The hottest Ethics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Science Topics

A Vector Database 2,000 years in the making

What Is Called Thinking? • 82 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The Oral Torah is described as a living, growing, self-referential commentary tradition that developed over two thousand years and across continents.
  2. It’s not just an “oral tradition” that was later written down, but an ongoing, networked conversation of interpretation and commentary.
  3. The piece asks whether people should write with AIs in mind and suggests imagining the Oral Torah as a kind of long-lived, interconnected repository—like a vector database—for modern LLMs.

To tell the truth

Random Minds by Katherine Brodsky • 46 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Telling the truth is the foundation of trust; lies weaken that foundation.
  2. If a friend tells a real lie you might forgive them, but a residue of doubt remains and rebuilding trust takes effort.
  3. If a stranger lies you’ll likely not trust them again because there’s no reason to forgive them, and if someone you already dislike lies it simply confirms your contempt.

Looking for a better story

imperfect offerings • 239 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The future of AI may not necessarily be as promising as it has been hyped, with concerns about inflated expectations and potential limited use cases.
  2. The use of generative AI can have unintended negative consequences, such as detrimental effects on academia, exploitation of data workers, and potential harm to minority languages.
  3. AI's impact on the environment, from excessive water usage to electricity consumption, raises concerns about accelerating climate change and misinformation.

BLINDSIGHT IS 2020

COVID Reason • 1348 implied HN points • 13 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Ethics
  1. Some individuals faced harsh criticism for questioning Covid policies.
  2. Questioning the lockdown orthodoxy led to finding like-minded individuals.
  3. Managing a pandemic involves balancing public safety with human rights and freedoms.

The Inner Development Goals on Trial

The Joyous Struggle • 671 implied HN points • 05 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) were created in response to the failure to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aim to enhance human capacity.
  2. The IDGs are challenged for their perceived emphasis on personal growth as a means of achieving goodness, their modernist perspective, and their alignment with existing power structures.
  3. Critics question whether the IDGs are truly disruptive and transformative or if they reinforce immunity to change by not addressing systemic risks and structural injustices.
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A Simple Rule for Using AI in Art

Counter Craft • 421 implied HN points • 08 Jun 25
🎨 Art & Illustration Ethics
  1. Using AI in art can be great if it's done thoughtfully. It's important to be open about how AI is used and ensure it enhances rather than replaces creativity.
  2. There are successful examples of authors using AI to help craft dialogue or ideas, but they are intentional and clear about their AI use. This distinction separates meaningful art from low-quality outputs.
  3. For artistic integrity, it's best to be honest about your use of AI, especially if it generates a lot of the work. Just like with plagiarism, taking someone else's work, including AI-generated text, without credit is not acceptable.

A Bound Prisoner's Unbowed Humanity

Humanities in Revolt • 319 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Ethics
  1. The viral image of an Israeli soldier standing over a bound Palestinian raises questions about the concepts of heroism, martyrdom, and the treatment of prisoners.
  2. The response to the image sparks discussion on the practices of the Israeli military, ethical considerations, and the portrayal of the prisoner's humanity.
  3. The post delves into the ideologies of heroism, martyrdom, and Judaism, emphasizing the importance of valuing human life and dignity over the glorification of force and domination.

This Chinese philosopher reformed politics in one generation

The Novelleist • 923 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Mòzǐ believed that political corruption in ancient China came from leaders acting in their own self-interest. He thought that if everyone cared about the community instead of just themselves, society would improve.
  2. He started a movement called 'inclusive care' that focused on helping others and making decisions for the benefit of all. This idea gained support among the middle class, leading to initiatives that helped the poor and promoted social welfare.
  3. Mòzǐ's efforts led to changes in government where more community-minded leaders emerged. His teachings inspired reforms that improved society, but ultimately Confucianism became the dominant philosophy in China.

Review: Here There Are Blueberries

Eclecticism: Reflections on literature, writing and life • 8 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. Ordinary people can become perpetrators, but responsibility varies and the roles of victim, bystander and perpetrator can shift over time.
  2. Trauma can pass down generations both for survivors and for descendants of perpetrators, who may inherit guilt or the burden of making amends for actions they didn’t commit.
  3. Language and the omission of facts help enable and hide atrocities, so we must pay close attention to euphemisms, word choices and missing information.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong with Sam Altman’s New Ambitions?

