The hottest Ethics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Why would Runner's World fire someone from its editorial staff for brazen lying? This isn't the dark ages of publishing, when basic ethics and brainpower were oddly valued

Beck of the Pack • 117 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media Ethics Diversity Journalism Content creation
  1. Runner's World faced backlash for not firing an editor accused of lying
  2. The fitness media is criticized for prioritizing attention seekers over ethics
  3. Corporate media outlets are losing credibility as independent sources gain popularity

Ten Categories of Undying Beings

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 13 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Existence Futurism Ethics
  1. There are ten interesting ways to think about immortality. Each category represents a different aspect of how one might achieve or understand being undying.
  2. Categories like 'Biological Stasis' and 'Regenerative Longevity' suggest methods related to physical health and recovery.
  3. More abstract ideas like 'Conceptual Persistence' and 'Ontological Necessity' explore deeper philosophical notions about existence and being.

What's Wrong with Moderation?

Humanities in Revolt • 239 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Feminism Equality Ethics Freedom
  1. Social progress often comes from principled conviction rather than compromising between extremes.
  2. Historical movements for justice and social transformation have often required radicalism, advocacy, and personal sacrifice, rather than moderation.
  3. Feminist foremothers teach us that true social change necessitates dissent, defiance of norms, and enduring discomfort to combat oppression and injustice.

The Divine Right of Founders

From the New World • 21 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Political theory Ethics Social Philosophy Historical context
  1. Silicon Valley founders are seen as having a special power over their companies, similar to how kings ruled in the past. Their personal insight gives them a unique control that others can't match.
  2. Many believe that companies struggle when they lose their founders, as those leaders provide a sense of legitimacy and direction. This belief reflects a deep connection between leadership and success in startups.
  3. The idea that modern concepts of state and power come from religious ideas shows how intertwined our views of governance and business are. This connection could change how we see both companies and countries today.

NYT vs. The Musk Foundation: A Masterclass in Slant

The Save Journalism Committee • 216 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business Philanthropy Nonprofit Media Criticism Ethics Politics
  1. The NYT article raises concerns about Elon Musk's foundation finances, but overlooks crucial details like the grace period where the foundation caught up on giving deficits in following years.
  2. Private foundations like Musk's have latitude in choosing charities based on legal approvals, not restrictions like public charities. Contextual understanding of foundation structures is essential.
  3. The article highlights Musk's charitable acts but frames them in a negative light, despite him helping schools, disasters, and children in need. The public benefit of these actions is significant.
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ChinAI #253: Tencent Research Institute releases Large Model Security & Ethics Report

ChinAI Newsletter • 117 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Security Ethics Research Translation
  1. The report highlights security assessments for LLMs, such as prompt injection attacks and adversarial examples.
  2. Tencent developed a platform to evaluate large model security, focusing on automated attack sample generation and risk analysis.
  3. The concept of 'Blue Army' drills is discussed as a method to test the effectiveness of large models like Hunyuan.

Twilight of Truth?

Earthly Fortunes • 235 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Truth Language Society Ethics
  1. Language AIs have flaws, but they sparked our care for truth again.
  2. Machines producing statistics aren't always truthful. There's a difference between probable and actual truths.
  3. We shouldn't rely on truth engines for moral decisions. Humans hold moral truths and should be cautious about giving up our values to machines.

Trail Runner's editor-in-chief vows to remain a hypocritical, privileged imbecile who dismisses athletically, intellectually, morally, and creatively superior people as "trolls"

Beck of the Pack • 137 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Running Media Criticism Sports Ethics
  1. The editor-in-chief of Trail Runner has been criticized for being hypocritical and dismissive of others
  2. There is concern over the quality and integrity of content in certain running publications
  3. Ethical concerns have been raised regarding the behavior of individuals in the running industry

How ERNIE, China's ChatGPT, Cracks Under Pressure

ChinaTalk • 459 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Chatbot Ethics Language processing
  1. ERNIE filters out unsavory questions by making them impossible to type in or steering conversations away.
  2. ERNIE's proficiency in Chinese is strong, but it struggles with more complex prompts and may provide inaccurate information.
  3. ERNIE tends to copy-paste responses from 'trusted' sources when faced with prompts that could lead to non-permissible content.

The radical left has lost its moral compass

Heterodox STEM • 384 implied HN points • 29 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology Social Issues Ethics Cultural critique
  1. Postmodernism and nihilism have influenced academic institutions, leading to moral relativism and a shift away from open inquiry and tolerance.
  2. The push for 'anti-racism' has sometimes resulted in discriminatory practices, undermining merit-based systems and educational opportunities.
  3. A call to challenge and openly debate harmful ideologies that have infiltrated academic institutions and to reaffirm the importance of objective truth and moral clarity.

