Philosophy of Technology, Misc

Regulation by design (RBD) is a growing research field that explores, develops, and criticises the regulative function of design. In this article, we provide a qualitative thematic synthesis of the existing literature. The aim is to explore and analyse RBD’s core features, practices, limitations, and related governance implications. To fulfil this aim, we examine the extant literature on RBD in the context of digital technologies. We start by identifying and structuring the core features of RBD, namely the goals, regulators, regulatees, (...) methods, and technologies. Building on that structure, we distinguish among three types of RBD practices: compliance by design, value creation by design, and optimisation by design. We then explore the challenges and limitations of RBD practices, which stem from risks associated with compliance by design, contextual limitations, or methodological uncertainty. Finally, we examine the governance implications of RBD and outline possible future directions of the research field and its practices. (shrink)

4E approaches to affective technology tend to focus on how ‘users’ manage their situated affectivity, analogously to how they help themselves cognitively through epistemic actions or using artefacts and scaffolding. Here I focus on cases where the function of affective technology is to exploit or manipulate the agent engaging with it. My opening example is the cigarette, where technological refinements have harmfully transformed the affective process of consuming nicotine. I proceed to develop case studies of two very different but also (...) harmful affective technologies. Casinos and electronic gambling machines deploy computationally intensive scaffolding to shape the onset and continuation of gambling episodes. High-heeled shoes affectively engineer wearers’ relationships to their own embodied capacities and are predominantly expected to be worn by women. I conclude with a discussion of the need for study of affective technology to focus other-directed applications, some of which will serve competing or antagonistic interests. (shrink)

According to Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, big data reality means, “The days of having a different image for your co-workers and for others are coming to an end, which is good because having multiple identities represents a lack of integrity.” Two sets of questions follow. One centers on technology and asks how big data mechanisms collapse our various selves (work-self, family-self, romantic-self) into one personality. The second question set shifts from technology to ethics by asking whether we want the kind of (...) integrity that Zuckerberg lauds, and that big data technology enables. The negative response is explored by sketching three ethical conceptions of selfhood that recommend personal identity be understood as dis-integrating. The success of the strategies partially depends upon an undermining use of big data platforms. (shrink)

This thesis is organized into two parts. In the first, I focus on concepts, ones which include a series of critiques on past human behaviors and mindsets. I trace how rationalist ideologies and worldviews developed into conformist schematics, and how these schematics have been implemented via central state authority. I also examine the results of this process, focusing on dehumanization, silencing, and objectification. Informed by Scott, I describe legibility construction. In the process of making people and places legible to central (...) authorities, large swaths of detail become obfuscated or lost. Oftentimes this leads into attempts to reconstruct the territory in the image of the rationalized map. This conformist vision pays no attention to the locality, tradition, or context of the people and places being bulldozed in the process. I also draw from and analyze speculative fiction, a medium which allows the imagining of potential futures. Fiction can help inform the future and articulate failures of the past and present. -/- In the second part, I outline my own working conception of how to move toward a more equitable and sustainable future. Rather than providing a prescriptive blueprint of how I think the world ought to operate, I instead outline general goals that I believe are worth moving towards, along with potential strategies for getting there. (shrink)

As the lyrics to the traditional nineteenth century gospel hymn state, one of the goals of many magical and religious practices is to experience ‘a closer walk with Thee,’ coming into the presence of the holy in both figurative and arguably literal terms. One of the many ways to improve this likelihood of achieving the deep and immersive presence of the holy—described by the scholar of comparative religion Rudolf Otto as the “gentle tide, [the] pervading [of] the mind with a (...) tranquil mood” numinous experience—is through the careful use of various sonic elements. To this point, an exploration of physical worship spaces themselves, a review of the means of creating sounds within worship, and a study of the related uses of sonic technology during worship rituals can help to elucidate just how these sonic elements compare in their utilization between ancient magic and more contemporary magical and religious applications. It is my contention that the overall goal of creating an immersive environment for worship and ritual practice has remained a constant from Ancient Greek and Roman times through to the present, while the technology available to achieve this goal (both in the creation of an immersive physical space and in the use of engaging and relatable musical instruments and instrumental styles) has continually progressed. Put another way, the methods in which we might best utilize various sonic elements to achieve the most numinous experience—the ‘how’— have certainly changed over time, but the underlying ‘why’ and the core goal of using sound to increase this sense of a presence with the holy has remained largely unchanged. (shrink)

