Another Look at 'Slack'

According to LessWrong, philosopher AdamPiovarchy has tackled the notoriously slippery concept of 'slack,' popularized by Zvi. His proposal: slack is the absence of binding constraints on your behavior. Here's what makes it different from simple freedom — you can unbind yourself from a constraint in three ways: eliminate it, build up resources as a buffer against it, or find workarounds. That distinction matters because slack describes something more practical than abstract freedom: it's about having resources or options that let you maneuver around obstacles without being cornered. The full analysis spans fourteen thousand words in a philosophy journal; this is the condensed version for readers already familiar with the concept.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton