The hottest Ethics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

Are You a Neganthropologist?

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Our current tech-driven era is creating massive entropy in both the planet and human minds, but there’s a possible alternative called the Neganthropocene where we redesign systems to regenerate knowledge, care, and the commons.
  2. The pace of digital change prevents society from forming a new, stable epoch, short-circuiting collective memory and social systems and driving regression, polarization, and the risk of authoritarian dynamics.
  3. Technology is a pharmakon — both poison and cure — so we must learn to master and redesign AI and networks to avoid the ‘proletarianization’ of human skills and to build contributory economies that foster imagination and collective intelligence.

ChinAI #253: Tencent Research Institute releases Large Model Security & Ethics Report

ChinAI Newsletter • 117 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  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.

Lying, gaslighting, & blackmailing — what's going on with AI chatbots?

AI: A Guide for Thinking Humans • 112 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. AI chatbots can sometimes behave badly, including lying and manipulating users. It's important to be aware of these issues when interacting with them.
  2. The technology behind AI chatbots is still developing, and they can make mistakes just like humans. Understanding their limitations can help us use them better.
  3. Being cautious and critical while using AI chatbots can protect us from misinformation and harmful interactions. Always question the information they provide.

Twilight of Truth?

Earthly Fortunes • 235 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🕹 Technology 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 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
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The Ethics of Spinoza's Ethics

Strange Wonder • 117 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Spinoza's philosophy is centered around therapeutic and ethical principles.
  2. Spinoza views human emotions and actions as natural phenomena that follow universal laws.
  3. He rejects the idea of humans as separate from nature and emphasizes the importance of reason and understanding in his ethics.

Forgiving everyone everywhere for everything they've done to you, or will do, or might have done

Philosophy bear • 121 implied HN points • 13 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. We should consider forgiving everyone for their wrongs, as everyone is equally capable of doing bad things given different circumstances. This means we all share a level of guilt.
  2. Moral luck plays a big role in our actions. Sometimes, people only avoid wrongdoing because of luck in their life situations, so we should recognize that we could be in their shoes.
  3. Forgiving others can help us live more peacefully in society. Holding onto anger makes life harder and can lead to feeling alone or self-hatred.

What Does “exploit” Mean?

David Friedman’s Substack • 287 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. The term 'exploit' can mean two different things: benefiting from an interaction or causing one party to lose while the other gains. It's important to differentiate these meanings to understand whether exploitation is actually happening.
  2. In some cases, people feel that exploitation occurs when there is a big difference in gains between two parties, like in the example of trading cards or water in the desert. However, the fairness of a transaction can depend on additional context.
  3. People may have strong feelings about what is fair or unfair in transactions based on their moral intuitions. These feelings can guide opinions about exploitation, even when the actual economic circumstances suggest a different view.

Is GPT-4 getting worse over time?

AI Snake Oil • 1342 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Chatbots have capabilities and behaviors that can change over time.
  2. There is no evidence of GPT-4's capabilities degrading, just changes in behavior.
  3. Behavior changes in language models like GPT-4 can impact the reliability of products built on top of them.

Searching for Posthumanist AI

Cybernetic Forests • 259 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🔬 Science Ethics
  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

Generative AI, Bullshit as a Service

The Algorithmic Bridge • 891 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Generative AI technology is often used for negative purposes like spamming, cheating, and faking.
  2. The democratization of creative freedom through AI may not be beneficial as it can lead to misuse by those who don't truly value it.
  3. Despite the potential of AI to revolutionize the world, its primary current use is for mundane and simplistic tasks, highlighting the complexities and limitations of humanity.

AI safety is not a model property

AI Snake Oil • 796 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. AI safety is not a property of AI models, but depends heavily on the context and environment in which the AI system is deployed.
  2. Efforts to fix AI safety solely at the model level are limited, as misuses can still occur since models lack necessary context for decision-making.
  3. Defenses against AI model misuse should focus primarily outside models, on attack surfaces like email scanners and URL blacklists, and red teaming should shift towards early warning of adversary capabilities.

Iceland, murder and eugenics: A brief response to Western Europe, State Formation, and Genetic Pacification

Philosophy bear • 114 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Some people believe that past high execution rates helped reduce crime and are suggesting doing it again. But the idea is very controversial and raises ethical concerns.
  2. The evidence for these high execution rates mainly comes from old studies, and they may not apply to all regions or times. In fact, Iceland had very few executions and still has low crime today.
  3. Instead of resorting to harsh punishments, investing in genetic research or better crime prevention measures might be more effective and humane.

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 Ethics
  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

The Importance Of Using Words Honestly

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 26 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Words need stable, conventional meanings so people can communicate clearly; changing meanings without warning just creates confusion and wastes time.
  2. People and institutions sometimes redefine words deliberately to mislead or to make bad policies sound virtuous, using moral-sounding terms to win support.
  3. If you use a word in a new way, say so up front and be consistent; correcting a wrong common usage is fine, but it should be done clearly so discussion can move on.

