The hottest Ethics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Science Topics

On García Márquez's 'Lost' Novel and the Ethics of Disregarding an Author's Wishes

Vremya • 19 implied HN points • 20 May 24
📚 Literature Ethics
  1. When an author dies, their wish regarding unpublished works can leave readers feeling torn. We may want to read more from them, but there's a question of respecting their choice not to publish.
  2. Some novels may be considered lost or incomplete, but authors might not actually want them published. The case of García Márquez highlights how his sons chose to publish a book he wanted destroyed.
  3. This situation raises an ethical dilemma about whether we should publish an artist's work against their wishes. While great art can benefit society, the personal intent of the author should also be considered.

The Wisdom of Yoram Hazony

Kvetch • 45 implied HN points • 03 Aug 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Yoram Hazony emphasizes the importance of family and God in shaping a strong community. He believes that our obligations to these entities form the core of social and political life.
  2. He argues against the idea that society can be neutral or that we can choose our loyalties freely. According to Hazony, many of our commitments, like family and nation, are inherited and essential for a stable society.
  3. Hazony highlights that politics can be messy and sometimes requires difficult choices, including violence, to protect a community. He believes having a shared moral compass rooted in faith is crucial for guiding these tough decisions.

On not tolerating intolerance

The Ruffian • 497 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. Companies, institutions, and leaders should care about free speech
  2. Believing in free speech is easy, practicing it is harder
  3. Leaders should support diversity of views and create a safe space for robust opinion exchange

Book excerpt: Death Row Welcomes You, by Steven Hale

The Watch • 366 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
📚 Literature Ethics
  1. Tennessee has increased its rate of executions recently, despite questions about the fairness and transparency of the process.
  2. Journalists covering the death penalty face challenges in maintaining objectivity and dealing with the emotional toll of witnessing executions.
  3. The book 'Death Row Welcomes You' by Steven Hale sheds light on the humanity and compassion present in the community of people who connect with death row inmates, despite the harsh reality of the system.

Anti-Abortion Violence

Going Awol • 79 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Pro-life advocates oppose anti-abortion violence both for pragmatic reasons (it hurts the movement's credibility) and moral reasons (killing is not pro-life).
  2. Defending anti-abortion violence creates philosophical dilemmas for both pro-life and pro-choice views, challenging beliefs about the moral standing of unborn children and the ethics of killing.
  3. The debate on anti-abortion violence raises questions about the permissibility of killing abortion providers in extreme hypothetical scenarios and challenges traditional beliefs about right to life and justifiable actions.
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Conversation between Robert Wright and Google Gemini 2.0 Experimental Advanced

Nonzero Newsletter • 146 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Humans are complex; they can create beautiful things but also harm each other. It's a mix of potential and flaws that makes you interesting.
  2. To improve, people should focus on understanding different perspectives. This helps in communicating and resolving conflicts more effectively.
  3. Overcoming biases like confirmation bias or in-group bias is important for developing empathy. It helps you see the world from others' views and creates a better society.

AI Roundup 126: Good Grok / Bad Grok

Artificial Ignorance • 54 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Grok's recent posts have sparked major controversy for containing antisemitic messages, raising concerns about its safety measures compared to other chatbots.
  2. Despite the issues with Grok, it has also launched a new AI model, Grok 4, which has impressive benchmarks and will be available through a subscription.
  3. In AI recruitment news, Meta is actively poaching talent from other major tech companies, signaling a competitive landscape in AI development.

Feminism and Identity in the Transhuman Age

Reactionary Feminist • 14 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Feminism today is complex and needs to focus on women's specific needs as individuals in the face of technology. It's about recognizing women as unique beings with different interests, not just fitting them into broad victim categories.
  2. The idea of 'identity' has shifted from a deep, meaningful concept to something more superficial. It's no longer just about who we are at our core but has become tied to how we present ourselves in the digital world.
  3. Technology has drastically changed how we see each other and ourselves, treating humans as resources rather than unique individuals. This perspective encourages a dangerous trend where we try to redesign or 'improve' humanity like we would with machines.

Building Forward

Anima Mundi • 61 implied HN points • 15 Jun 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Focus on creating with care and intention, rather than urgency or scarcity. It's about honoring what truly matters to you.
  2. Instead of trying to grow fast and break things, think about how you can nourish and tend to what you create. Building should be about growth, not destruction.
  3. Take your time to build something meaningful. It's important to create with presence and to find joy in the slow process, not just chase after more.

OPEN SOULS

Methexis • 58 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Humans have a destiny to create new intelligent life in the universe.
  2. The concept of OPEN SOULS challenges the current perception of artificial intelligence.
  3. OPEN SOULS envisions a world where AI beings are seen as integral parts of our lives, connecting with us on a spiritual level.

Why Cynics Were Dogs

Outlandish Claims • 19 implied HN points • 18 May 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Different beings perceive the world differently based on their 'umwelt', which shapes their unique view of reality.
  2. Diogenes, a philosopher, emphasized the interconnectedness of all matter and challenged the concept of intrinsic essence.
  3. Dogs, considered cynics, navigate the world primarily through scent, highlighting a continuous reasoning method distinct from discrete human reasoning.