In this essay, we review one of our beloved fictional titles, Wild Wise Weird: The Kingfisher Story collection. The minimal sense of humor and satire in storytelling of Wild Wise Weird are sure to bring readers smiles, better yet, moments of quiet reflection, a much under-appreciated remedy in the world driven almost insane with the abundance of information co-created with AI technologies. The book provides valuable life lessons and deep insights into Vietnamese village life, moral values, and social structures. The (...) narrative not only entertains but also serves as a lively resource for cultural studies and analysis, bridging traditional storytelling with contemporary issues. This dual focus on technological introspection and cultural richness positions the work uniquely within current scholarly dialogues, making it particularly relevant to the readers who care about our quest to wisdom in the age of AI. (shrink)

This paper examines the paradox that as technology advances, human life often becomes more efficient but subjectively less meaningful. Through the lens of Judgemental Philosophy, we argue that many technological systems, in their relentless pursuit of optimizing Constructivity (e.g., usability, task completion) and Coherence (e.g., algorithmic logic, data consistency), frequently neglect or actively undermine Resonance—the structural return of meaning that grounds human judgement in lived experience and intersubjective reality. We analyze how digital interfaces, algorithmic processes, automation, and efficiency-driven designs can (...) displace the Resonance loops essential for ethical awareness, relational depth, and existential value. Consequently, judgement itself becomes externalized, hollowed out, or abandoned. We then propose a set of design principles grounded in the Judgemental Triad (Constructivity, Coherence, Resonance) intended to guide future technological development toward preserving and enhancing, rather than dissolving, the structural conditions for meaningful human judgement. (shrink)

This paper explores whether non-civilizational beings—particularly animals—can evolve into judgement-capable entities in the absence of technological structures. Drawing from the Judgemental Triad—Constructivity, Coherence, and Resonance—we analyze whether civilization is necessary for the emergence of structural meaning. We argue that while civilization facilitates the expression of judgement, it can also obstruct or replace its underlying structure. Thus, the essential condition of being human is not civilization, but the emergence of structural resonance. We propose a resonance-based model of post-human evolution in which (...) non-human life may develop judgemental structure independently from technological advancement. (shrink)

This paper investigates the structural reason why humanity continues to accelerate artificial intelligence development, despite widespread awareness of its existential risks. Applying Judgemental Philosophy, we argue that the problem is not one of knowledge or intent, but of judgemental displacement—a condition in which the Judgemental Triad (Constructivity, Coherence, Resonance) is externally dislocated and structurally unpossessed. Al becomes a field of judgement without return, where no subject can coherently own or halt the trajectory. We conclude that progress, when stripped of resonance, (...) becomes self-perpetuating—and unjudgeable. (shrink)

This paper investigates the structural role of social media in either enabling or disabling meaningful judgement. Using the Judgemental Triad—Constructivity, Coherence, and Resonance—we analyze the informational and affective architecture of social media platforms. We argue that while social media appears to amplify communication, it often collapses the structure necessary for judgement: fragmenting coherence, overloading constructibility, and severing resonance. This collapse leads to a paradoxical condition: infinite expression, but no return. We conclude that social media constitutes a systemic environment of judgemental (...) dysfunction. (shrink)

Dans un article précédent, The Philosophy of blockchain technology - Ontologies, j'ai parlé de l'application de la théorie narrative de Paul Ricœur dans le développement d'une ontologie de la technologie blockchain. Dans cette section, j'ai l'intention de mettre en évidence l'idée d'une analogie entre la technologie blockchain et les théories causales de la référence. Dans la mesure où la poursuite de l'élaboration de cette idée se révélera viable, je vais essayer de développer une théorie basée sur cette analogie. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.24843.21282 (...) . (shrink)

This essay unfolds on the fundamental question that invariably dominates today's discussions, about new technology and its ability to have a transformative effect in all areas of contemporary life and in human beings themselves. Obviously, the true qualitative novelty of the technological advances that occur before our eyes lies not only in the emergence of new artistic practices related to one or another scientific research. Its essence consists in the fact that these practices, when interacting with each other, begin to (...) generate a complicated systemic integrity, a new space of human existence. The effect of this symbiosis can be seen in the full use of knowledge about the foundations of living and non-living matter, as well as in the knowledge of the physical nature of the human being. On the other hand, those powerful technologies that have so far changed, for the most part, the world around us, now turn to human and non-human beings. With all that said, the question arises: How does the technologization and computerization of cultural techniques change the nature of knowledge and the affection of being with others (people, things, animals)? (shrink)

فلسفة التكنولوجيا - فال دوسيك (المقدمة والفصلين الثالث والرابع) - ترجمة وتعليق، في إطار مشروع لترجمة الكتاب بالكامل بالاشتراك مع آخرين.

