comes to essay composition, the rectangle is mine.

www.newyorker.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 16d

I talked to Dan Harris about living well when life is hard.
youtu.be/mJnTAqB-Thw?...

How To Live Well | Kieran Setiya

YouTube video by 10% Happier

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 16d

Audio version here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

How To Live Well—Even Amidst Failure, Uncertainty, Loss, and Physical Pain | Kieran Setiya

Podcast Episode · 10% Happier with Dan Harris · 09/22/2025 · 1h 18m

podcasts.apple.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 16d

I talked to Dan Harris about living well when life is hard.
youtu.be/mJnTAqB-Thw?...

How To Live Well | Kieran Setiya

YouTube video by 10% Happier

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 18d

I wrote about Joe Brainard: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/i-remember

One of the pleasures of writing here is that you don’t need a bold new insight or novel argument to justify posting about a book: you can simply share something you’ve read and loved—or that you happe...

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 17d

youtu.be/RKdxSZtumBw?...

Every Evil Emperor

YouTube video by Alasdair Beckett-King

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 18d

I wrote about Joe Brainard: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/i-remember

One of the pleasures of writing here is that you don’t need a bold new insight or novel argument to justify posting about a book: you can simply share something you’ve read and loved—or that you happe...

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 26d

I talked to Troy Jollimore and Robert Jones about stand-up comedy and/as philosophy
www.kzfr.org/broadcasts/4...

September 11, 2025: Kieran Setiya on the Philosophy of Humor - Philosophers on Culture | KZFR 90.1 FM CHICO

Philosophers Troy Jollimore and Robert Jones welcome fellow philosopher Kieran Setiya for a discussion of his recent work on the philosophy of humor, jokes, and standup comedy. (60m)

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · 26d

I talked to Troy Jollimore and Robert Jones about stand-up comedy and/as philosophy
www.kzfr.org/broadcasts/4...

September 11, 2025: Kieran Setiya on the Philosophy of Humor - Philosophers on Culture | KZFR 90.1 FM CHICO

Philosophers Troy Jollimore and Robert Jones welcome fellow philosopher Kieran Setiya for a discussion of his recent work on the philosophy of humor, jokes, and standup comedy. (60m)

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Sep 6

I wrote about poetry and philosophy (again): Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/analogy

Philosophy and poetry are mired in an ancient quarrel, so we’re told—on one side, the pursuit of demystifying truth; on the other, enchanted polyphony. And yet they have one thing in common: each is s...

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Aug 23

I wrote about crossword puzzles: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/compositio...

Composition with Grid

A few months into the pandemic, my wife and I adopted a new pastime: we would complete the New York Times crossword puzzle every day.

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Aug 23

H/T @rkubala.bsky.social

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Aug 23

I wrote about crossword puzzles: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/compositio...

Composition with Grid

A few months into the pandemic, my wife and I adopted a new pastime: we would complete the New York Times crossword puzzle every day.

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Aug 9

I wrote about Christian Marclay’s “Doors”: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/no-entry

It shouldn’t be surprising that art critics have wanted to read Doors—Christian Marclay’s looping montage of movie clips, in which one protagonist enters a door and another steps out, seamlessly, over...

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Aug 9

I wrote about Christian Marclay’s “Doors”: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/no-entry

It shouldn’t be surprising that art critics have wanted to read Doors—Christian Marclay’s looping montage of movie clips, in which one protagonist enters a door and another steps out, seamlessly, over...

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jul 26

I wrote about Andrea Long Chu: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/literally-...

Literally Figurative

Pedants complain that the word “literally” is more often misused than used correctly. “This post will literally blow your mind! Your brain will literally explode!” “Literally?” they exclaim. “Then I h...

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jul 26

I wrote about Andrea Long Chu: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/literally-...

Literally Figurative

Pedants complain that the word “literally” is more often misused than used correctly. “This post will literally blow your mind! Your brain will literally explode!” “Literally?” they exclaim. “Then I h...

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jul 12

I wrote about McDowell on method: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/horse-whis...

Horse Whispering

I confess that, when I allow myself to think about it, I am amazed that I understand so little about what it is we philosophers do.

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jul 12

I wrote about McDowell on method: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/horse-whis...

Horse Whispering

I confess that, when I allow myself to think about it, I am amazed that I understand so little about what it is we philosophers do.

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jun 28

I wrote about John Baskerville: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/font-of-wi...

Font of Wisdom, Font of Truth

I became a Baskerville convert in 2012, the year film-maker Errol Morris ran an uncontrolled experiment in The New York Times. By his arrangement, an article about the risk of asteroids colliding with...

ksetiya.substack.com

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jun 28

I wrote about John Baskerville: Under the Net
ksetiya.substack.com/p/font-of-wi...

Font of Wisdom, Font of Truth

I became a Baskerville convert in 2012, the year film-maker Errol Morris ran an uncontrolled experiment in The New York Times. By his arrangement, an article about the risk of asteroids colliding with...

ksetiya.substack.com

Reposted by Kieran Setiya

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jun 18

I have yet to read Ocean Vuong, who is admired by such luminaries as Ben Lerner and Max Porter, so I don’t know what to make of this takedown in the @lrb.co.uk, except that it’s an extraordinary piece of writing.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Tom Crewe · My Hands in My Face: Ocean Vuong’s Failure

This language is not poetic, but ridiculous, sententious, blinded by self-love and pirouetting over a chasm. Vuong...

Kieran Setiya @ksetiya.bsky.social · Jun 18

I have yet to read Ocean Vuong, who is admired by such luminaries as Ben Lerner and Max Porter, so I don’t know what to make of this takedown in the @lrb.co.uk, except that it’s an extraordinary piece of writing.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Tom Crewe · My Hands in My Face: Ocean Vuong’s Failure

This language is not poetic, but ridiculous, sententious, blinded by self-love and pirouetting over a chasm. Vuong...