The best philosophy newsletters

Astral Codex Ten publishes long-form essays on AI safety, rationality, politics, science and culture, alongside reader book reviews and weekly open threads. Readers get argumentative, carefully reasoned writing plus community news such as meetups, surveys and grant-related projects.

Poems, short essays and reflections from poet David Whyte, often prefaced by notes on how each piece came to be written. Issues also include announcements for his live events and material from his Three Sundays Series.

A blog by economist Robin Hanson applying economics, evolutionary theory and Bayesian reasoning to questions about human belief, culture, morality and the long-term future. Readers get contrarian, idea-dense essays that challenge conventional assumptions and propose novel institutional ideas.

Essays by philosopher Slavoj Žižek applying Lacanian and Hegelian thought to current events, politics, culture and technology. Readers get long-form, provocative commentary that links news incidents and works of art to philosophical concepts.

Donald J. Robertson, a cognitive-behavioural therapist, explains Stoic philosophy and its practical techniques, drawing on ancient sources such as Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and Musonius Rufus. Readers get articles, course lessons and commentary on how Stoic exercises compare with modern psychotherapy.

A personal essay newsletter from Brian Dunning-style natural philosophy writer exploring AI's cultural impact, parenting, and civilizational themes through polemic and literary references. Readers get reflective, opinionated takes on technology, culture, and history rather than news or practical guidance.

DYNOMIGHT is a personal blog-style newsletter by Dynomight covering speculative essays on biology, evolution, and AI alignment, often with contrarian takes. Readers get long-form, witty reasoning about why biological systems work the way they do and what evolution's design choices imply for building intelligent systems.

Sasha Chapin's essays explore long-term meditation, describing the strange perceptual shifts and the loss of a sense of self that come with deep practice. Recent issues also argue for surrender and letting go of self-chosen plans as a route to a happier, more generous life.

Max Tabarrok's blog covers economics, science, philosophy and progress through long-form critical essays. Recent issues dissect a philosophy paper on wages and desert, a debate over elasticity and highway versus housing policy, and a study of how the Endangered Species Act restricts housing construction.

A newsletter of essays on technology, culture, and the moral life, drawing on literature, philosophy, and history. Readers get reflective critiques of AI discourse and modern technology, plus occasional archive reposts and a commonplace book of curated links and quotations.

Essays by Nicholas Carr on technology, media, perception and culture, mixing close cultural criticism with historical argument. Readers get long-form, reflective takes on digital media, enchantment, and the history of communication technologies.

The Culturist is a book club and essay publication focused on classic literature, history, and the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. Readers get weekly long-form essays on Great Books, historical figures, and literary genres, plus biweekly discussions and reading guides such as the ongoing Dostoevsky's The Idiot group read.

Big Think is a newsletter from the Big Think media platform featuring essays, interviews, and special magazine issues by prominent thinkers. Recent issues cover pop culture's political legacy, the human side of AI, and how algorithms and family shape social tribes.

A philosophy newsletter by a writer working in utilitarian and effective altruist circles, covering AI legal rights, insect and animal welfare, and defences of effective altruism. Readers get argumentative essays that take clear positions on contested ethics and culture-war questions.

Author Sarah Wilson writes personal essays and commentary on current events, culture and technology from a reflective, first-person perspective. Issues include on-the-ground reporting from Paris protests, reflections on AI's impact on mathematics, and occasional subscriber updates.

Aporia is a magazine covering social science, philosophy and culture, with essays on topics like Western cultural politics and evolutionary biology alongside video explainers on social issues. Readers get long-form, argument-driven pieces that explain ideas and bring research to a general audience.

A philosophy newsletter that applies philosophical analysis to everyday life, technology and culture, including a book club on the philosophy of technology. Readers get close readings of texts like Postman's Technopoly and critical responses to current debates such as the decline of reading.

Essays and updates exploring how people can live humanely amid rapid technological change, especially AI, with a mix of speculative scenarios, historical analogies and fine art. It also covers news and interviews around the author's dystopian novel The Last Upheaval.

