Writings by Hans de Zwart
This is the thesis I wrote for my Master of Arts in philosophy. It can also be dowloaded as a PDF. Introduction As the director of an NGO advocating for digital rights I am acutely aware of the digital trail we leave behind in our daily lives. But I too am occasionally surprised when I … Continue reading Freedom and Justice in our Technological Predicament
This is the thesis I wrote for my BA in philosophy. I want to thank Gijs van Donselaar for his excellent supervision. The thesis can also downloaded as a PDF. Introduction Somewhere in early 2014 I made the decision to quit using Google. I had already quit Facebook many years before1 but was still all-in … Continue reading Liberty, Technology and Democracy
We are becoming more and more scared. Images of terror attacks influence our daily decisions. A friend of mine gets nervous when he has to travel past an airport by train, and another friend surprised me by telling me that this year he stayed home during gay pride. Several people have told me of times … Continue reading Draconian anti-terrorism measures turn us into scared and isolated people
De afgelopen twee weken ben ik naar een aantal avonden geweest waar op verschillende manieren publieksfilosofie werd bedreven. Hieronder vier korte impressies. De wankele waarheid Happy Chaos organiseerde in LAB11 een avond over de wankele waarheid. In drie sessies werd verkend op welke manier de journalistiek een stempel drukt op de werkelijkheid en op die … Continue reading Vier keer een publieksfilosofische avond
Abstract Certain theories of freedom have difficulty dealing with the problem of 'sour grapes'. The idea that you can make yourself free by changing what you want when you run into limitations (inspired by the fox in Aesop's fables who, upon finding out that the grapes could not be reached, decided they must be sour). … Continue reading Hobbes and the Problem of Sour Grapes