Metaformal Sciences

The academic discipline that studies the nature of form, structure, and pattern, but from such a high level of abstraction that it becomes impossible to determine what is actually being studied. It's the field that asks: what is the shape of a shape? What is the pattern of patterning? And if you write a grant proposal about it, does the proposal itself become a metaformal object? Metaformal sciences are popular among philosophers who have given up on content and now focus exclusively on the containers that hold it, leading to conferences where everyone argues about the shape of the argument rather than the argument itself.

Example: "His dissertation in metaformal sciences was titled 'A Structural Analysis of the Concept of Structure in Structurally-Oriented Analyses.' His advisor said it was the most perfectly formed piece of nonsense he'd ever read and gave him an A+ for consistency."

by Nammugal February 14, 2026

Metaformal Social Sciences

The study of how human societies create, adopt, and fight over forms, structures, and templates. It examines why bureaucratic forms are always designed by sadists, why certain architectural styles become associated with power (columns = democracy, brutalist concrete = authoritarianism), and why the shape of a table can determine the outcome of a negotiation (round = collaborative, rectangular = adversarial). Metaformal social sciences reveal that humans are not just content-driven creatures; we are deeply influenced by the invisible structures that shape our interactions, from the layout of a classroom to the design of a smartphone app.

Example: "A metaformal social sciences study compared cities with grid layouts to those with organic, winding streets. It found that grid-city residents were more likely to get lost but more confident about giving directions, while organic-city residents had given up on navigation entirely and just followed vibes. The form of the city had shaped the psyche of its inhabitants."

by Nammugal February 14, 2026

Metaepistemological Sciences

The formal study of how we study how we know things, a discipline so recursive that its practitioners are often found in a state of permanent confusion, unsure whether they are knowing, knowing about knowing, or knowing about knowing about knowing. It's the field that asks: How do we know that our methods for acquiring knowledge are valid? And how do we know that we know that? And if we can't be certain about certainty, what can we be certain about? (Spoiler: nothing). Metaepistemological sciences are popular among grad students who have read too much philosophy and now question whether their coffee cup actually exists.

Example: "Her thesis in metaepistemological sciences was an attempt to establish a valid methodology for validating methodologies. After three years, she concluded that any methodology used to validate itself is inherently circular, and therefore, her entire thesis was based on a logical flaw. She was awarded a PhD for 'exceptional self-awareness.'"

by Nammugal February 14, 2026

Metaepistemological Social Sciences

The study of how groups of people collectively develop, maintain, and argue about their shared ways of knowing. It examines why scientific communities sometimes cling to outdated paradigms (because the old guys who established them are still alive and grant-reviewing), why conspiracy theories spread so effectively (because they offer a simpler, more emotionally satisfying epistemology than the complicated truth), and why "common sense" is different in every culture (because knowing is a social activity). It's the field that reveals that even our most cherished "facts" are often just things we all agreed to stop arguing about.

Example: "A metaepistemological social sciences study explored why flat-Earthers believe what they believe. It found that their epistemology wasn't necessarily 'worse' than mainstream science; it was just different, prioritizing personal experience and distrust of authority over peer review and empirical consensus. The study was then attacked by flat-Earthers for being part of the very 'authority conspiracy' it was describing."

by Nammugal February 14, 2026

Digital Sciences

The formal academic study of everything that happens on glowing rectangles, encompassing computer science, information theory, and the advanced physics of why your printer only breaks when you're in a hurry. It's the discipline that explains how binary code becomes cat videos, how algorithms know what you want before you do, and how a device in your pocket can access all human knowledge but is primarily used to argue with strangers about pineapple on pizza. Digital sciences have revolutionized humanity, but their greatest mystery remains why "restarting" fixes 90% of all problems.

Example: "After years studying digital sciences, she could explain the complex routing protocols that let her video call Tokyo. She could not, however, explain why her grandmother's iPad kept freezing on the exact same photo of a duck every single time. Some mysteries transcend science."

by Nammugal February 14, 2026

Digital Social Sciences

The study of how human behavior has mutated in the digital environment, examining phenomena like the "like" as a form of currency, the rise of the influencer as a career path, and the unique social dynamics of arguing with a stranger in a subreddit at 2 AM. It explores why people present idealized versions of themselves online, why anonymous forums bring out both the best and worst in humanity, and why your aunt shares so many Facebook minion memes. Digital social sciences confirm that humans are still tribal, status-seeking, and weird—we just do it on screens now.

Example: "A digital social sciences study analyzed why people post gym selfies. It concluded it wasn't about fitness, but about signaling virtue, soliciting validation, and establishing dominance over others who were, at that moment, not at the gym. The study was widely shared on Instagram by people at the gym."

by Nammugal February 14, 2026

Metadigital Sciences

The academic study of the digital world's reflection upon itself, examining how digital systems analyze, modify, and optimize other digital systems. It's the field that studies algorithms that write other algorithms, AI that trains other AI, and the recursive nightmare of "we need an app to manage all our other apps." Metadigital sciences ask the deep questions: If a computer generates a meme about computers, who owns the joke? And if your phone's battery-saver app needs its own battery-saver app, have we gone too far? (The answer is yes.)

Example: "His thesis in metadigital sciences was an analysis of how social media algorithms learned to optimize for engagement by studying how other social media algorithms optimized for engagement. The result was a perfect feedback loop of outrage and cat videos that neither humans nor machines could escape. He called it 'progress.'"

by Nammugal February 14, 2026