Alexandra Hudson's Civic Renaissance newsletter shares personal reflections and updates on civility, porch-based community building, and her book The Soul of Civility. Readers get stories of local civility summits, event announcements, and practical ideas for flourishing across political and cultural difference.

A contemplative personal newsletter blending philosophical and religious quotations with first-person reflection on solitude, meditation, brokenness and life after leaving a monastery. Readers get meditative essays that draw on thinkers such as Gabriel Marcel, Meister Eckhart and S.L. Frank.

A personal essay blog by Dynomight covering biology, evolution, AI alignment and quirky reflections on internet discourse, with a wry, self-aware voice. Readers get speculative theories and playful philosophical takes on why the body and minds work the way they do.

A personal essay newsletter mixing rural Americana, backwoods travel, cultural criticism and religious and philosophical reflection. Readers get idiosyncratic, voice-driven writing, including meditations on art, modernity and the writer's own creative struggles.

A short daily morning note from author Clara Parkes, pairing a brief personal anecdote about nature, garden or everyday life with a quotation from a writer or philosopher. It offers a gentle, reflective moment to start the day.

A Substack on how to reason well and live deliberately, built around a Thinker versus Feeler framework with Stoic leanings. Posts cover self-control, protecting the mind from misinformation, and rebuilding attention for reading.

A Substack literary magazine that publishes a weekly philosophy and ethics-themed short story, along with reader polls, commentary from a resident philosopher, and author Q&As. It aims to give classrooms, book clubs and families material for discussion.

A weekly Italian newsletter from the magazine MicroMega that curates in-depth articles on politics, philosophy and current affairs, including pieces from the magazine's archive. It also promotes subscriber events and issues of the magazine.

A newsletter applying Stoic philosophy to everyday life, with essays on habits, relationships, and motivation drawing on Seneca, Plutarch and classical art. Readers get practical, story-driven advice blending ancient quotes with modern psychology.

A philosophy and literature newsletter featuring reading group discussions of classic works like The Brothers Karamazov, essays on ancient philosophy such as Cynicism, and year-end book lists. Some content is paywalled, with live calls reserved for paid subscribers.

Essays applying existential-humanistic psychology, drawing on thinkers like Otto Rank and Maslow, to creativity, self-actualization and living meaningfully amid a culture of optimization. It also includes personal reflections from the author and promotion of his writing challenge and seminars.

Abigail's personal Substack mixes first-person anecdotes with philosophical argument, examining moral intuitions around the Cornell case, dating, and Jewish holidays. Each essay makes a clear claim and draws on thinkers like Peter Singer and Ayn Rand.

Iain McGilchrist's Substack extends his hemisphere-hypothesis work to cultural and philosophical questions, often responding to other writers and sharing interviews or articles. Issues combine his own commentary on left-hemisphere dominance with reposted pieces on topics such as free speech and censorship.

A near-daily roundup of links to notable essays and articles on literature, philosophy, art, history and ideas, each with a one or two sentence teaser. Readers get a curated starting point for long-form humanities writing from across the web.

A Substack essay newsletter examining Counter-Enlightenment philosophy, post-Christian culture, and antisemitism through a critical lens focused heavily on Israel, Hamas, and Western universities. Recent issues argue that campus protests after October 7 reflected a betrayal by elite institutions and criticize political figures and media on Middle East politics.

A weekly newsletter of short essays drawing on Stoic philosophy, history and psychology to offer lessons for living well. Each issue pairs a central idea or quotation with reflective, practical takeaways, plus occasional book recommendations.

Alex O'Connor's newsletter announces new episodes of the Within Reason podcast, with short write-ups of guest conversations on philosophy, religion and science. It also carries creator updates such as award voting and tour ticket information.

The Roots of Progress newsletter mainly carries announcements from the Roots of Progress Institute, including hiring calls, fellowship cohort introductions and conference news. It also covers the history of technology and the philosophy of progress.

A quote-based newsletter that presents three themed quotations from a single author or thinker in each issue, each followed by a reflection question. Readers get short, easily digestible prompts for contemplation drawn mostly from literature and philosophy.