Year in Review 2024

It’s been a quiet year for publications—relatively speaking—so I’ve included some of my favourite Substack posts in this look back at my public writing in 2024. Read through to the end for exclusive footage of stand-up philosophy!

January saw two of my most popular newsletters, one about smoking, the other a meditation on Kant’s philosophical dinner parties.

In February, I published an essay in The Point, about philosophy and/as self-help. This was long in the making—it started life as part of a chapter cut from Life is Hard and went through several incarnations before achieving its final form. I’m glad it’s finally out there.

Also in February: thanks to the leap year, we got to celebrate Josiah Carberry Day!

In March, I wrote about nostalgia and regret for the TLS. And in May, I reviewed David Shoemaker’s Wisecracks for The Atlantic, writing about humour, ethics, and consolation in everyday life.

June saw the death of the philosopher Michael Stocker, whose life and work I commemorated here. I also wrote about the trolley problem—what it is and why it matters—for The Guardian.

In July, this Substack went professional, in that the archive is now paywalled. Please consider a paid subscription—for less than a dollar a week—if you enjoy occasional posts; and please share with potential subscribers.

Finally—or almost finally—in September, I wrote for the TLS about doing stand-up at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I had two sets, one more personal, the other philosophical. The former isn’t ready for public consumption, but here is my Stand-Up Philosophy set, hosted by the wonderful Alex Farrow. Relevant context: the previous comic had apologized for disrespecting the audience by wearing shorts.