The Academics Who Caught Fire
The author reflects on the enduring relevance of postwar French theorists in the age of artificial intelligence and digital misinformation. By reviewing Emily Eakin’s new book, the piece explores how structuralist ideas help navigate a world where human authorship and reality feel increasingly unstable.
Why it matters
It provides a philosophical framework for understanding how modern technology and AI are reshaping our perception of truth and human identity.
The French theorists of the postwar era argued that the author’s life is irrelevant. Emily Eakin’s lively new book proves them wrong.
Illustration by The Atlantic* August 6, 2026, 7:30 AM ET Share Save
Separating facts from lies, and real thoughts from fabrications, can seem more difficult than ever: Words and images are easily faked, and some writers at every stage—students, academics, novelists—are letting machines do the work for them. The author may as well be dead. Ubiquitous cameras are eroding human privacy , creating the sense that we live in a panopticon. And across many popular platforms, information is often shorn of context, if not outright false .
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