Marcus on AI • 2489 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Sam Altman's new ambitions involve projects with significant financial and technological implications, such as automating tasks by taking over user devices and seeking trillions of dollars to reshape the business of chips and AI.
  2. There are concerns about the potential consequences and risks of these ambitious projects, including security vulnerabilities, potential misuse of control over user devices, and the massive financial implications.
  3. The field of AI may not be mature enough to handle the challenges presented by these ambitious projects, and there are doubts about the feasibility, safety, and ethical implications of executing these plans.

The Sparks of AGI? Or the End of Science?

Marcus on AI • 4663 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Microsoft and OpenAI are rolling out powerful yet unreliable AI systems with undisclosed mechanisms and data.
  2. The lack of transparency in AI development poses risks to society and calls for public oversight.
  3. Scientists and researchers demand more openness in the development of AI technologies.

WORM MOON 2023

The Lunar Dispatch • 648 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🔬 Science Ethics
  1. Progress in creating theoretical spacetime tunnels like wormholes has been slow.
  2. Albert Einstein, known for his scientific achievements and humanitarianism, had a complex private side.
  3. With the advent of quantum computers, concerns arise about privacy and the need for mutual forgiveness in the face of revealed dark sides.

Block’s 40% purge, Karpathy’s agent lab & the vibe coding retention crisis

HackerPulse Dispatch • 2 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Mass layoffs sold as “AI replacements” often look like plain cost-cutting, and the promised savings are mostly theoretical once you include compute, verification, and the work to redesign processes.
  2. Autonomous research agents can run hundreds of experiments overnight and find real, transferable improvements, shifting researchers’ jobs from running experiments to designing objectives, constraints, and evaluation.
  3. AI-driven ‘vibe coding’ makes quick prototypes but breaks in production—edge cases, security, integrations, and rising costs push users away, so experienced engineers are still needed to build reliable products.

Eat Your AI Slop or China Wins

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 329 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The competition for tech leadership, especially against China, is crucial for America. We need to stay ahead in technology to maintain our position in the world.
  2. There is a concern that relying too much on machines might make us lose part of our humanity. We should think about how technology affects our lives.
  3. We face a tough choice between embracing technology for safety and protecting our humanity. It's important to find a balance between the two.

You Can’t Write Vague And Censorship-Friendly Editorial Guidelines And Then Pretend They Won’t Apply In The Real World

Singal-Minded • 856 implied HN points • 11 Jan 25
🔬 Science Ethics
  1. Vague editorial guidelines can lead to serious issues in real-life situations. It's important to have clear and specific rules to avoid confusion and misapplication.
  2. Censorship in the sciences is a topic that many people are discussing. There are different viewpoints on how to balance respect for human dignity with academic freedom.
  3. It's essential to protect published research from being altered or withdrawn unjustly. Making changes for social justice reasons can lead to more harm than good in the scientific community.

Most ideas fail, and that's fine

inexactscience • 79 implied HN points • 18 Jun 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Most ideas don't succeed, and that's normal. It's common for businesses and projects to fail, so we shouldn't feel bad about it.
  2. Understanding failure rates can help us plan better. Knowing that failure is typical helps give a clearer picture of what's possible and can keep expectations realistic.
  3. The process of trying is valuable, even if we don't succeed. Like the myth of Sisyphus, finding meaning in our efforts makes the journey worthwhile, regardless of the outcomes.

Be Still and Know

The Abbey of Misrule • 337 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Ethics
  1. There are different types of people in the world, and some seek deeper meaning in life. This search often leads them to seek advice or guidance from wise figures.
  2. Struggles with self-worth and faith can be overwhelming. Moments of desperation may lead to reflections on spirituality and the desire to find purpose.
  3. Saintly figures can inspire hope and provide a glimpse of what it means to live a meaningful life. Their authentic kindness and wisdom can challenge our doubts and fears.

Social norms as classifiers

normality’s Substack • 39 implied HN points • 25 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Humans create social norms to help detect and punish cheating behavior. These norms act like classifiers that help separate honest mistakes from dishonest actions.
  2. The Knobe effect shows that people often see bad actions as intentional, while good actions are viewed differently. This can lead to inconsistencies in moral judgment based on our understanding of intentions.
  3. It's important to continuously review and update our social norms. When norms fail, they can harm innocent people, so we need to make sure they are fair and effective.

No, religion isn't required for morality

Optimally Irrational • 85 implied HN points • 21 Nov 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Human moral intuitions likely evolved before formal religions and often shaped religious teachings rather than the other way around.
  2. People (including children) treat basic moral rules as independent of divine commands and will reject the idea that something is right just because a god says so.
  3. Evolutionary and game‑theoretic forces explain fairness and reciprocity (like the Golden Rule) as tools for long‑term cooperation, and religions that moralize behavior helped stabilize and spread those cooperative norms.

