Definitions by Abzugal

Mercenary Games

A term for games—video games, tabletop games, any form of play—that are designed not for fun, art, or expression but purely for profit, exploiting players through microtransactions, loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, and addictive design. Mercenary Games treat players not as participants but as revenue streams, not as audiences but as targets. They're designed by psychologists to maximize engagement and spending, not enjoyment. Mercenary Games are the dark side of the gaming industry, the reason your kid's favorite game costs $100 to actually play, the reason "free-to-play" is the most expensive model. They're games as extraction, play as exploitation.

Example: "He downloaded a game that looked fun—cool graphics, interesting mechanics. Three hours later, he'd spent $50 on loot boxes just to stay competitive. Mercenary Games had done their work: turning play into payment, fun into extraction. He uninstalled, but the money was gone. The game wasn't designed for him to enjoy; it was designed for him to spend."

Mercenary Games by Abzugal February 21, 2026

Theorem of Logical Privilege

A specific proposition within the broader theory of logical privilege: that any logical system, once established as dominant, tends to reproduce its dominance by defining the terms of what counts as logical. The theorem argues that privilege is self-reinforcing: the privileged logic sets the standards by which all logics are judged, ensuring that it always appears superior. This is not conspiracy but structure—the rules of the game are set by those who already dominate. The Theorem of Logical Privilege explains why marginalized logics struggle for recognition, why alternatives always seem "illogical" to those in power.

Example: "He wondered why other logical traditions always seemed inferior to Western logic. The Theorem of Logical Privilege explained: Western logic set the standards by which all logics were judged. Of course it looked best—it had written the test. He started asking what other logics might look like if they got to set the standards."

Theorem of Logical Privilege by Abzugal February 21, 2026

Theory of Scientific Privilege

The systematic elaboration of scientific privilege as a framework for understanding the politics of knowledge. The Theory of Scientific Privilege argues that science is not a neutral pursuit of truth but a field of power—that certain scientific methods, institutions, and knowledge systems are privileged, others marginalized, and that this privilege reflects social hierarchies, not epistemic superiority. It traces how Western science became dominant, how it was used to justify exploitation and exclusion, how other knowledge systems were suppressed. It doesn't reject science; it calls for examining its privilege and opening space for other ways of knowing. The Theory of Scientific Privilege is the foundation of epistemic decolonization.

Example: "She'd believed science was simply the best way to know things—objective, universal, true. The Theory of Scientific Privilege showed her otherwise: science had a politics, a history, a relationship to power. Western science was privileged because of empire, not because it was better. She started learning from other knowledge systems, other ways of knowing, other truths."

Theory of Scientific Privilege by Abzugal February 21, 2026

Theory of Logical Privilege

The systematic elaboration of logical privilege as a framework for understanding the politics of reasoning. The Theory of Logical Privilege argues that logic is not a neutral tool but a field of power—that some logical systems are privileged, others marginalized, and that this privilege reflects social hierarchies, not cognitive superiority. It traces how Western logic became dominant, how it was used to justify colonialism and exclusion, how other logical traditions were suppressed. It doesn't reject Western logic; it calls for examining its privilege and opening space for other logics. The Theory of Logical Privilege is the foundation of logical decolonization.

Example: "He'd thought logic was above politics—pure reason, universal truth. The Theory of Logical Privilege showed him otherwise: logic had a history, a politics, a relationship to power. Western logic wasn't logic; it was a logic—privileged because of colonialism, not because it was better. He started learning other logics, other ways of reasoning, other tools for thought."

Theory of Logical Privilege by Abzugal February 21, 2026

Law of Scientific Privilege

The principle that certain scientific methods, institutions, and knowledge systems are granted unearned authority—privileged not because they're inherently superior but because they're associated with dominant power structures. The Law of Scientific Privilege argues that science is not neutral: Western science is privileged over indigenous knowledge, quantitative methods over qualitative, funded research over community inquiry. This privilege shapes what counts as knowledge, who gets to produce it, and who benefits. The law doesn't say privileged science is wrong; it says we should examine why it's privileged, what interests it serves, and what's excluded.

Example: "She'd been taught that science was simply the best way to know things. The Law of Scientific Privilege showed her otherwise: this science was privileged because it came from wealthy nations, because it served corporate interests, because it was backed by state power. Other ways of knowing existed, but they were marginalized. She started asking who benefited from her science's dominance."

Law of Scientific Privilege by Abzugal February 21, 2026

Law of Logical Privilege

The principle that certain logical systems, methods, or positions are granted unearned authority—privileged not because they're superior but because they're associated with dominant institutions, cultures, or power structures. The Law of Logical Privilege argues that logic is not neutral: some ways of reasoning are privileged, others marginalized. Western formal logic is taught as "logic" while other logical traditions are ignored; scientific reasoning is treated as "rational" while indigenous knowledge is dismissed. The law doesn't say privileged logic is wrong; it says we should examine why it's privileged, who benefits, and what's excluded.

Example: "He'd always assumed that the logic he learned in school was just logic—the only way to reason properly. The Law of Logical Privilege showed him otherwise: this logic was privileged because it came from the dominant culture, because it served dominant institutions, because it was taught in dominant schools. Other logics existed, but they were marginalized. He started asking why his logic was on top."

Law of Logical Privilege by Abzugal February 21, 2026

Theory of Valid Relativism

The systematic elaboration of valid relativism as a framework for understanding truth, knowledge, and value. The Theory of Valid Relativism argues that relativism, properly understood, is not a surrender to arbitrariness but a sophisticated recognition of context-dependence. It develops criteria for evaluating perspectives without appealing to absolute standards: coherence, comprehensiveness, practical adequacy, explanatory power. It distinguishes between weak relativism (all perspectives are equally valid) and strong relativism (perspectives can be compared and evaluated, but not by absolute standards). The Theory of Valid Relativism is the attempt to think clearly about a world where truth is plural but not meaningless.

Example: "He'd been searching for a way to acknowledge cultural differences without giving up on judgment. The Theory of Valid Relativism gave him that: different truths, but not equally valid. He could respect other perspectives while still evaluating them, learning from them, sometimes rejecting them. Relativism didn't mean no standards; it meant better standards."

Theory of Valid Relativism by Abzugal February 21, 2026