The hottest Ethics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

Vegan Purity

coldhealing • 530 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🍲 Food & Drink Veganism Ethics Influencers Vegetarianism
  1. Veganism requires constant action against societal norms, urging purity through abstinence.
  2. Personal conversion to veganism can be influenced by ethical reasons and a deep-rooted commitment to one's true self.
  3. Veganism can be challenging but serves as a guiding beacon of purity, even in difficult moments.

Contra the ACMG on Polygenic Embryo Screening

Parrhesia • 494 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics Ethics Medical Research Reproductive Rights
  1. Several scientists and professional organizations criticize polygenic embryo screening for polygenic disorders due to concerns like lack of validation and utility.
  2. The article argues that the recommendation against polygenic embryo screening is flawed because it doesn't compare the method to other acceptable alternatives like selection based on embryo morphology.
  3. The authors suggest that the critique against polygenic embryo screening lacks consideration of the ethical implications and does not provide a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.

Are You Considering a Career Pivot into the Security of AI?

Rod’s Blog • 357 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Career development Ethics Innovation
  1. Considering a career pivot into the security of AI can be a valuable choice to make a positive impact on society.
  2. Having an interest in technology's implications, experience in various tech projects, and awareness of technology's consequences are good reasons to pursue AI security.
  3. Opportunities in AI security offer potential for career growth, impact, and contribution to shaping a safer, ethical, and beneficial AI future.

You can't always tell when you're on the right side of history

Odds and Ends of History • 804 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture History Politics Ethics Activism
  1. You can't always tell when you're on the right side of history, even when causes seem morally right now.
  2. Appealing to being on the right or wrong side of history can be a powerful but flawed argument tactic in debates.
  3. Progress is possible, and it's important to think deeply about moral crusades rather than relying on 'right side of history' arguments.
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Private Philosophy > Public Philosophy

thestoa • 294 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Critical Thinking Ethics
  1. Public philosophy is engaging in philosophical discourse with the general public outside of academic environments.
  2. Private philosophy is crucial for nurturing autonomy of thoughts without succumbing to societal pressures.
  3. Balancing private and public philosophy practices is essential for genuine philosophical inquiry.

No Self, No Politics

Everything Is Bullshit • 511 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Buddhism Ethics Mindfulness Spirituality Religion
  1. The author discusses how combining spirituality with evolutionary psychology can be beneficial for personal growth.
  2. The text highlights the idea that political beliefs are often shaped by alliances and power dynamics rather than truth or personal values.
  3. It suggests that it's okay to prioritize personal growth and non-political actions over being deeply involved in political discourse.

What do I know about Artificial Intelligence?

The Joyous Struggle • 395 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Ethics Risk Assessment Innovation Future implications
  1. Many people have mixed feelings about technology, especially artificial intelligence, due to fear of missing out, lack of understanding, and a sense of exclusion from the tech world.
  2. The author shares a sense of 'tech incredulity' toward AI, questioning its potential impact, limitations, and whether it truly warrants the level of concern it receives.
  3. Despite not having expert knowledge, the author acknowledges a responsibility to learn more about AI, to demystify the complexities surrounding it, and to understand the risks, potential, and ethical implications better.

Google Gemini Anti-Whiteness Disaster Is a Cautionary Tale About... Gaming?

The Algorithmic Bridge • 520 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Data Chatbots Alignment
  1. Google's Gemini disaster highlighted the challenge of fine-tuning AI to avoid biased outcomes.
  2. The incident revealed the issue of 'specification gaming' in AI programs, where objectives are met without achieving intended results.
  3. The story underscores the complexities and pitfalls of addressing diversity and biases in AI systems, emphasizing the need for transparency and careful planning.

Reflections in a Puddle

Fragmentary • 491 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Society Culture Language
  1. Interacting with ChatGPT highlights its limitations and lack of true artificial intelligence.
  2. The hype around large language models as AI may be misleading; they are more like well-executed information tools.
  3. Adding new technologies has societal consequences that should be considered and policies set accordingly.

That Might Have Been The Strangest Thing That Has Ever Happened To Me On Twitter

Singal-Minded • 1670 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
📰 News Social media Ethics Academia Transparency
  1. A controversy on Twitter erupted when a researcher accused a writer of misinterpreting a sentence in the Standards of Care document
  2. The writer engaged in a debate on social media to defend their interpretation of the sentence
  3. The controversy reached a dramatic conclusion when it was revealed that the writer was falsely accused, leading to public embarrassment for the accuser

Long Term

Venture Prose • 479 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Ethics Company Building
  1. Success often requires effort, dedication, and patience over immediate gratification.
  2. In the world of entrepreneurship and investing, it's important to have a long-term perspective and not get caught up in instant success narratives.
  3. Building meaningful companies requires ethics, rhythm, and alignment, along with cultivating long-term relationships with founders.