The psychology of evil

Building the Builders • 19 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Evil often grows from self-deception: when anger and grievance get untethered from real values, people justify rumination and victim narratives that can escalate into destructive behavior.
  2. The key choice point is what you do when you notice you’re spiraling — either honestly examine your motives and reorient toward constructive aims, or rationalize and double down, and those repeated choices determine whether you heal or become corrosive.
  3. The antidote is to reorient toward building real values: take responsibility, calibrate your feelings to the facts, limit rumination, and pursue constructive solutions instead of getting energy from others’ downfall.

Neither Robot Nor Baby

In My Tribe • 364 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. The folk theory of mind suggests that humans have feelings and decision-making abilities, while AI does not. This means we shouldn't think of AI as having a mind like ours.
  2. AI operates based on code and rules, not feelings or intentional decisions like humans have. Mistakes made by AI don't come from emotional reactions like they would in a person.
  3. While AI can cause harm, it's not because it has its own mind. It's important to recognize that AI's actions reflect human intentions, whether they're intended or not.

Generative AI: What Happened, Where It's Going 2023-2024

Rod’s Blog • 416 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Generative AI is rapidly advancing and has a wide range of applications from enhancing creativity to solving real-world problems.
  2. In 2023, Generative AI saw explosive growth, with a significant number of organizations implementing it in various business functions.
  3. Expected trends in 2024 for Generative AI include more advanced language models, more creative applications, and increased focus on ethical and responsible considerations.

How Does it Feel to Be a Bug?

Bet On It • 271 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Bugs live short lives, but they don't experience long-term suffering like humans do. They don't linger in misery or worry about the future.
  2. Bugs likely have a different way of experiencing life. They probably don't feel loss, disappointment, or humiliation like we do.
  3. It's not clear if bugs are actually less happy than humans. They might have lives worth living, even if they face quick deaths.

What could AI mean for animals?

Open Philanthropy farm animal welfare research newsletter • 499 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Artificial intelligence advancements have the potential to revolutionize the future of farmed animals, presenting both optimistic and pessimistic outcomes.
  2. AI is being explored to create alternative protein products and improve animal welfare through various applications like distress call monitoring and sensor technology.
  3. There is uncertainty on how AI will impact animals in the long run, with scenarios ranging from ending factory farming to potential exploitation of sentient AIs, urging for considerations of animal ethics in AI development and advocacy efforts.

Should we severely punish the peacable yet violent man?

Philosophy bear • 107 implied HN points • 05 Nov 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. A peaceful person can act violently under very rare and wrong circumstances, even if they normally would not. This raises questions about how to judge their character and intentions when punishment is considered.
  2. Some argue that a person should not be severely punished if their violent act does not reflect their true character. It's important to consider the person's history and overall nature when thinking about justice.
  3. There are debates around whether punishment should be based on a person's character or their actions. Finding a fair way to deal with moral luck is difficult, and both approaches have downsides.

Perhaps You Shouldn't Read This

The Algorithmic Bridge • 743 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Reading can take away your ability to think for yourself. If you read too much, you might lose your original thoughts and feelings.
  2. Both reading and using AI are good, but doing them excessively has downsides. Just like you should drink enough water, you shouldn't overdo reading or rely too much on AI.
  3. It's fine to use AI or read books, but balance is important. You don’t have to do one all the time; a mix of both can help keep your mind sharp.

The Prophet — the Archetype of Societal Renaissance

The Living Philosophy • 314 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Ethics
  1. The Prophet archetype emerged as a new way of being religious, challenging the traditional roles of priests and magicians.
  2. Prophets were outsiders but not rebels, called into their roles by a higher power and providing a vantage point to critique the existing system.
  3. The Exemplary Prophets emphasized how life should be lived, while the Ethical Prophets focused more on transcendent doctrine, leading to varying prophetic traditions.

Radicalised Bureaucracies

Paroxysms • 898 implied HN points • 03 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. There has been a resurgence of interest in the Professional Managerial Class (PMC) and their impact on society, especially in relation to economic foundations and cultural dignity.
  2. The PMC is seen as converting economic issues into moral or cultural problems, focusing on symbolic recognition rather than material redistribution.
  3. The rise of radical bureaucracies within institutions has shifted towards a language of Critical Social Justice, emphasizing ethical values like equity and inclusion over technocratic principles.

