This student research, under the mentorship of an Amherst College philosophy professor,  explores how Ludwig Wittgenstein transformed the philosophy of language from the search for fixed logical structures to an emphasis on language’s practical use and social context. By examining both the Tractatus and Philosophical Investigations, the piece argues that meaning emerges not from static definitions, but from dynamic human interaction, context, and “language games.”

This philosophical research focuses on humanity’s search for meaning in a vast and seemingly indifferent universe, drawing on astronomy, determinism, quantum physics, and thinkers such as Thomas Kuhn and Thomas Nagel. Arguing against cosmic nihilism, the piece ultimately concludes that meaning arises not from universal significance, but from gratitude, consciousness, human experience, and our profound connection to the stars themselves.

This research explores how repeated games and the folk theorem help explain cooperation, reputation, and institutional development in economics, politics, and society. Through examples ranging from medieval merchant courts and Henry Ford’s efficiency wages to modern platforms like eBay, the conversation examines how trust, incentives, and shared expectations shape human behavior and social systems, while also connecting game theory to political structures, voting systems, and real-world coordination problems.

This research examines the historical and contemporary parallels between Jewish Americans and Asian Americans through the lens of the “model minority” stereotype. Focusing on immigration, assimilation, racism, affirmative action, social mobility, and identity, the course explores how these communities have both embraced and challenged the label, while asking who benefits from such narratives and how they shape broader social and political dynamics in the United States.