Searching for Posthumanist AI

Cybernetic Forests • 259 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🔬 Science AI Technology Ethics Philosophy Environment
  1. Large Language Models are anthropocentric and pose challenges to moving beyond human-centric ideologies
  2. Post-humanism emphasizes decentering humanity and focusing on the health of the planet and interconnected natural systems
  3. AI's current state reflects human biases and design decisions, and a posthumanist approach would require a shift towards technologies that facilitate listening and understanding the world outside ourselves

More Thoughts On Intellectual Diversity In Biglaw

Original Jurisdiction • 599 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology Ethics Diversity Legal analysis Free speech
  1. Big Law firms have a lack of intellectual diversity which is not beneficial for the legal profession.
  2. There is pressure on Big Law firms to conform to certain ideological standards based on clients' expectations.
  3. Encouraging diverse perspectives and civil discourse in the workplace can lead to better outcomes and a more enjoyable environment.

Former Totalitarians

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 206 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💾 History Leadership Ethics Regime Decisions
  1. A life judged based on leadership in a horrific regime can be a critical aspect of history.
  2. Ethical individuals who foresaw the consequences but were not part of the consequential decisions can hold significant importance.
  3. The transition from being monstrous to making critical decisions in tough times can have lasting impacts on society.

Will Progressives Defend In Vitro Gametogenesis?

Parrhesia • 685 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🔬 Science Genetics Ethics Health Media Technology
  1. In vitro gametogenesis (IVG) could revolutionize reproduction by providing more eggs for embryo creation.
  2. Increased availability of eggs through IVG can lead to significant gains in selecting embryos for desirable traits.
  3. Critics of genetic enhancement technologies should make fair comparisons with existing methods and consider the overall benefits.

Embodying the Good

Humanities in Revolt • 219 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Meaning of life Ethics Human Values Justice Existentialism
  1. The peace movement highlighted the importance of embodying intrinsic values, such as truth, justice, autonomy, and integrity, above achieving immediate results.
  2. Recognizing and enacting self-justifying values allows us to find meaning and purpose in the face of life's futility.
  3. Activists in the peace movement worked to promote human dignity, freedom, and justice, rejecting defeatism and continuing to embody their principles despite facing challenges and setbacks.

"Somehow They Died": The Iraq War, Civilian Deaths, and the Meaning of Objectivity

Humanities in Revolt • 219 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics War Media Reporting Ethics
  1. Popular culture often glorifies warfare while minimizing the harsh realities of war and its impact on civilians.
  2. Media outlets frequently fail to attribute responsibility for civilian deaths in conflicts, leaving out crucial details and hiding the agents behind these tragedies.
  3. True objectivity in reporting on war must involve providing meaningful context and addressing ethical and moral implications, rather than just stating sterile statistics.

The Morality Paradox

Who is Robert Malone • 18 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Morality Agency Leadership Decision-making
  1. High-agency people have the ability to shape their own lives and pursue their goals actively. They take control and create opportunities instead of just waiting for them.
  2. Being goal-oriented is important, but high-agency individuals also display qualities like resilience, discipline, and creativity. They aren't just about making plans; they push through challenges.
  3. While high-agency behaviors can lead to great achievements, they may also come with a lack of empathy or ethical considerations. It's crucial for these individuals to balance ambition with integrity.

On Justices

Doc Hammer's Anvil • 216 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Justice Virtue Ethics Moral Philosophy Social Interaction
  1. Many fundamental moral and philosophical concepts have been lost in modern times, requiring a rediscovery and clarification of ideas.
  2. Justice is a crucial virtue that allows for moral compulsion through force, and it is important to differentiate between Commutative Justice (CJ) and Distributive Justice (DJ).
  3. Commutative Justice (CJ) involves actions that can be enforced through coercion without violating the perception of justice in the eyes of others, while Distributive Justice (DJ) focuses on the becoming use of what is our own and involves a constant debate on what is considered good.

The Absurdity of the Open Letter Calling for a Pause on AI Development

The A.I. Analyst by Ben Parr • 216 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Development Ethics Competition Regulation Collaboration
  1. An open letter calling for a pause on AI development is viewed as flawed by the author.
  2. The approach of trying to pause AI development for safety reasons is considered unrealistic and not well thought out.
  3. The author suggests that collaboration, transparency, and practical solutions are needed to guide AI's development instead of proposing a blanket pause.