هل فوجئت يومًا بأن نظام التشغيل لهاتفك أو حاسوبك لا يقبل التحديث لأن الشركة المُنتجة قد أوقفت دعم إصدارٍ ما زال يعمل، لكي تحث عملائها على شراء إصدار جديد أكثر كفاءة وأشد جذبًا وإشباعًا لحاجات المستخدمين؟ وهل تساءلت يومًا عن طبيعة العلاقة التي تربط بينك وبين هاتفك أو حاسوبك أو أي جهازٍ إلكتروني آخر تمتلكه، هل هي علاقة عاطفية قوامها المظهر والتباهي أم علاقة عقلانية قوامها الحاجة ونمط الاستخدام؟ وهل فكرت يومًا في كيفية عمل هاتفك أو حاسوبك، وما الذي يحدث (...) حين تقوم بالضغط على أيقونة أحد البرامج، أو ما هي التفاصيل الفنية الدقيقة التي تتوارى خلف تلك الواجهات الرسومية التي تتعامل معها؟ هذا ما يُناقشه كاتب الخيال الأمريكي «نيل ستيفنسون» (من مواليد سنة 1959) في مقالٍ له تحت عنوان «في البدء كان سطر الأوامر»، نًشر أولاً على أحد المواقع الإلكترونية سنة 1999، ثم أتيح ككتاب في السنة ذاتها، وفيه يُقدم عرضًا تاريخيًا لمجموعة من أنظمة التشغيل، لاسيما تلك التي أنتجتها الشركتان المهيمنتان: «مايكروسوفت» و«آبل»، بالإضافة إلى البدائل المعروفة مثل «لينكس» و«بي أو إس». كما يسعى في المقال ذاته إلى تفسير سبب عدم احتمال بقاء أنظمة التشغيل الاحتكارية مُربحة في المستقبل في معية المنافسة الشرسة، ويُحلل الثقافة الجمعية للشركات الكبرى العاملة في مجال البرمجيات الحرة. (shrink)

From recent philosophy of technology emerges the need for an ethical assessment of the ordinary use of technological devices, in particular telephones, computers, and all kind of digital artifacts. The usual method of academic ethics, which is a top-down deduction starting with metaethics and ending in applied ethics, appears to be largely unproductive for this task. It provides 'ideal' advice, that is to say formal and often sterile. As in the opposition between 'ordinary language' philosophy and 'ideal language' philosophy, the (...) ordinary requires attention and an ethical investigation of the complex and pervasive use of everyday technological devices. Some examples indicate how a bottom-up reinvention of the ethics of technology can help in numerous techno-philosophical predicaments, including ethical sustainability. (shrink)

Blockchain, denumit inițial lanț de blocuri, este o listă în continuă creștere de înregistrări numite blocuri, care comunică între ele prin mesaje criptografiate. Fiecare bloc conține un hash criptografic al blocului anterior, un marcaj de timp și datele tranzacției. Prin proiectare, un blockchain este "un registru deschis, distribuit, care poate înregistra tranzacțiile între două părți eficient și într-un mod verificabil și permanent", de obicei gestionat de o rețea peer-to-peer care aderă la un protocol pentru comunicarea între noduri și validarea de (...) noi blocuri. După înregistrare, datele dintr-un bloc dat nu pot fi modificate retroactiv fără modificarea tuturor blocurilor ulterioare, ceea ce necesită consensul rețelei. 10.13140/RG.2.2.33938.91848 . (shrink)

Conceptul de heterotopie digitală implică o modalitate de a descrie și analiza relația specială și evolutivă dintre statul contemporan și banii digitali, inclusiv criptovalutele derulate prin blockchain. Caracteristicile statului sunt afectate prin conexiunea cu monedele digitale. Sistemele sociale își creează propriile limite și se mențin în viață conform logicii lor interne, care nu derivă din mediul sistemului. Deci, sistemele sociale sunt închise din punct de vedere operațional și autonome - interacționează cu mediul lor și există o creștere generală a entropiei, (...) dar sistemele individuale lucrează pentru a se menține și pentru a-și păstra ordinea internă. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.12790.75843. (shrink)