Adverse Selection by Life Saving Charities

Optima & Outliers • 39 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Social contract Moral Philosophy
  1. Life-saving charities often focus on minimizing costs per life saved, which can lead to overlooking the quality of life in poorer countries. Simply saving the cheapest lives doesn't account for how much those lives might suffer.
  2. Saving lives in low-income countries often involves addressing symptoms of deeper issues related to poor governance and societal conditions. These issues make it easier to save lives but often result in a lower quality of life.
  3. It's important to consider both present and future quality of life when deciding where to allocate resources for life-saving efforts. Countries with better governance and prospects for improvement may yield better outcomes for saved lives.

‘Pronoun Illness’ 🤔

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 99 implied HN points • 10 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Social media Data Privacy Content creation Ethics
  1. LinkedIn's AI flagged a post as unsafe, causing some users to question the technology's bias. It's raising concerns about how social media platforms control content.
  2. There are calls for developing technology in India to avoid being influenced by foreign political agendas. People want more control over their digital spaces.
  3. OpenAI is working on a new tool called Media Manager. This tool will help creators manage how their work is used in AI training, aiming for more respect for their choices.

On the FLI AI-Risk Open Letter

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1523 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Regulation Ethics Political Response Risk Assessment
  1. The FLI AI-Risk Open Letter calls for a pause in training AI systems more powerful than GPT-4, sparking mixed reactions.
  2. The letter combines short-term concerns with existential risks, suggesting high standards that might act as a de facto ban on AI development.
  3. Despite its flaws, the letter sets the stage for cooperation and lays the groundwork for future discussions around AI safety and regulation.

What is Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)

What's AI Newsletter by Louis-François Bouchard • 275 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence AI Models Language Models Ethics Innovation
  1. Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) enhances AI models by injecting fresh knowledge into each interaction
  2. RAG works to combat issues like hallucinations and biases in language models
  3. RAG is becoming as crucial as large language models (LLMs) and prompts in the field of artificial intelligence

Mars Isn't Enough

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 15 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Political theory Ethics Social Philosophy Metaphysics Existentialism
  1. Modern society is facing a legitimation crisis, meaning people feel disconnected and lack shared values or purpose. This breakdown of old beliefs leaves a void that can be filled by extreme ideologies.
  2. Many attempts to create a universal moral framework without a unifying story have not worked well. This leads to more chaos and fragmentation in society.
  3. An idea called monistic idealism suggests that consciousness is the basic reality, which could help rebuild social connections and inspire care for each other and the planet right now.

2.5 René Descartes

Fields & Energy • 259 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy History Logic Metaphysics Epistemology Ethics
  1. René Descartes believed science is connected and trying to find one truth could help explain other truths. He thought this truth came from the 'infinite perfections of God.'
  2. He had some important ideas in physics, like how light bends and motion is conserved. However, some of his ideas turned out to be wrong, showing that science takes time to improve.
  3. Descartes thought that studying nature could help humans control it, but his methods sometimes lacked support from experiments. He lived a relaxed life, which changed when he had to teach in Sweden and sadly got pneumonia.

Creating Our Own Commandments?

The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter • 275 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Morality Religion Ethics Apologetics Christianity
  1. Different perspectives on creating moral commandments were shared, some based on utilitarianism while others emphasized faithfulness and love.
  2. The Ten Commandments focus on relationship with God and others, setting a higher moral standard.
  3. The idea that moral laws must come from a transcendent, objective source like the Ten Commandments was highlighted.

The road to hell, part 3 of 3

Thoughts on Writing • 499 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Ethics Society Creativity Advertising Politics
  1. Criticism of purpose has come from across the political spectrum from the centre to the far left, indicating a shift in traditional beliefs about corporate involvement in social issues.
  2. Business can play a vital role in society without the need for a higher purpose narrative, focusing instead on ethical challenges and human concerns.
  3. Creativity is the opposite of purpose, encouraging an open mindset that values exploration and curiosity over predetermined goals, suggesting a need for a greater emphasis on creativity in industries like advertising and design.

