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
“What is the Meaning of Life?” Understanding the Question
Dignaga founded a school of Buddhist epistemology and logic.
While the question, “what is the meaning of life?” is vague, philosophers generally think that it can be separated into cosmic or global questions like “What’s it all about?” or “Why does the universe exist?” and individualistic or local questions like “How should I live?” or “What makes a life worthwhile?” Continue reading “What is the Meaning of Life?” Understanding the Question
Solitary Confinement: “I Am Buried Alive in a Michigan Prison” – Lacino Hamilton
I was deeply moved by Lacino Hamilton’s essay “I Am Buried Alive in a Michigan Prison.” Mr. Hamilton has been in solitary for several years now and I’ll leave it to my readers to read his short essay. It is a powerful description of this torture and the despair it evokes. What a powerful indictment of the prison system and its high-tech dungeons. What a historical stain on the USA. Do we need any further evidence that we are barbarians? Continue reading Solitary Confinement: “I Am Buried Alive in a Michigan Prison” – Lacino Hamilton