Essential Knowledge

Articles by authors in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series. Written by leading thinkers, the series offers accessible, concise books on subjects that range from the cultural and the historical to the scientific and the technical.

Latest Articles

Culture	The Symbolic Use of Barrier Contraceptives in American and English Literature The diaphragm and cervical cap have been used to signify extramarital sex, working-class status, embarrassment, sorrow, and the onset of adulthood — but rarely a joyful or pleasant sexual encounter. Donna J. Drucker \| May 14, 2020
Culture	Using Pornography to Rewrite the Script for Consent Anti-pornography feminists see porn as inherently degrading and exploitative, but for some viewers it can be hugely empowering and even a challenge to rape culture. Milena Popova \| Feb 3, 2020
Philosophy	What Nihilism Is Not In order to preserve nihilism as a meaningful concept, it's necessary to distinguish it from pessimism, cynicism, and apathy. Nolen Gertz \| Jan 16, 2020
Culture	The 'Dark Side' of Citizenship An expert in citizenship reveals the concept’s totalitarian, racist, and sexist underpinnings and considers alternatives. Dimitry Kochenov \| Nov 14, 2019
Philosophy	Descartes and the Discovery of the Mind-Body Problem The French philosopher René Descartes is often credited with discovering the mind-body problem, a mystery that haunts philosophers to this day. The reality is more complicated than that. Jonathan Westphal \| Aug 8, 2019
Science & Tech	The Czech Play That Gave Us the Word ‘Robot’ Karel Čapek's play "R.U.R." premiered in January 1921. Its influence cannot be overstated. John M. Jordan \| Jul 29, 2019
Culture	Writing the Future With Utopias Literary utopias can provoke our critical faculties and open our minds to imaginative — and transformative — ideas. Nick Montfort \| Jul 25, 2019