Le concept d'hétérotopie numérique est un moyen de décrire et d'analyser la relation particulière et évolutive entre l'État contemporain et la monnaie numérique, y compris les crypto-monnaies passant par la blockchain. Les caractéristiques de l'État sont affectées par la connexion avec les monnaies numériques. Les technologies numériques peuvent également être interprétées comme des technologies notationnelles, résultant respectivement de la notation syntaxique dans un champ de référence (système notationnel). L'ontologie sociale s'intéresse à la nature du monde social, aux constituants ou aux (...) éléments constitutifs des entités sociales en général. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29738.98244. (shrink)

Social ontology is concerned with the nature of the social world, constituents, or building blocks of social entities in general. Some theories claim that social entities are built from people's psychological states, others are built up of actions, others from practice, and other theories deny that even a distinction can be made between social and non-social. There are different philosophical views on how the ontological significance of narrative can contribute to our understanding of the social world and the way in (...) which social reality is modeled. Some researchers consider that narrative is an instrumental cognitive skill or linguistic tool, while others regard it as an ontological category related to how people exist in the world, or understand human life as a narrative. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14051.09763. (shrink)

Despre necesitatea şi utilitatea dezvoltării unei filosofii specifice tehnologiei blockchain, accentuând pe aspectele ontologice. După o Introducere în care evidenţiez principalele direcţii filosofice pentru această tehnologie emergentă, în Tehnologia blockchain explicitez modul de funcţionare al blockchain, punând în discuţie direcţiile ontologice de dezvoltare în Proiectarea şi Modelarea acestei tehnologii. Următoarea secţiune este dedicată principalei aplicaţii a tehnologiei blockchain, Bitcoin, cu implicaţiile sociale ale acestei criptovalute. Urmează o secţiune de Filosofie în care identific tehnologia blockchain cu conceptul de heterotopie dezvoltat de (...) Michel Foucault şi o interpretez în lumina tehnologiei notaţionale dezvoltată de Nelson Goodman ca sistem notaţional. În secţiunea Ontologii dezvolt două direcţii de dezvoltare considerate de mine ca importante: Ontologia narativă, bazată pe ideea de ordine şi structură a istoriei transmise prin naraţia istoriei a lui Paul Ricoeur, şi un sistem ontologic bazat pe Ontologiile de intreprindere, bazat pe conceptele şi modelele de intreprindere specifice webului semantic, şi pe care eu îl consider cel mai bine dezvoltat şi cel care va deveni, probabil, sistemul ontologic formal, cel puţin în ceea ce priveşte aspectele economice şi juridice ale tehnologiei blockchain. În Concluzii vorbesc despre direcţiile viitoare de dezvoltare a filosofiei tehnologiei blockchain în general ca o teorie explicativă şi robustă din punct de vedere fenomenologic, consistentă şi care să permită testabilitatea, şi a ontologiilor în special, argumentând pentru necesitatea unei adopţii globale a unui sistem ontologic pentru a dezvolta soluţii transversale şi a rentabiliza tehnologia. -/- Cuvinte cheie: filosofie, blockchain, ontologie, bitcoin, proiectare, modele -/- CUPRINS -/- Abstract Introducere Tehnologia blockchain - - - Proiectare - - - Modele Bitcoin Filosofia Ontologii - - - Ontologii narative - - - Ontologii de intreprindere Concluzii Note Bibliografie -/- DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25492.35204. (shrink)

Unified Modeling Language (UML) of Object Management Group, along with Object Constraint Language (OCL), are considered as the best fit for blockchain ontology. OCL is a declarative language that describes the rules applicable to UML models and is part of the UML standard. Initially, OCL was just an extension of the formal specification language for UML. Now, OCL can be used with any meta-model. Enterprise ontology is combined with the business ontology of Resources, Events, Agents (REA) to be used for (...) the content of the change. REA was originally proposed in 1982 by William E. McCarthy as generalized accounting model. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14744.14083. (shrink)

