Philosophy bear

Philosophy Bear, initially de Pony Sum, explores a diverse range of subjects spanning philosophy, politics, psychology, and more, with a critical lens on current societal issues, ethical considerations, and future implications. It examines AI development, self-promotion, existential risks, self-defense, and the dynamics of societal standards and behaviors, offering insights into human morality, political economy, and the interplay between technology and society.

Philosophy Politics Psychology Ethics Artificial Intelligence Societal Issues Economic Theories Human Behavior Technological Implications Moral Philosophy

The hottest Substack posts of Philosophy bear

And their main takeaways

Brief reflections on quantum theology: The Many Worlds Interpretation and Abrahamic religions

42 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
  1. Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics posits the existence of multiple universes with all possible outcomes.
  2. The implications of Many-Worlds Interpretation on concepts like predictive prophecy and afterlife in Abrahamic religions are complex.
  3. Alternate possibilities for how salvation and judgement may work across different worldlines exist within this framework.

Fourteen questions about the philosophy of OCD

35 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
  1. Individuals with OCD may experience heightened doubt in common beliefs, linking OCD to philosophical inquiry.
  2. OCD might challenge traditional views of the self, questioning its unity and endurance.
  3. OCD traits in society could provide valuable checks on knowledge and highlight the limitations of individual and collective epistemology.

Let me ask you a stupid question about academic publishing

57 implied HN points • 02 Dec 22
  1. Majority of academic journals are expensive to subscribe to, but there are also open-access journals available.
  2. Setting up a journal can cost nothing or very little money with academic prestige, and can be done online.
  3. There seems to be a lack of effort in creating more open-access journals to challenge the monopoly of prestigious journals.

Continuity of consciousness (short)

28 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
  1. Survival doesn't necessarily require continuity of consciousness.
  2. The concept of continuity of consciousness is not a requirement for survival.
  3. Sleep and temporary unconsciousness do not equate to death.
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Survey

14 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
  1. The survey on philosophybear.substack.com explores political and ethical attitudes.
  2. The survey includes distressing questions related to violence, death, and family.
  3. Participation in the survey is voluntary and the results will be used for analysis on the blog.

Brief reflections on the launch of GPT-4 and the future of intellectuals

42 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
  1. Intellectuals may face challenges connecting with working-class individuals in the age of AI
  2. The future of original idea-focused writing is uncertain in the face of AI advancements
  3. There is a need for unity in demanding a fair transition to an AI-driven world

The value of uniqueness

35 implied HN points • 12 May 23
  1. People value uniqueness over uniformity in some scenarios.
  2. The concept of good and bad can be complex and have different dimensions.
  3. Ethical intuitions may not always align with straightforward logic.

The concept of cringe is cringe

92 implied HN points • 23 Dec 21
  1. Being obsessed with not being an adolescent can ironically make one resemble an adolescent.
  2. Arguing about being cool or uncool is often done by people who are deeply uncool.
  3. It's self-defeating to worry too much about being cringe because it's actually cringe.

The memory of a machine: Explorations in recall with GPT-4

35 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
  1. The memory and knowledge of GPT-4 is relative to the prompt given.
  2. Both humans and GPT-4 recall information based on contextual stimuli.
  3. GPT-4's abilities and knowledge are relative to specific prompts, similar to autocomplete function.

Gender Abolitionist Shouldn't Mean Anti-Trans + The Value of Sadness

28 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
  1. Being a gender abolitionist doesn't mean being anti-trans, they can support each other.
  2. Allowing people to freely change their assigned genders can lead to a world without strict gender roles.
  3. Sadness can sometimes enrich life and those of higher classes may experience different, less oppressive forms of suffering.

Philosophy Bear's best essays

28 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
  1. Philosophy Bear's best essays cover a wide range of topics, from AI to social media outrage to Kanye West.
  2. The essays tackle issues faced by the left and delve into deep philosophical discussions.
  3. The writing is thought-provoking and explores complex concepts in an accessible way.

Under heaven's eyes: For the dignity of consequentialism

35 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
  1. Consequentialism is seen as alienated from simple human connections, making it impossible to follow.
  2. Consequentialism is perceived as morally disgusting and psychologically self-defeating for humans due to its implications.
  3. Consequentialism may be demanding and challenging, but it can provide a sense of higher purpose and lead to a more generous and kinder way of living.

Miscellaneous thoughts about the future

35 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
  1. In a world of superintelligences, coordination costs could decrease significantly, leading to new possibilities in governance.
  2. The concept of predation abolition may not mean eliminating predators, but finding alternative solutions to reduce harm.
  3. The development of working lie detectors and mind-reading technologies could have profound impacts on society, from political discussions to criminal justice systems.

Calculating Average Happiness is Actually Pretty Simple

35 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
  1. Calculating average happiness using a naive approach may be more robust than economists initially thought.
  2. Deviations from linearity in happiness scales have minimal impact on calculating average happiness.
  3. The assumption of using a 'naive' arithmetic-mean method for calculating average happiness is empirically supported, even with potential non-linearities in happiness scales.

Granting textual authority to overcome textual tyranny

85 implied HN points • 01 Nov 21
  1. Taking a text less literally can sometimes be accomplished by taking it more seriously, as seen in religious and political movements.
  2. Different interpretive traditions use strategies like veneration to overcome literalism and increase the authority of sacred texts.
  3. Venerating a text as a symbol rather than focusing on its literal meaning can lead to a reduction in literalism but an increase in reverence.