On the Omnipotence Paradox: The Laws of Thought are Beyond God's Power

Ethics Under Construction • 5 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Logic Theology Ethics Existentialism
  1. God's power is limited by the laws of logic and reason, meaning He can’t do the impossible, like creating contradictions.
  2. If God cannot change necessary truths, then He also cannot change contingent truths; this suggests that God's power is not absolute.
  3. The idea of an all-powerful God becomes meaningless if we accept that God must operate within logical boundaries, similar to everyone else.

How to Be a Leftist Without Being a Utilitarian or a Free Will Skeptic (UNLOCKED)

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 259 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Free will Justice Meritocracy Utilitarianism
  1. Rejecting free will or embracing utilitarianism is like burning down your house to kill a fly.
  2. Meritocracy doesn't justify extreme inequality; our society isn't a true meritocracy.
  3. Belief in moral rights maintains dignity and autonomy and challenges market-worshippers for a fairer society.

Intelligence in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Charles Eisenstein • 7 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Cognition Technology Ethics Culture Media
  1. Outsourcing tasks to machines can make us weaker in those areas. For example, relying on GPS can make our navigation skills worse over time.
  2. Using technology can help us unlock new ways of thinking and generating ideas, but it can also lead to passive thinking. If we let machines do too much, we may stop exercising our own creativity.
  3. AI can create a narrow way of thinking, limiting our ideas. If we only rely on AI-generated content, we risk losing our unique perspectives and deeply understanding the world.

Fear of a Black Pope!

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 207 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Models Ethics Software Industry Chatbots Machine Learning
  1. People have high expectations of AI models like GPT, but they are not flawless and have limitations.
  2. The panic over an AI model's depiction of a Black Pope reveals societal biases regarding race and gender.
  3. AI chatbots like Gemini are viewed in different ways by users and enthusiasts, leading to conflicting expectations of their capabilities.

The Pragmatists Handbook: Transjectivity

Divergent Futures • 2 HN points • 13 Sep 24
📖 Philosophy Epistemology Metaphysics Ethics Ontology Aesthetics
  1. Truth isn't just about what's real or what we feel; it comes from how we connect with the world around us. This idea is called transjectivity, showing that understanding comes from our interactions.
  2. The way we categorize things, like calling a chair a 'chair', is influenced by both what we see and how we use it. It's about finding what fits well in our lives, not just what exists independently.
  3. Our views and meanings can change based on our experiences and environment. This means that understanding truth is flexible and evolves as we learn and grow.

The Trad Marxism of George Grant, Part 3

From the New World • 5 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Political theory Ethics Secularism Religion Humanism
  1. George Grant believes that the idea of limits is tied to the idea of God, meaning there are moral boundaries we should not cross. This suggests that some things are simply wrong, regardless of our opinions.
  2. The political legitimacy in society has shifted since divine authority was lost, making people look for new sources of legitimacy. This includes reliance on science and the founders of nations.
  3. It's unclear if Grant's view of God is unique to Christianity or if he could see value in other religions like Islam or Hinduism. He seems to focus more on the concept of a higher limit than on specific religious practices.

What are the Limits to Growth?

Erik Torenberg's Thoughts • 416 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Nature Technology Reality Existence
  1. The debate of growth limits involves prophets advocating for living within our means and wizards innovating to overcome limits.
  2. The sustainability question divides opinions - from Cowen's optimism to concerns about exponential growth and hitting future limits.
  3. The distinction between Progress Studies and Transhumanism showcases a shift from wizards versus prophets to wizards versus transhumanists, creating new fault lines in technological advancements.

The Paradox Of Spirituality

Weekly Wisdom • 238 implied HN points • 09 Feb 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Spirituality History Philosophy Meditation Ethics
  1. Spirituality is a complex, elusive concept that defies easy definition, with a focus on ethics and virtue.
  2. Spirituality often involves a path of introspection and transcendence, which can include practices like meditation and prayer.
  3. Spirituality provides a framework for exploring meaning, prosocial behavior, and interconnectedness in both personal and societal contexts.

Some interesting new robots just announced!

Robots & Startups • 79 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Robotics AI Events Ethics
  1. AI learning starting with text may be going backwards for language development, particularly for speech and social interaction.
  2. Human-robot interactions often differ from our collective fantasies, with instances of people mistreating robots in public like playing 'kick the robot dog' or interfering with autonomous cars.
  3. Robots posing as scooters in public encounters negative behaviors due to lack of proper treatment and consideration towards the technology.

My non-prediction for generative AI in 2024

ailogblog • 119 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Ethics Copyright Technology Adoption
  1. The energy consumption of generative AI for tasks like image generation and question answering can be significant.
  2. The use of generative AI may impact freelance job opportunities for illustrators and writers.
  3. There is uncertainty about the future of generative AI, with questions about its social costs, technological advancements, and ethical considerations.