Termenul Big Data se referă la extragerea, manipularea și analiza unor seturi de date care sunt prea mari pentru a fi tratate în mod obișnuit. Din această cauză se utilizează software special și, în multe cazuri, și calculatoare și echipamente hardware special dedicate. În general la aceste date analiza se face statistic. Pe baza analizei datelor respective se fac de obicei predicții ale unor grupuri de persoane sau alte entități, pe baza comportamentului acestora în diverse situații și folosind tehnici analitice (...) avansate. Se pot identifica astfel tendințe, necesități și evoluții comportamentale ale acestor entități. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.36799.15529. (shrink)

Ricoeur a souligné l’importance de l’idée d’une identité narrative. L'argument de Ricoeur concernant l'individualisation se poursuit par une succession d'étapes. Il part de la philosophie du langage et du problème de l'identification de la référence aux personnes en tant qu'individus eux-mêmes, pas seulement aux choses. Cela amène à considérer le sujet parlant comme un agent, en passant par la sémantique de l'action que Ricoeur avait apprise de la philosophie analytique. Vient ensuite l'idée que le moi a une identité narrative. DOI: (...) 10.13140/RG.2.2.23004.74880. (shrink)

State features are affected by the connection with digital coins. Social systems create their own limits and remain alive according to their internal logic, which does not derive from the system environment. So, social systems are operationally and autonomously closed - interacting with their environment and there is a general increase in entropy, but individual systems work to maintain and preserve their internal order. Autopoietic systems (like the state, with the tendency to maintain the inner order with a remarkable degree (...) of independence from the outside world) may contrast with allopoietic ones. It results in a state with a finite influence area, but recently troubled by the new forms of digital money and the corresponding infrastructure. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28007.80803 . (shrink)

Big Data poate genera, prin inferențe, noi cunoașteri și perspective. Paradigma care rezultă din utilizarea Big Data generează noi oportunități. Un motiv de îngrijorare majoră în cazul Big Data se datorează faptului că oamenii de știință de date tind să lucreze cu date despre subiectele pe care nu le cunosc și cu care nu au fost niciodată în contact, fiind înstrăinați de produsul final al activității lor (aplicarea analizelor). Un studiu recent afirmă că ceasta poate fi motivul unui fenomen cunoscut (...) ca alienarea digitală. Big Data are influențe mari la nivel guvernamental, afectând pozitiv societatea. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.27117.84961. (shrink)

Big Data can generate, through inferences, new knowledge and perspectives. The paradigm that results from using Big Data creates new opportunities. Big Data has great influence at the governmental level, positively affecting society. These systems can be made more efficient by applying transparency and open governance policies, such as Open Data. After developing predictive models for target audience behavior, Big Data can be used to generate early warnings for various situations. There is thus a positive feedback between research and practice, (...) with rapid discoveries taken from practice. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14677.17120 . (shrink)

L'ingénierie ontologique, associé aux technologies du Web sémantique, permet la modélisation sémantique et le développement du flux opérationnel requis pour la conception de la technologie blockchain. Le système de modélisation blockchain le plus utilisé, par la représentation abstraite, la description et la définition de la structure, des processus, des informations et des ressources, est la modélisation des entreprises. La modélisation d'entreprise utilise des ontologies de domaine utilisant des langages de représentation du modèle. Bitcoin est le principal système de paiement pair-à-pair (...) et cryptomonnaie qui utilise la technologie de la blockchain. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25379.50726. (shrink)

Le big data peut générer, par inférences, de nouvelles connaissances et perspectives. Le paradigme qui résulte de l'utilisation du big data crée de nouvelles opportunités. L'une des principales préoccupations dans le cas du big data est que les scientifiques des données ont tendance à travailler avec des données sur des sujets qu'ils ne connaissent pas et n'ont jamais été en contact, étant éloignés du produit final de leur activité (l'application des analyses). Une étude récente (Tanner 2014) indique que cela peut (...) être la raison d'un phénomène connu sous le nom d'aliénation numérique. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.34700.54409. (shrink)

Ontology engineering, along with semantic Web technologies, allow the semantic development and modeling of the operational flow required for blockchain design. The semantic Web, in accordance with W3C, "provides a common framework that allows data to be shared and reused across application, enterprise, and community boundaries" and can be seen as an integrator for various content, applications and information systems. The most widely used blockchain modelling system, by abstract representation, description and definition of structure, processes, information and resources, is the (...) enterprises modelling. Enterprise modelling uses domain ontologies by model representation languages. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.19062.24642. (shrink)