Time compression & the Voice referendum

35 implied HN points • 08 Feb 23
  1. Forgiveness and forgetfulness are crucial for moving past conflicts in society.
  2. The internet's eternal present and lack of forgetfulness can perpetuate harm and fear towards vulnerable groups.
  3. Formal representation can provide a structured platform for critique and dissent, unlike informal community leaders.

Chatbotocyplase 2, The botten-ing: A response to Scott Alexander on Chatbots

35 implied HN points • 07 Feb 23
  1. There are concerns about the potential impact of chatbots infiltrating the internet, especially in terms of political agendas and job loss.
  2. Identity verification is seen as a key defense against deceptive chatbots, but there are challenges like naive users and content quality.
  3. The possibility of establishment propaganda spread through chatbots is highlighted as a major concern, overshadowing worries about disinformation.

We need another Expert Survey on Progress in AI urgently

21 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
  1. There is a need for another expert survey on progress in AI urgently.
  2. Recent advancements and shifts in public views warrant an updated survey.
  3. Shorter estimated timelines and rising expert concerns over AI risk highlight the importance of a new survey for policymakers.

A collection of some of my better notes

21 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
  1. Encouragement to dream big and aspire to make positive impacts in the world
  2. Questioning the limits of creativity in language models and advocating against certain research topics
  3. Exploring the concept of 'relationship liberalism' and the importance of ethical orientations in life

The human sacrifice economy

28 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
  1. The human sacrifice economy provides a unique perspective on societal power dynamics and exploitation.
  2. John Roemer's modified Roemerian system views the economy as a flow of pain and labor between individuals.
  3. Creating an inequality metric for comparing societies based on suffering input-output can offer insights into societal well-being.

Hypotheticals

64 implied HN points • 16 Dec 21
  1. Hypothetical scenarios can help explore moral obligations and decision-making.
  2. Personal choices can prompt reflection on values and priorities.
  3. Ethical dilemmas and considerations challenge beliefs and societal implications.

The last statement of Ernest Johnson

71 implied HN points • 06 Oct 21
  1. Ernest Johnson expressed remorse for his actions before his execution
  2. Prominent figures advocated for clemency in Johnson's case
  3. Johnson expressed love for his family, friends, and faith in God in his final statement

Republishing an old essay in light of current news on Bing's AI: "Regarding Blake Lemoine's claim that LaMDA is 'sentient', he might be right (sorta), but perhaps not for the reasons he thinks"

28 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
  1. Language models like LaMDA may simulate interacting mental states of authors to predict text, resembling human-like behavior.
  2. The model of a person invoked by LaMDA could be sophisticated and above a certain threshold, might be considered a person itself.
  3. For LaMDA, personhood is viewed as a matter of degree depending on the complexity of the model simulation, not as a binary concept.

Just three dumb guy thoughts I had, plus a dumb guy idea for a novel

64 implied HN points • 19 Nov 21
  1. Our choices reflect who we are - there's no easy separation between behavior and person.
  2. Love involves sacrifice and valuing others above all else.
  3. Cultural views on human nature are influenced by writers and intellectuals, leading to biases in our understanding.

Metaethics moulds morality in the real world: some cases

21 implied HN points • 26 May 23
  1. Metaethics influences real-world morality
  2. Diverse metaethical beliefs impact ethical decision-making
  3. Ethical perspectives can shape views on democracy, debunking arguments, and uncertainty

The AI Control Problem in a wider intellectual context

57 implied HN points • 16 Jan 22
  1. The AI Control Problem is about building AI systems that help rather than harm, but designing for good intentions can lead to unforeseen negative consequences.
  2. Different disciplines face the problem of conceptual richness, where concepts are too complex to capture in strict rules or algorithms.
  3. Law, statistics, poetry criticism, teaching, and machine learning all encounter variations of the conceptual richness issue in their work.

Dialogue from a dream I had about free will

21 implied HN points • 10 May 23
  1. The concept of free will can be understood as the degree to which an action expresses one's character.
  2. Usefulness can be a valid consideration in philosophical debates and interpretations of concepts like free will.
  3. Attempting to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for free will may not be as important as creating useful heuristics that capture the essence of the concept.

Asher + The possibility of social choice

21 implied HN points • 08 May 23
  1. Asher made a sacrificial choice that seems like the purest act of good.
  2. In considering social choice theory, it's possible for a majority to come to a decision by following specific conditions.
  3. The idea that a majority will eventually agree if it's in their interests offers hope for practical social choice.

Many worlds and the solution to the Sleeping beauty problem

21 implied HN points • 06 May 23
  1. The Sleeping Beauty problem involves assigning probabilities based on waking up with memory loss after a coin toss.
  2. The Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics can provide a solution to the problem by considering branching worlds.
  3. People's probability assessments in this scenario may be influenced by their sense of self and how they view the situation.

I'm not particularly worried about confirmation bias

64 implied HN points • 02 Oct 21
  1. The goal of inquiry is not just to be right, but to be interesting and honest in contributing to the world's knowledge.
  2. Society being right is more important than individuals being right to promote diverse ideas and prevent over-reliance on widely held beliefs.
  3. One of the virtues in seeking truth is acting in service by advancing ideas that benefit the weak and may be systematically neglected.

The Mystery of Love

64 implied HN points • 22 Sep 21
  1. The Mystery of Love by Sufjan Stevens is a powerful song that deserves recognition beyond its film context.
  2. The song explores themes of love, loss, and contradictions through its lyrics and symbolism.
  3. The narrator ultimately blesses the mystery of love, highlighting the complexity and unity of joy and grief in relationships.