Nick Bostrom (1973 – ) holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics (2000). He is a co-founder of the World Transhumanist Association (now called Humanity+) and co-founder of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. He was on the faculty of Yale University until 2005, when he was appointed Director of the newly created Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. He is currently Professor, Faculty of Philosophy & Oxford Martin School; Director, Future of Humanity Institute; and Director, Program on the Impacts of Future Technology; all at Oxford University. Continue reading Summary of Nick Bostrom’s “Ethical Issues in Advanced AI”
Monthly Archives: April 2018
The Solitary Life
I recently wrote about Kahlil Gibran and solitude. While many sages and seers have claimed there is something preferable in the solitary life, I’m skeptical of overemphasizing the need for it. We are social beings and there is much evidence that loneliness is a major problem in the modern world. Continue reading The Solitary Life
Why Earth’s History Appears So Miraculous
Here is a brief recap of Peter Brannen’s recent piece in the Atlantic: “Why Earth’s History Appears So Miraculous: The strange, cosmic reason our evolutionary path will look ever luckier the longer we survive.”
Brannen begins by introducing us to the observer selection effect. Continue reading Why Earth’s History Appears So Miraculous
Summary of “It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics”
Political science professor David Faris has just published a new book: It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics
How Democracies Die: Trump and American Democracy
Trump’s long-term effect on American democracy: How worried should we be?
Retired mathematics professor Doug Mudar penned the above-named essay Monday on his blog “The Weekly Sift.” Its careful analysis reflects a well-ordered mind molded by the rigors of earning a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Chicago. Mudar begins with a partial list of just a few of the many things that are concerning about the current regime. Continue reading How Democracies Die: Trump and American Democracy