Welcome to Without Why
Without Why is an independent publication focused on philosophy and AI launched in December 2024 by me, B. Scot Rousse. You can reach me at whywithoutwhy[at]gmail.com
The name "Without Why" is from the 17th century mystic, Angelus Silesius, who wrote: "Die Rose ist ohne warum; sie blühet weil sie blühet" - "The rose is without why; it blooms because it blooms."
For me, this poem reminds us to be cautious about our cravings for explanations. It reminds us that, first and foremost, we don’t receive the world as a chain of reasons; we receive it as something that shows itself, something that solicits our attention, commitment, and care.
In the context of my interest in AI, the poem is an invitation to think about technology and human meaning without pretending that the fundamental currents of our lives can be reduced to utilities, values, or optimization targets.
I received a PhD in philosophy from Northwestern University, have published widely in the tradition of phenomenology (roughly, the rigorous study of experience), and have worked for the last decade as something like a “applied philosopher” in the field of consulting and professional development, for a company called Pluralistic Networks.
I’ve also been a drummer in punk bands for my entire life (see my discography here), and I think a lot about the philosophical significance of punk as an attitude and cultural phenomenon.
Without Why is a site for me to experiment bringing these various threads of my life together in my writing. I will be your co-traveler and guide about the philosophical implications of developments in AI and other technologies. I will remind you about what it means to be human in an age where machines are held up as ready to replace us in more and more domains. I will also share my expertise in the domains of philosophy I have studied, especially phenomenology.
Currently, I am a philosopher in residence at Topos Institute in Berkeley, an organization devoted to technologies for collective sense-making. I'm also a long-time visiting scholar in the Department of Philosophy at UC Berkeley. Formerly, I was Director of Research at Pluralistic Networks, a consulting and professional development company based out of Oakland, CA.
My scholarly writings are noted on my Google Scholar Page. Feel free to write to me if you’d like a pdf of any of these articles.
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