The Dangerous Ideas of "Longtermism" and "Existential Risk"
(currentaffairs.org)
So-called rationalists have created a disturbing secular religion that looks like it addresses humanity’s deepest problems, but actually justifies pursuing the social preferences of elites.
So-called rationalists have created a disturbing secular religion that looks like it addresses humanity’s deepest problems, but actually justifies pursuing the social preferences of elites.
The old man lost his horse: a 200 BCE Taoist parable on luck and fate
(wikipedia.org)
The old man lost his horse (but it all turned out for the best) (Chinese: 塞翁失馬，焉知非福; lit. 'The old man of the frontier lost his horse', 'how could he know if this is not fortuitous?'), also known as Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?
The old man lost his horse (but it all turned out for the best) (Chinese: 塞翁失馬，焉知非福; lit. 'The old man of the frontier lost his horse', 'how could he know if this is not fortuitous?'), also known as Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?
The Animals That Exist Between Life and Death
(nautil.us)
At the dawn of microbiology, scientists glimpsed unseen worlds and stumbled into a philosophical purgatory
At the dawn of microbiology, scientists glimpsed unseen worlds and stumbled into a philosophical purgatory
Philosophy Major Snatched by ICE During Citizenship Interview
(dailynous.com)
Mohsen Mahdawi, a philosophy major at Columbia University who is due to graduate later this semester, was attending a US citizenship application interview in Vermont on Monday when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents wearing hoods and masks took him from the building, put him into an unmarked car, and drove off.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a philosophy major at Columbia University who is due to graduate later this semester, was attending a US citizenship application interview in Vermont on Monday when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents wearing hoods and masks took him from the building, put him into an unmarked car, and drove off.
The Subjective Charms of Objective-C
(wired.com)
After inventing calculus, actuarial tables, and the mechanical calculator and coining the phrase “best of all possible worlds,” Gottfried Leibniz still felt his life’s work was incomplete.
After inventing calculus, actuarial tables, and the mechanical calculator and coining the phrase “best of all possible worlds,” Gottfried Leibniz still felt his life’s work was incomplete.
A slow guide to confronting doom
(lesswrong.com)
Following a few events[1] in April 2022 that caused a many people to update sharply and negatively on outcomes for humanity, I wrote A Quick Guide to Confronting Doom.
Following a few events[1] in April 2022 that caused a many people to update sharply and negatively on outcomes for humanity, I wrote A Quick Guide to Confronting Doom.
What can we take away from the ‘stochastic parrot’ saga?
(inferencemagazine.substack.com)
The parrot is dead. Don’t be the shopkeeper.
The parrot is dead. Don’t be the shopkeeper.
The West is bored to death
(newstatesman.com)
Our nihilistic politics are a product of the crushing ennui and spiritual vacancy of modern life.
Our nihilistic politics are a product of the crushing ennui and spiritual vacancy of modern life.
Roo or Cline? We're building a superset
(kilocode.ai)
At our company we have a strange mantra: “don’t innovate!” Let me explain.
At our company we have a strange mantra: “don’t innovate!” Let me explain.
LLMs don't hallucinate, only humans do
(voidw.ink)
Or what happened when a bear-wolf-boy so unaligned at birth all he did was screamed about wanting something now! sat down with a paperclip-electron-mathematical model - actually ten of them - to write a better manifesto for what comes next and how we get there
Or what happened when a bear-wolf-boy so unaligned at birth all he did was screamed about wanting something now! sat down with a paperclip-electron-mathematical model - actually ten of them - to write a better manifesto for what comes next and how we get there
Numbers and Unicorns
(blogspot.com)
Reading a book on philosophy of mathematics, even if it's written lightly, such as that one, Why is there philosophy of mathematics at all? by Ian Hacking, may have unexpected effects.
Reading a book on philosophy of mathematics, even if it's written lightly, such as that one, Why is there philosophy of mathematics at all? by Ian Hacking, may have unexpected effects.
The Society of the Spectacle
(wikipedia.org)
The Society of the Spectacle (French: La société du spectacle) is a 1967 work of philosophy and Marxist critical theory by Guy Debord where he develops and presents the concept of the Spectacle.
The Society of the Spectacle (French: La société du spectacle) is a 1967 work of philosophy and Marxist critical theory by Guy Debord where he develops and presents the concept of the Spectacle.
The Illusion of Time, the Overflow of Being
(smolnero.com)
Time has quite literally been taken too seriously by humankind. Not just time itself — but all the layers we've wrapped around it: schedules, metrics, KPIs, urgency cycles. These clusters of fluff masquerade as structure but mostly serve to drown out the quiet. And in doing so, they distance us from a place of balance — that space between chaos and calm that’s vital to actually being.