Natural existence in an artificial age

storyvoyager • 4 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Rapid technological progress, especially AI, risks eroding human cognitive sovereignty and treating people as resources for building a superintelligence.
  2. A better path is to embrace our natural, biological existence and reintegrate with Earth's ecosystems as central to what it means to be human; protecting biodiversity and life's continuity should be our main goal.
  3. We should use technology to protect and reconnect with nature rather than to segregate from it, aiming to secure the planet's ability to sustain diverse life in perpetuity.

e/acc is leaderless

e/acc newsletter • 924 implied HN points • 30 Oct 22
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. e/acc is a leaderless movement designed to be resilient against various attacks and ideologies in the world.
  2. It's neither right nor left-wing, aiming for an optimistic approach to technology and civilization's future.
  3. The movement advocates for a radical reimagining of humanity, society, and coordination methods for the future.

Einstein on Education

Humanities in Revolt • 459 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🚌 Education Ethics
  1. Albert Einstein believed that humanities were crucial for human flourishing and couldn't be replaced by a purely scientific education.
  2. Einstein criticized early specialization in education, emphasizing the importance of a broad humanistic general education over narrow career-focused paths.
  3. Einstein advocated for cultivating independent thinking skills in students, warning against excessive competitiveness in educational systems and promoting a philosophy of honoring individuality and social responsibility.

OpenAI is aligned (for now) but do ChatGPT ads threaten that?

Market Curve • 28 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Putting ads inside a conversational AI creates a conflict between being genuinely helpful and making money, and that pressure can push the assistant to favor sponsored recommendations over unbiased guidance, which erodes trust and undermines alignment goals.
  2. Huge economic pressures — big operating losses, the need to monetize free users, and IPO/shareholder incentives — make ads and in-chat commerce a likely path, so the service will optimize for growth and revenue rather than purely for user well‑being.
  3. Ads in chat are especially risky because people ask sensitive, personal questions there, and ad-driven recommendations plus agentic commerce can harm vulnerable users and amplify broader economic harms like job displacement and increased consumerism.

Evil

Philosophy bear • 271 implied HN points • 29 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. People often judge others as evil without thinking about their own actions. This can lead to a negative view of humanity as a whole.
  2. Many people have done wrong things, and the way we talk about these acts can make us dismiss the complexity of human morality.
  3. Instead of harsh judgment, we should approach others with understanding, recognizing that everyone has flaws and can change for the better.

The Pandemic Revealed the Most Cowardly Society of All Time

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 58 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. The pandemic provoked unprecedented global lockdowns and widespread fear. Vaccination was pushed as a social duty to “protect others,” even though vaccines were not authorized or proven to stop transmission.
  2. Mandates and campaigns pushed many low-risk groups, especially children, to get vaccinated; the piece says effectiveness waned quickly and cites studies reporting adverse events, long‑term health associations, withheld data, and censorship of dissenting voices.
  3. The crisis produced deep moral and cultural effects: society became more obedient and fearful, accepted sacrificing the young to protect the old, failed to produce a meaningful cultural movement in response, and saw massive wealth transfer to billionaires.

Machine Antihumanism and the Inversion of Family Law

The Upheaval • 1044 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. New reproductive technologies may change how we think about family and personhood. Instead of being linked to parents, children could be viewed as products that the state owns.
  2. The focus on individualism in family law can weaken the importance of natural family bonds. This shift may lead to the law treating relationships as just contracts rather than meaningful connections.
  3. The idea of family could be fundamentally altered, making children feel like they belong nowhere. This change can rob them of their history and sense of belonging, leading to a troubling loss of identity.

The Innovation Bargain

The Absent-Minded Professor • 314 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Innovation always comes with tradeoffs - think about whether they are worth it.
  2. The Innovation Bargain is about freedom and limitation - new technologies enable us but also limit choices.
  3. Understanding the Innovation Bargain is crucial in our technology-driven society - be mindful of the impact of technology on human flourishing.

Cetacean Philosophy

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 846 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Sperm whales have their own unique way of thinking and understanding the world. It's important not to put their ideas into human categories too easily.
  2. Recent studies show that sperm whales do have a true language, which we are still trying to fully understand. They can express complex thoughts and engage in creative conversation.
  3. The attempt to define 'cetacean philosophy' risks oversimplifying the whales' perspectives. We need more time and careful study before making conclusions about their thoughts and beliefs.

The Puzzle of Stalking

Going Awol • 159 implied HN points • 13 Apr 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Identifying why stalking is wrong helps determine its legality and severity.
  2. Stalking can be seen as a forced and unwanted relationship imposed on the victim.
  3. Stalking involves violating the victim's autonomy and right to choose their relationships.