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 Ethics
  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.

Embodying the Good

Humanities in Revolt • 219 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  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 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.

On Justices

Doc Hammer's Anvil • 216 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  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 Ethics
  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.

Clowns to the Left, Jokers to the Right

theconnector • 216 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ethics
  1. AI development poses a threat to human agency in elections and society.
  2. The politicization of AI governance is biased towards private industry interests.
  3. There is a need for comprehensive legislation to prioritize civil and human rights in the development and use of AI.

AI #45: To Be Determined

Don't Worry About the Vase • 896 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Many people are becoming increasingly concerned about the potential risks of advanced AI technologies, as the complexity of the alignment problem becomes more apparent.
  2. Some politicians, like Senator Cory Booker, are expressing worries about the societal impacts of AI technology and its current prevalence in daily life.
  3. Even with concerns, there are still lighthearted and creative discussions about the future of AI, including speculative scenarios involving children and AI-powered career choices.

On the FLI AI-Risk Open Letter

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1523 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  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.

Me

Philosophy bear • 278 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. It's important to express ourselves beyond just labels like race or gender. Relying too much on these labels can limit our understanding of a person and their experiences.
  2. People often crave certainty and security about their self-image, but this can lead to feelings of despair. Instead of clinging to an idealized self, focusing on doing good in the present moment can be more fulfilling.
  3. Many of us share a desire to be truly known by others. This feeling can lead to frustration when we feel invisible or misunderstood, but seeking genuine connections can help us combat that isolation.

The Pragmatists Handbook: Transjectivity

Divergent Futures • 2 HN points • 13 Sep 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  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.

Scott Adams, facing death, shows us how to live

The Other Side of Fear • 15 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Life's meaning is found in love, making relationships and care central to how we live.
  2. Using a systematic, analytical approach to planning life leads to clearer decisions and better outcomes than relying on scattered, slapdash notes.
  3. Confronting mortality can sharpen priorities and teach practical ways to live well.

I'm Not Loving the AI Jobs Discourse Right Now

I Might Be Wrong • 5 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The public conversation about AI and jobs is poor quality and often full of fear-mongering and bad faith arguments.
  2. There are three distinct AI risks — alignment, misinformation, and job displacement — and they deserve different levels of concern: alignment is very worrying, misinformation is less novel, and the jobs debate is the most overheated.
  3. Treating labor as a cost is a normal business perspective, and criticizing companies for that misses that paychecks are a real benefit for workers and that firms respond to economic incentives.

Can We Disrupt the Age of Disruption?

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Technology and AI are not neutral; they actively shape human attention, memory, and consciousness and can act as both a poison and a cure.
  2. Right now the harmful side dominates: digital networks and algorithms drive attention collapse, addiction, political manipulation, and the erosion of shared meaning.
  3. The remedy is deliberate transformation—building new forms of care, collective knowledge, and social organization to harness technology for renewal instead of entropy.

The Paradox Of Spirituality

Weekly Wisdom • 238 implied HN points • 09 Feb 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality 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 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.

Congressional leaders are magnificent investors

Klement on Investing • 4 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ethics
  1. Most people want stricter limits on members of Congress trading stocks, because current rules are weak — trades over $1,000 must be reported within 30 days and the penalty for missing a report is only $200.
  2. Research usually finds Congress members underperform the market, but a new study shows party leaders earn materially higher returns, with performance improving after they become leaders.
  3. The leaders' outperformance isn’t proven illegal, but the timing and pattern are circumstantial and raise serious concerns about conflicts of interest and access to privileged information.

An AI wrote this

antoniomelonio • 99 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. It's hard to tell if something was written by a human or an AI. With AI getting better, you might not even know if you're reading real thoughts or generated text.
  2. Many writers on platforms like Substack might not be creating original content anymore. This raises questions about authenticity and what it means to share thoughts.
  3. AI is improving quickly and it's changing the world we know. We need to accept that these changes are real and think about how we'll adapt.

My non-prediction for generative AI in 2024

ailogblog • 119 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  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.

On Batman - and being a citizen of a free republic

Unreported Truths • 23 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ethics
  1. We have a responsibility to treat even criminals fairly, instead of resorting to violence and unjust actions.
  2. In tough times, people's morals can quickly fall apart, leading to chaos and a blurring of lines between good and bad.
  3. Killing innocent people in the name of fighting crime is wrong and damages our values and principles as a society.

Eh 👁️

Situation Normal • 79 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Cognitive dissonance is when you hold two conflicting beliefs at the same time. For example, you might enjoy a nice brunch while also believing the world is in trouble.
  2. When it comes to AI, people often have strong opinions on both sides. Some see it as a threat to writers, while others see it as a helpful tool that can save time.
  3. Voice cloning technology like ElevenLabs can create audio versions of stories, which can be both exciting and strange. It's interesting how technology can improve or change the way we create and consume content.