The Cogitating Ceviché Week in review 25-38
Discussion via NotebookLM
Editorial SummaryThis week’s offerings weave together reflections on civic life, technocultural futures, speculative imagination, and ethical inquiry. From calls for renewed statesmanship to explorations of AI-driven virtue and strange ecology, the pieces invite readers to navigate the uneasy junctions of humanity and high technology.
Articles
* Restoring Civility: Why Political Discourse Needs Statesmanship AgainCalista Freiheit · September 22, 2025An appeal for higher standards in political dialogue, advocating for a return to principled statesmanship over mere partisanship.
* The Future of Culinary Science: How Emerging Technologies Are Redefining Food Creation and ExperienceConrad Hannon · September 23, 2025A speculative investigation into how biotechnology, AI, and sensory tech may reshape what — and how — we eat.
* The Game of Rat and DragonGio Marron (by Cordwainer Smith) · September 24, 2025A reprint or adaptation of the classic speculative story, raising timeless questions about sacrifice, conflict, and the human spirit in cosmic struggle.
* Mencius and the Algorithms of Virtue: Ancient Ethics in the Age of AIConrad Hannon · September 24, 2025An inquiry into how Confucian moral theory might dialogue with algorithmic governance and machine learning.
* Allocoprophagia: How We Learned to Love Our Own GarbageConrad Hannon · September 26, 2025A provocative exploration of waste, recycling culture, and the psychological transformations of material detritus in modern life.
* The Chimney Sweep’s Tale – PART TWO: “Voices in the Walls”Gio Marron · September 27, 2025The second installment of a mystery serial blending gothic elements and hidden histories within an urban labyrinth.
Quote of the Week
“True discourse is not about defeating an opponent. It is about seeking orientation in the wilderness of claims.”— Restoring Civility: Why Political Discourse Needs Statesmanship Again, Calista Freiheit
Questions for Reflection
Restoring Civility: Why Political Discourse Needs Statesmanship Again• What qualities define “statesmanship” in contrast to modern political debating?• How might mechanisms (institutional or cultural) enforce or encourage civility today?
The Future of Culinary Science• Which emerging technologies discussed seem most feasible, and which feel more speculative?• How might changes in food creation affect social inequality or cultural identity?
The Game of Rat and Dragon• What sacrifices do the characters make, and what do those sacrifices reveal about heroism?• In what ways does the story’s speculative setting sharpen its moral dimensions?
Mencius and the Algorithms of Virtue• Can machines embody or promote virtue? If so, how?• Are there tensions between Confucian ethics and data-driven decision systems?
Allocoprophagia• What does the concept of “loving our own garbage” suggest about ecological psychology?• How might societies shift in their relation to waste in a post-material world?
The Chimney Sweep’s Tale – PART TWO• How does the urban setting itself become a character or force in the story?• What secrets might walls hold, and how do they connect to memory, identity, or power?
Additional Resources• On Dialogue by David Bohm• Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja Noble• The Waste Not Journal — essays on circular economies• Moral Machines — “The Ethics of AI” chapter• The Rediscovery of Man — Cordwainer Smith short fiction anthology
Calls to Action
• From Calista Freiheit: Share a moment when political disagreement was civil and productive—what made it work?• From Conrad Hannon: Send your thoughts on the weirdest intersection of tech and everyday life you’ve seen lately.• From Gio Marron: Got a strange building or whispered local tale? I want to hear it—fact or fiction.• General: Forward this issue to a friend who likes their philosophy served with provocation.
Thank you for your time today. Until next time, stay gruntled, curious, and God Bless.