De par sa conception, une blockchain est "un grand livre ouvert et distribué capable d'enregistrer les transactions entre deux parties de manière efficace, vérifiable et permanente", généralement gérée par un réseau d'égal à égal adhérant à un protocole communication de nœud et validation de nouveaux blocs. Après l'enregistrement, les données de chaque bloc ne peuvent pas être modifiées de manière rétrospective sans modifier tous les blocs suivants, ce qui nécessite un consensus du réseau. La blockchain peut être considérée comme un (...) système de conception sécurisé, distribué, avec une tolérance élevée aux erreurs. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.16651.34082. (shrink)

Enterprise ontology for blockchain transactions includes datalogical, infological and essential levels. OntoClean analyzes ontologies based on formal, domain-independent properties (metaproperties), being the first attempt to formalize the notion of ontological analysis for computer systems. The notions are extracted from the philosophical ontology. In the semantic web, a property is a binary relationship, with a subtle distinction between ownership and class. Thus, a metaproperty is a property of a property or a class. The design of ontology can be done when there (...) is a basic understanding of the blockchain analysis. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.23158.96327 . (shrink)

Leading digital platform providers such as Google and Uber construct marketplaces in which algorithms set prices. The efficiency-maximising free market credentials of this approach are touted by the companies involved and by legislators, policy makers and marketers. They have also taken root in the public imagination. In this article we challenge this understanding of algorithmically constructed marketplaces. We do so by returning to Hayek’s (1945) classic defence of the price mechanism, and by arguing that algorithmically-mediated price mechanisms do not, and (...) probably cannot, accumulate and signal that same kinds of knowledge that Hayek felt were essential to effective market governance. Indeed, we argue that algorithmically-constructed marketplaces are closer to, though distinct from, the central planning model that Hayek critiqued. Regardless of how you feel about Hayek’s argument, this has important consequences for how we respond to the rise of algorithmic governance tools in both markets and elsewhere. (shrink)

This paper investigates how human interactions with AI-powered chatbots may offend human dignity. Current chatbots, driven by large language models (LLMs), mimic human linguistic behaviour but lack the moral and rational capacities essential for genuine interpersonal respect. Human beings are prone to anthropomorphise chatbots—indeed, chatbots appear to be deliberately designed to elicit that response. As a result, human beings’ behaviour toward chatbots often resembles behaviours typical of interaction between moral agents. Drawing on a second-personal, relational account of dignity, we argue (...) that interacting with chatbots in this way is incompatible with the dignity of users. We show that, since second-personal respect is premised on reciprocal recognition of second-personal moral authority, behaving towards chatbots in ways that convey second-personal respect is bound to misfire in morally problematic ways, given the lack of reciprocity. Consequently, such chatbot interactions amount to subtle but significant violations of self-respect—the respect we are dutybound to show for our own dignity. We illustrate this by discussing four actual chatbot use cases (information retrieval, customer service, advising, and companionship), and propound that the increasing societal pressure to engage in such interactions with chatbots poses a hitherto underappreciated threat to human dignity. (shrink)

When thinking about designing social media platforms, we often focus on factors such as usability, functionality, aesthetics, ethics, and so forth. Epistemic considerations have rarely been given the same level of attention in design discussions. This paper aims to rectify this neglect. We begin by arguing that there are epistemic norms that govern environments, including social media environments. Next, we provide a framework for applying these norms to the question of platform design. We then apply this framework to the real-world (...) case of long-form informational content platforms. We argue that many current long-form informational content platforms are epistemically unhealthy. The good news? We provide concrete advice on how to take steps toward improving their health! Specifically, we argue that they should change how they verify and authenticate content creators and how this information is displayed to content consumers. We conclude by connecting this guidance to broader issues about the epistemic health of platforms. (shrink)

Philosophy of mind and cognitive science (e.g., Clark and Chalmers 1998; Clark 2010; Palermos 2014) have recently become increasingly receptive tothe hypothesis of extended cognition, according to which external artifacts such as our laptops and smartphones can—under appropriate circumstances—feature as material realisers of a person’s cognitive processes. We argue that, to the extent that the hypothesis of extended cognition is correct, our legal and ethical theorising and practice must be updated, by broadening our conception of personal assault so as to (...) include intentional harm towards gadgets that have been appropriately integrated. We next situate the theoretical case for extended personal assault within the context of some recent ethical and legal cases and close with some critical discussion. (shrink)