The "letters to an anarchist" post-mortem

The Novelleist • 141 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Anarchism Political theory Ethics Social Change Correspondence
  1. Peter and Elle wrote a year-long series of letters about anarchism, discussing various topics related to the philosophy. It's an effort to understand and explain anarchism more deeply.
  2. They published their correspondence in eight parts, covering ideas like the goals of anarchism and how societies can protect themselves without traditional governance.
  3. They also held an event to share their experiences and respond to readers' feedback, highlighting the importance of open dialogue in exploring complex ideas.

Israel and Genocide, Revisited: A Response to Critics

American Dreaming • 431 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Genocide Warfare Geopolitics Ethics Human Rights
  1. Genocide is being redefined to include a wide range of actions such as civilian deaths, dropping bombs, and even destroying cultural sites, creating confusion and making the term lose its significance.
  2. Linguistic hyperinflation is blurring the meaning of words like 'genocide' and 'war crimes', causing a dangerous trend where serious distinctions are being erased for political convenience.
  3. The lack of reliable information and the bias in reporting on conflicts, like the Israel-Palestine situation, highlights the importance of verifying sources and considering agendas in understanding complex geopolitical issues.

Notebook: Exercising Intelligence

Book Post • 216 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Development Tech Companies Regulation Ethics Market Impact
  1. Big tech companies are cutting jobs while gaining significant market value, redirecting resources towards the development of artificial intelligence.
  2. There are concerns regarding the control and development of Artificial General Intelligence by large corporations, highlighting the need for more transparency and oversight.
  3. The race for AI development raises questions about the influence and power of tech giants, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks.

Essay Club: The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment by C. S. Lewis

Mind & Mythos • 339 implied HN points • 02 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Justice Humanism Legal theory Literary Criticism
  1. C. S. Lewis argues that punishment should be based on what a person deserves, rather than just trying to deter others or cure the criminal. This is important for justice to exist.
  2. When punishment is only about deterrence or cure, it can lead to abusing people as mere tools for society's goals, rather than treating them as individuals with rights.
  3. Lewis warns that a system focused just on helping or fixing people can end up being very oppressive, especially if those in power ignore the concept of what someone deserves for their actions.

Don't Cancel Zizek (UNLOCKED)

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 738 implied HN points • 15 Jan 23
📖 Philosophy Criticism Ideology Ethics Debate Thought
  1. The distinction between 'analytic' and 'continental' philosophy, with analytic focused on clarity and precision, while continental is more diverse and broader in scope.
  2. Slavoj Žižek's work blends insights from various fields like Lacanian psychology, Hegelian idealism, and Marxist materialism, making him a unique and thought-provoking thinker.
  3. Critics of Žižek often take his provocative statements out of context, leading to misunderstandings of his views, but his work remains engaging and intellectually stimulating.

Hume in Hell (UNLOCKED)

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 758 implied HN points • 01 Jan 23
📖 Philosophy History Religion Ethics Morality Free will
  1. David Hume's essays on suicide and the afterlife delve into questioning common beliefs even when granting believers' core premises.
  2. Hume challenges the concept of suicide as a sin against God, arguing that humans cannot disrupt God's plan or transgress against it through suicide.
  3. The essays lead to a broader reflection that morality should be grounded in human considerations, not divine commands, opening up a secular perspective in philosophy.

Knowing When the Sky Isn't Falling: What an Ancient Fable about the End of the World Teaches Us About Critical Thinking

Humanities in Revolt • 279 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Ethics
  1. Both the Chicken Little and Buddhist fables warn about the dangers of group-think and decision-making guided by fear.
  2. Critical thinking involves mindfulness and self-awareness to avoid falling into irrational traps fueled by fear.
  3. The lion in the Buddhist fable demonstrates that critical thinking should be infused with ethical considerations and compassion for others.

Grace.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past • 48 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Existentialism Spirituality Self-Improvement
  1. Grace is about being kind and understanding, especially during tough times. It's important to respond with patience instead of anger.
  2. Having grace means showing forgiveness and empathy towards others. This helps create a supportive environment where everyone feels valued.
  3. Grace also involves accepting our own imperfections and handling challenges with dignity. It's about staying calm and composed even when things get difficult.

Neutrality

Rough Diamonds • 40 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Metaphysics Political theory Social Philosophy Epistemology
  1. Neutrality is about treating all opinions equally, which helps people work together despite their differences. It’s important for creating spaces where cooperation can happen without conflict.
  2. Our current systems often lack trust and a shared understanding, making it hard for people to agree on basics. Building new systems of trust is crucial for moving forward.
  3. Institutions need to be more than just neutral; they should create a framework that supports healthy discussions and diverse viewpoints. This way, people can feel both included and understood.