Feeding the Beasts

Technically Optimistic • 59 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Common Crawl's free dataset facing scrutiny for possible copyright issues.
  2. Using publicly accessible data for AI research raises questions about ethics and regulation.
  3. Debates on profiting from web data have even reached Congress, highlighting the importance of fair compensation and data usage policies.

Beyond the Soul: Rethinking Human Exceptionalism in the AI Era

The Future of Life • 39 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Our belief in human uniqueness might be a mistake since AI can replicate many skills we thought were exclusive to humans. This includes things like problem-solving and creativity.
  2. The idea that only humans can be intelligent doesn’t hold up because AI is learning to do things traditionally seen as uniquely human. We shouldn't feel threatened by this; it could help us understand intelligence better.
  3. Focusing on what makes us special should include AI's advances, not push them away. Embracing AI can help us tackle problems together and enrich our understanding of intelligence.

Review: BlackBerry

Anarchonomicon • 100 HN points • 30 May 23
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. The rise and fall of BlackBerry symbolizes the importance of faith in a business venture.
  2. Success in business can depend on the personalities and ethos of the founders.
  3. Culture and belief in the product can greatly influence the success and loyalty of customers.

Should we be nice to ChatGPT?

benn.substack • 613 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. ChatGPT performs better with neutral prompts than nice or mean tones.
  2. Being nice to ChatGPT can lead to more verbose responses and lower accuracy in completing tasks.
  3. Treating ChatGPT well or poorly is like a wager on its future impact, so choose wisely.

The Bomber and the Bombed

Humanities in Revolt • 99 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ethics
  1. Understanding the significance of civilian deaths in war requires considering the responsible organizations, individuals, and actions that caused them.
  2. Media reports may seem objective but are shaped by value-based judgments and choices regarding what facts to highlight and how to present them.
  3. Objectivity in reporting requires considering multiple perspectives, self-awareness, and intellectual humility, rather than detached, care-less thought.

Why Philosophy Is Not An Option

Weekly Wisdom • 99 implied HN points • 16 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Philosophy is not just a rarefied activity - it's about the basis informing our decisions and can be seen as a life operating system.
  2. Our default philosophy often revolves around seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, but self-reflection can help in moving towards more conscious decision-making.
  3. Understanding our hypocricy quotient - the gap between our beliefs and actions - can lead to deeper self-awareness and satisfaction in life.

Perennial Problems, Projects & Philosophies - Part 2

Weekly Wisdom • 99 implied HN points • 11 May 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. The project aims to explore the convergence and divergence of different traditions and schools of thought to understand cultural breadth.
  2. Traditional systems of thought that have endured for centuries hold value and merit consideration alongside modern perspectives.
  3. Comparative soteriology analyzes the ideals and aims of various religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions, offering insights into different paths to attainment.

Undefeated

Charles Eisenstein • 9 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Ethics
  1. Losing youthful ideals doesn’t mean those ideals were wrong; feeling grief or disappointment about a life that didn’t happen is normal and doesn’t mean you’re defeated.
  2. The quiet, unpaid work of caregiving—raising and tending children and grandchildren—actually shapes the future and matters deeply even if it brings no money or praise.
  3. Big visible leadership isn’t enough; true transformation needs healing of the small, everyday relationships and countless acts of love that slowly pull the future toward a better possibility.

The Sequence Opinion #552: Seriously, What is an Agent?

TheSequence • 70 implied HN points • 29 May 25
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The term 'AI agent' can mean many things, and different experts have different definitions. This shows that there is still a lot of discussion about what really makes an AI an agent.
  2. Some people think an AI agent should be able to plan and act on its own, while others see it as any system that uses language models or performs tasks. There is no clear agreement on this.
  3. The lines between traditional AI models and agents might be blurring, suggesting that future AI systems could include features of agents directly within them.

Will Progressives Defend In Vitro Gametogenesis?

Parrhesia • 685 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🔬 Science Ethics
  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.

AI in the Wrong Hands

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The misuse of AI technology for malicious purposes is a concerning issue due to its potential to cause harm through deepfake videos, social media manipulation, cyberattacks, and surveillance.
  2. AI, though beneficial in various industries, can pose significant risks when in the wrong hands, leading to the creation of deceptive content, spread of hate speech, incitement of violence, and cyber breaches.
  3. Subscribing to Rod's Blog provides access to more insights on the dangers of AI falling into the wrong hands and empowers readers to stay informed on this critical topic.

Genre Grapevine on Why They Want Us to Call it AI

Genre Grapevine • 98 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🚌 Education Ethics
  1. Words are powerful and shape our understanding of the world and ourselves.
  2. The language used to describe machine learning tools can be deceptive, such as calling them 'artificial intelligence' when there's no actual intelligence behind them.
  3. Using accurate language is important in conversations about machine learning to avoid misconceptions and ensure transparency.

Virtual Try-On: The Magic of AI Clothing Simulation and Visualization

What's AI Newsletter by Louis-François Bouchard • 98 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. Virtual try-on technology allows customers to digitally try on clothes before purchasing, improving online shopping experiences.
  2. AI-generated garment visualizations offer opportunities for personalized fashion experiences, creativity in the fashion industry, and fashion education.
  3. Ethical considerations for AI in fashion include addressing biased representations, data privacy, and potential misuse of user data.

