Matthew Crawford, a philosopher and mechanic known for his works like "Shop Class as Soulcraft," dives into the philosophical implications of self-driving cars. He cautions against losing our agency and skill as we transition from drivers to passengers. Crawford highlights how driving embodies freedom, exploration, and mastery, while critiquing the safety-centric future of mobility. The discussion broadens to touch on the cultural significance of activities like hot rodding and how they relate to self-governance and human values.
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Dirt Bike Vindication
Matthew Crawford, the author, recounts riding a dirt bike, pushing his limits, and experiencing a sense of vindication.
Despite frequent injuries, he felt this risk was essential to feeling alive and human.
insights INSIGHT
Movement and Humanity
Moving freely in our environment is fundamental to being human, distinguishing us from inanimate objects.
This active movement is crucial for childhood development and building a mental map of the world.
insights INSIGHT
Manufactured Demand
Despite surveys showing 70% of Americans enjoy driving, self-driving cars are pushed as the inevitable future.
This top-down initiative, driven by tech companies, aims for a monopoly on mobility, not consumer demand.
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On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction
Matthew Crawford
Matthew B. Crawford
In 'The World Beyond Your Head', Matthew B. Crawford investigates the intense focus of various professionals such as ice hockey players, short-order chefs, and organ builders, as well as the behaviors of gambling addicts. He argues that our current attention crisis is a result of certain assumptions in Western culture that are at odds with human nature. Crawford emphasizes the importance of embodied, social, and situated experiences in forming the self and argues that genuine agency comes from voluntary submission to realities beyond one's own head. The book has implications for how we raise children, design public spaces, and understand democracy[2][4][6].
Why We Drive
Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road
Matthew Crawford
In 'Why We Drive,' Matthew B. Crawford blends philosophy and hands-on storytelling to explore the significance of driving in human life. The book delves into Crawford's own experiences restoring a vintage Volkswagen and his journeys through various automotive subcultures. It is a meditation on the competence of ordinary people, the rewards of 'folk engineering,' and the existential value of driving. Crawford argues against the trend of self-driving cars, highlighting the importance of human agency and the battle for democratic self-determination against surveillance capitalists. The book is a celebration of the human spirit and the freedom associated with driving[1][4][5].
Shop class as soulcraft
an inquiry into the value of work
Matthew Crawford
Matthew B. Crawford
In 'Shop Class as Soulcraft,' Matthew B. Crawford argues that the manual trades offer a unique form of intellectual and personal satisfaction. He critiques modern society's emphasis on 'knowledge work' and the devaluation of manual labor, highlighting the cognitive demands and personal fulfillment that come from working with one's hands. Crawford draws on his own experiences as a motorcycle mechanic and philosopher to illustrate the importance of craftsmanship, self-reliance, and the integration of thinking and doing in meaningful work. The book challenges consumerist culture and advocates for a more humane economy that values and rewards meaningful labor[1][3][4].
Homo ludens
Johan Huizinga
In 'Homo Ludens,' Johan Huizinga argues that play is a fundamental element of human culture, essential for the generation of culture. He traces the contribution of play from ancient times through the Renaissance and into modern society, highlighting its role in law, science, philosophy, and the arts. Huizinga defines play against a rich theoretical background, using cross-cultural examples to illustrate its universal significance and its civilizing functions[2][3][5].
According to Silicon Valley, self-driving cars are the future of transportation. Instead of owning and driving a car, you can just summon an AI-operated vehicle with your smartphone and have this superpowered computer taxi you to your destination. No more car maintenance, no more traffic, no more accidents.
It may sound great on the face of it, but my guest today argues that shifting from being a driver to being a mere passenger represents an existential risk in and of itself, as well as a symbol for the potential loss of much broader human values. His name is Matthew Crawford and he's a philosopher, mechanic, and hot rodder, as well as the author of Shop Class as Soulcraft. In his latest book, Why We Drive: Towards a Philosophy of the Open Road, Matthew investigates the driver’s seat as one of the few remaining domains of skill, exploration, play, and freedom. Matthew and I begin our conversation discussing how freely moving around in our environment is a big part of what makes us human and then explore how shifting from being the drivers of our own cars to the passengers of self-driving cars could result in a loss of that humanity by eliminating agency, privacy, and proficiency. As our wide-ranging conversational road trip continues, Matthew and I take detours into what things like hot rodding and demolition derbies can tell us about mastery, play, and competition. We end our conversation on what driving ultimately has to do with the overarching idea of self-governance.
The Art of Manliness 
