The Ethics of Maintenance Against Natural Purpose

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Nov 7, 2025 · 11m

"The Ethics of Maintenance: Against Natural Purpose" by philosopher Bry Willis, argues against the persistent human belief in telos, or the idea that history and existence are inherently moving toward a meaningful conclusion or natural purpose. Willis criticises the Enlightenment's concept of progress as propaganda that masks exploitation and maintains flawed structural systems, asserting that the obsession with "fixing" individuals rather than renovating the underlying architecture is absurd. The author proposes a philosophy of care and maintenance as a radical counter-force to decay…