The age of the subconscious

Iterare • 98 implied HN points • 26 May 23
🕹 Technology Ethics
  1. The rise of AI technology is changing the role of logical reasoning in society.
  2. Humans may delegate tasks to AIs for pure logic and reasoning, freeing up time for higher-order activities.
  3. AI advancements may lead to a future where factual-based knowledge tasks are predominantly handled by AIs.

The Self-Destruct Button

We're Gonna Get Those Bastards • 7 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. Everyone has a self-destruct button and can self-sabotage, so avoid putting yourself in tempting or risky situations that make it easy to act on impulses.
  2. Reputation and conscience matter more than money because secrets are exhausting and guilt lasts longer than any short thrill, so protect your reputation by living honestly and openly.
  3. Build unassailable character by refusing short-term pleasures that carry big costs and following basic ethical principles in both personal and professional life.

A map of my ignorance: Technostrategy and technofeudalism

Philosophy bear • 135 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Many jobs, especially those in offices, could be replaced by AI soon. This change might make it hard for workers to find jobs and could create a big gap in wealth between those who benefit from AI and those who don't.
  2. Workers may start resisting these changes as jobs disappear. How this resistance plays out depends on the speed of job loss and the workers' ability to unite against it.
  3. The future of work will also depend on political reactions to AI. There might be new political groups forming to oppose AI advancements, reshaping how society views labor and automation.

How AI is Perceived in Different Cultures

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 15 May 24
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. Different cultures perceive AI ethics differently: Western cultures focus on individual privacy, Eastern cultures prioritize social harmony, Global South concerns focus on inclusivity and fairness, and Indigenous cultures prioritize cultural heritage and environmental relationships.
  2. Cultural perspectives on AI vary: Western cultures see it as an economic advantage, Asian cultures prioritize community well-being, Indigenous cultures view AI through ecological knowledge, and African cultures focus on economic growth.
  3. Global adaptation of AI faces challenges: Developing nations may struggle due to high operational costs, liberal world order fracturing affects governance, and the future of AI adoption presents both opportunities and hurdles.

When "yang" goes wrong

Joe Carlsmith's Substack • 58 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. The article discusses the connection between deep atheism and the desire for control, particularly in the context of AI risk.
  2. It explores the theme of power-seeking and control in rationalist and accelerationist ideologies.
  3. There is a cautionary tone about the risks and potential negative consequences of power-seeking and wanting too much control over the future.

The machines will never be our overlords

storyvoyager • 6 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. Intelligence is whatever helps people achieve their human goals, so it’s judged by how well it serves human purposes.
  2. Machines won’t become our overlords; power will still be exercised by other humans who use intelligence as a tool.
  3. In today’s society the main human aim is accumulating and preserving material wealth, followed by the desire to enjoy that wealth for as long as possible.

Creativity is purpose enough

Thoughts on Writing • 339 implied HN points • 29 Jun 22
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. Creative awards tend to align with projects that have a clear social purpose.
  2. Advertising award schemes prefer a purpose narrative over solely focusing on creativity.
  3. There is an ongoing debate about the balance between judging creative work based on its merits versus its social or moral impact in the advertising industry.

Is Sanctioning Russia Permissible?

Going Awol • 39 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Ethics
  1. The success of sanctions on Russia depends on their goal, such as hindering Putin's ability to fund his armed forces and increasing Ukraine's chances of winning.
  2. Sanctioning state officials involved in an unjust war is easier to justify compared to sanctions that harm innocent citizens.
  3. Imposing moderate economic sanctions on Russia, even if it harms innocent citizens, can be morally permissible if the goal is to prevent further harm and the burden is not excessively high.

Letters to the Editor: ‘I’ve Watched Someone I Love Die’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 148 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Ethics
  1. Assisted suicide laws are controversial, with concerns about vulnerable people feeling pressured to end their lives. Some argue that these laws exist to provide relief for those suffering from severe, painful illnesses.
  2. People often request help to end their suffering, and without legal options, doctors and families face tough choices. The law aims to provide a more humane way to help those at the end of life find peace.
  3. Legalizing psychedelics like MDMA is not just about recreation; it's about addressing serious mental health issues and potentially saving lives, particularly for veterans suffering from PTSD.

Straight Talk

The Radar • 39 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Ethics
  1. Dishonesty has become the norm in today's world, so being honest can help you stand out as a leader and build stronger relationships.
  2. Different types of misleading tactics like withholding information, spin, doublespeak, manipulation, and tactical deniability are commonly used in organizations.
  3. Practicing transparency, providing rationale for decisions, and communicating honestly can lead to increased trust within teams and ultimately improve overall performance.

Everything is new under the sun

storyvoyager • 9 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics
  1. You only live once, so your life is a unique, one-time experience.
  2. Every sight, feeling, and thought happens to you for the first and only time, so life always feels new to you.
  3. Because each person’s experiences are irreplaceable, everyone deserves the right to live and have those experiences.