My name is Otto Lehto. Send me an e-mail.
I am a philosopher, political economist, public intellectual, composer and blogger.
Curriculum Vitae (2022): download here.
My current work focuses on utilitarianism, complexity theory, evolutionary political economy, transhumanism, human enhancement, basic income, social epistemology, and naturalism. I am currently a postdoctoral research fellow at New York University’s School of Law (2022-2024) and an affiliated Junior Researcher at Freiburg University’s FRIBIS Institute. I was also a visiting scholar at University of Arizona’s philosophy department (2020). I did my PhD at King’s College London’s Department of Political Economy (2021) under Prof. Mark Pennington and Dr. John Meadowcroft on the topic of “Complex Adaptation and Permissionless Innovation: An Evolutionary Approach to Universal Basic Income.” Prior to that, I did my BA in English (2009) and a Master of Social Science (MSSc) in Social and Moral Philosophy (2015) from the University of Helsinki. I am also the recipient of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) LAHP studentship (2017-2019), Adam Smith Fellowhip at George Mason University (2019-2020), and a Templeton Foundation Grant at King’s College London (2020).
I am especially interested in the following academic topics:
– Anglo-American political and moral philosophy
– anarchism, classical liberalism, and libertarianism
– complex adaptive system (CAS) theory
– evolutionary biology and Darwinian theory
– epistemology and the the study of the mind
– linguistics and semiotics
– musicology and the ludology
– history of ideas
– German and French philosophy (e.g. phenomenology & existentialism)
(Photo credit: Teemu Perhiö, 2013.)
In my free time I compose music and enjoy art and videogames.
I was the host of an online interview/talk show called Skyperadio.
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I have been a long-running member of the Finnish Basic Income Network (BIEN Finland – Suomen perustuloverkosto), whose secretary I was in 2012-2014, and chairman in 2015-2016.
Come and join the Basic Income Earth Network of Finland:
You can read my earlier (now defunct) blogs (in Finnish):
Dear Otto, I read your paper on line regarding the “Seven Veils of Ishtar”, which you wrote in 2009, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the information you provided. Your research was well presented and I feel that most of what you have interpreted is correct. Of course, as we know, there is much interweaving of the various aspects of the Divine Feminine which Ishtar represents. If you would like to have online communication regarding my own interpretations of Ishtar in relation to your work, I would be happy to connect with you. Thank you for seeking the truth of Ishtar and I can see from your website that you are a seeker of spirit. As above, so below, all things mythological are so much more than myth, and in these changing times all roads lead back to these ancient truths. Many blessings to you ~ Michelle (msomar@ymail.com)
I came across your article on “Nothingness as Nihilism – Karatani Kojin and Nishitani Keiji”. I thought you encapsulated and connected the various themes and thoughts on this subject perfectly! It was not only academically interesting but your prose style made it easy to read and enjoyable. I’m currently doing a PhD in existential philosophy and psychology and have recently embarked on the philosophy of Nihilism through Nishitani’s the “Self Overcoming Nihilism” and your piece has certainly whetted my appetite to purse more on the subject.