Time has quite literally been taken too seriously by humankind. Not just time itself — but all the layers we've wrapped around it: schedules, metrics, KPIs, urgency cycles. These clusters of fluff masquerade as structure but mostly serve to drown out the quiet. And in doing so, they distance us from a place of balance — that space between chaos and calm that’s vital to actually being.
Information and data will never deliver creativity
(iai.tv)
Many claim informational systems cannot be truly creative in the way human artists are because they lack human emotion and originality. But philosopher and cognitive scientist, Hanne De Jaegher, argues the issue is deeper still: AI is not alive. It has no will to live and to ensure its survival. Unlike humans, AI doesn’t desire, need, relate, or make sense of the world and what matters in it.
Many claim informational systems cannot be truly creative in the way human artists are because they lack human emotion and originality. But philosopher and cognitive scientist, Hanne De Jaegher, argues the issue is deeper still: AI is not alive. It has no will to live and to ensure its survival. Unlike humans, AI doesn’t desire, need, relate, or make sense of the world and what matters in it.
The Elephant in America's Room: Psychology Explains Our Political Civil War
(medium.com)
For centuries, Western philosophy has celebrated human reason as our defining feature — what separates us from animals and allows us to discover moral truths.
For centuries, Western philosophy has celebrated human reason as our defining feature — what separates us from animals and allows us to discover moral truths.
Circling the Good
(nybooks.com)
In his new book the eminent philosopher Thomas Nagel asks whether humans are capable of redefining morality itself.
In his new book the eminent philosopher Thomas Nagel asks whether humans are capable of redefining morality itself.
Yagni philosophy is reactionary (2023)
(scapegoat.dev)
I see that one of those reactionary YAGNI articles is making the rounds. Most of these articles focus on the technologies themselves and forget that the developers behind them or using them are curious, enthusiastic and often extremely competent.
I see that one of those reactionary YAGNI articles is making the rounds. Most of these articles focus on the technologies themselves and forget that the developers behind them or using them are curious, enthusiastic and often extremely competent.
Dark Mirror Ideologies
(fortressofdoors.com)
There's a phenomenon I call a "Dark Mirror" ideology. Such an ideology is by definition paired with a "Light Mirror" ideology that it stands in opposition to.
There's a phenomenon I call a "Dark Mirror" ideology. Such an ideology is by definition paired with a "Light Mirror" ideology that it stands in opposition to.
The Curse of Ayn Rand's Heir
(theatlantic.com)
Leonard Peikoff dedicated his life to promoting the author’s vision of freedom and self-determination. But at what cost?
Leonard Peikoff dedicated his life to promoting the author’s vision of freedom and self-determination. But at what cost?
The Steam Deck is software-freedom friendly
(isomorphism.xyz)
The Steam Deck is a great gaming system. This isn’t because of it’s great battery life. A Nintendo Switch would probably have better battery life. It’s not because of its great performance. I don’t usually play AAA games, so I wouldn’t know. The Steam Deck is great because of the philosophy on which it is built.
The Steam Deck is a great gaming system. This isn’t because of it’s great battery life. A Nintendo Switch would probably have better battery life. It’s not because of its great performance. I don’t usually play AAA games, so I wouldn’t know. The Steam Deck is great because of the philosophy on which it is built.
Chromophobia
(press.uchicago.edu)
The central argument of Chromophobia is that a chromophobic impulse - a fear of corruption or contamination through color - lurks within much Western cultural and intellectual thought.
The central argument of Chromophobia is that a chromophobic impulse - a fear of corruption or contamination through color - lurks within much Western cultural and intellectual thought.
The Dingo's Fate
(noemamag.com)
The dingo forces us to question the coherence of ‘nativeness’ as a meaningful concept.
The dingo forces us to question the coherence of ‘nativeness’ as a meaningful concept.
De-Atomization Is the Secret to Happiness (2022)
(nateliason.com)
De-atomization is the secret to happiness.
De-atomization is the secret to happiness.
What to Do
(paulgraham.com)
What should one do? That may seem a strange question, but it's not meaningless or unanswerable. It's the sort of question kids ask before they learn not to ask big questions. I only came across it myself in the process of investigating something else. But once I did, I thought I should at least try to answer it.
What should one do? That may seem a strange question, but it's not meaningless or unanswerable. It's the sort of question kids ask before they learn not to ask big questions. I only came across it myself in the process of investigating something else. But once I did, I thought I should at least try to answer it.