Ontological Design and Other Essays offers a way to understand and confront the growing power of design as it shapes our lives far beyond the functionality and aesthetics of products and environments. This influence is captured by the concept of Ontological Design: as humans design the material world, it, in turn, designs us. Our habits, notions of comfort and convenience, what we eat, wear, and how we travel—all are shaped by design, often toward unsustainable ways of living. This dynamic is driving both a psychosocial and biophysical crisis, as it becomes increasingly clear that what has been considered ‘normal’ and ‘desirable’ is devastating the climate, ecosystems, and species interdependencies, with potentially catastrophic consequences. The book critiques the insufficiency of techno-fixes and design solutionism, exposing how design operates ontologically—that is, at the level of being. Recognizing this opens possibilities for deeper, more transformative responses and different modes of intervention, not limited to professional designers. It is equally relevant to scholars in the Humanities grappling with contemporary crises and the urgent need for change.