THEORY FICTION AND POLITICS

A TWO-MONTH CRITICAL EXPLORATION OF POLITICS VIA THEORY-FICTION

Theory fiction and politics stages a two-month process with Bryce Nance and Michael Downs. The first month focuses on science fiction as a legitimate outlet and resource for philosophy and theory, with the potential for special application to and insight in political futures. We will explore foundational contributions to 20th century science fiction, including Frank Herbert, Olaf Stapleton, Kim Stanley Robinson, Neal Stephenson, Iain M Banks, and more, with special attention to their relationship to social theory and political reality. The second month focuses on Nick Land’s Xenosystems as a foundational book of extreme political philosophy often referred to as the neoreactionary movement. Throughout this month we will explore the darker side and potential of futuristic technology and especially the political implications.

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Three ways to access: purchase the course as a stand-alone seminar, via Patreon, or join The Portal as a monthly/yearly member

Theory Fiction and Politics
€150.00
One time

This is a series featuring in-depth exploration of both theory fiction and politics as it relates to the future of human civilisation.


✓ Seminars led by Bryce Nance
✓ Seminars led by Michael Downs
✓ Over 24 hours of live sessions
✓ Unlimited lifetime access to recordings
Philosophy Portal Members
€50.00
Every month
€500.00
Every year

Philosophy Portal is an online education platform opening space for the next generation of great thought, and cultivation of future philosophical mind. Philosophy Portal members get access to The Portal live event spaces, free access to select courses. Couples are encouraged get a 2 for 1 deal. All Sales Final.


✓ Four live events every month + recorded history (400+ hours)
✓ Marxist Politics for Undead Millennials (live)
✓ Zizek Lectures (coming soon)
✓ Sex and Society Circle (live)
✓ Access to past Portal courses (e.g. Deleuze and Analysis)

Meet Your Seminar Leaders

Bryce Nance

Bryce Nance is an author and podcaster of Three Billion Nances. His focus on theory fiction explores foundational philosophy through works of science fiction, with special attention to their implications for capitalist politics, and imagining alternative futures. You can find out more about his work on Substack, YouTube, or Patreon.

Michael Downs

Michael Downs is a Militant Proletarian Snake-Handler, author of The Dangerous Maybe blog, as well as author of Capital vs. Timenergy: A Zizekian Critique of Nick Land. Downs works on the philosophy of “fault-line theory” which seeks to think with the tensions and antagonisms of contemporary underground theory, specifically at the intersections of the work of Nick Land and Slavoj Zizek. Downs interests at this specific fault-line orbit the relationship between Land’s notion of artificial intelligence and theory of technological singularity informed by an analysis of capitalism; and Zizek’s notion of the subjectivity as operating at the level of the Freudo-Lacanian death drive. Throughout Downs work his philosophy seeks to analyse the tension between capital-AI and subjective death drive in order to rethink issues in Marxism, psychoanalysis, and contemporary politics of capitalism around the notion of timenergy.

2026

Online
830pm CEST (Central European Summer Time)

Sunday October 4th / Session 1: Overview of Theory Fiction w/ Bryce Nance

Sunday October 11th / Session 2: Capitalist AI as Superego, Surveillance, Hypercoke w/ Bryce Nance

Sunday October 18th / Session 3: Paranoia and Individualism w/ Bryce Nance

Sunday October 25th / Session 4: Recap of Theory Fiction w/ Bryce Nance

Sunday August 2nd / Session 5: What Is Philosophy? w/ Michael Downs

Sunday August 16th / Session 6: Abstract Horror w/ Michael Downs

Sunday August 23rd / Session 7: Sub-Cognitive Fragments w/ Michael Downs

Sunday August 30th / Session 8: War is God w/ Michael Downs

Check our reviews on

Start Today

Start Today

Two ways to access: purchase the course as a stand-alone seminar, or join The Portal as a monthly/yearly member

Check our reviews on

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