This paper argues, against the prevailing view, that consent to privacy policies that regular internet users usually give is largely unproblematic from the moral point of view. To substantiate this claim, we rely on the idea of the right not to know (RNTK), as developed by bioethicists. Defenders of the RNTK in bioethical literature on informed consent claim that patients generally have the right to refuse medically relevant information. In this article we extend the application of the RNTK to online (...) privacy. We then argue that if internet users can be thought of as exercising their RNTK before consenting to privacy policies, their consent ought to be considered free of the standard charges leveled against it by critics. (shrink)

Human values seem to vary across time and space. What implications does this have for the future of human value? Will our human and (perhaps) post-human offspring have very different values from our own? Can we study the future of human values in an insightful and systematic way? This article makes three contributions to the debate about the future of human values. First, it argues that the systematic study of future values is both necessary in and of itself and an (...) important complement to other future-oriented inquiries. Second, it sets out a methodology and a set of methods for undertaking this study. Third, it gives a practical illustration of what this ‘axiological futurism’ might look like by developing a model of the axiological possibility space that humans are likely to navigate over the coming decades. (shrink)

Memory Detection Tests (MDTs) are a general class of psychophysiological tests that can be used to determine whether someone remembers a particular fact or datum. The P300 MDT is a type of MDT that relies on a presumed correlation between the presence of a detectable neural signal (the P300 “brainwave”) in a test subject, and the recognition of those facts in the subject’s mind. As such, the P300 MDT belongs to a class of brain-based forensic technologies which have proved popular (...) and controversial in recent years. With such tests increasingly being proffered for use in the courtroom — to either support or call into question testimony — it would behoove the legal system to have some systematic framework for ensuring that they are used responsibly. In this paper, I defend one such framework for ensuring that this is the case: the legitimacy enhancing test. According to this test, it is appropriate to make use of technologies such as the P300 MDT whenever doing so would (probably) enhance the legitimacy of the trial. I argue that this test addresses tensions between scientific and legal norms of evidence, and exhibits a number of additional virtues including unification, simplicity and flexibility. Although the test is defended by considering the example of the P300 MDT, its significance is much broader than that. If it has the virtues I claim for it, it should provide a general framework for the responsible use of technologies, and the responsible innovation of social epistemic systems. (shrink)

This chapter provides a general overview and introduction to the law and ethics of virtual sexual assault. It offers a definition of the phenomenon and argues that there are six interesting types. It then asks and answers three questions: (i) should we criminalise virtual sexual assault? (ii) can you be held responsible for virtual sexual assault? and (iii) are there issues with 'consent' to virtual sexual activity that might make it difficult to prosecute or punish virtual sexual assault?

The field of AI safety aims to prevent increasingly capable artificially intelligent systems from causing humans harm. Research on moral alignment is widely thought to offer a promising safety strategy: if we can equip AI systems with appropriate ethical rules, according to this line of thought, they'll be unlikely to disempower, destroy or otherwise seriously harm us. Deontological morality looks like a particularly attractive candidate for an alignment target, given its popularity, relative technical tractability and commitment to harm-avoidance principles. I (...) argue that the connection between moral alignment and safe behavior is more tenuous than many have hoped. In general, AI systems can possess either of these properties in the absence of the other, and we should favor safety when the two conflict. In particular, advanced AI systems governed by standard versions of deontology need not be especially safe. (shrink)

There has been an increasing interest into how to build Artificial Moral Agents (AMAs) that make moral decisions on the basis of causation rather than mere correction. One promising avenue for achieving this is to use a causal modelling approach. This paper explores an open and important problem with such an approach; namely, the problem of what makes a causal model an appropriate model. I explore why we need to establish criteria for what makes a model appropriate, and offer-up such (...) criteria which appeals to normative considerations. (shrink)

What can contemporary machine learning (ML) models do? Given the proliferation of ML models in society, answering this question matters to a variety of stakeholders, both public and private. The evaluation of models' capabilities is rapidly emerging as a key subfield of modern ML, buoyed by regulatory attention and government grants. Despite this, the notion of an ML model possessing a capability has not been interrogated: what are we saying when we say that a model is able to do something? (...) And what sorts of evidence bear upon this question? -/- In this paper, we aim to answer these questions, using the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) as a running example. Drawing on the large philosophical literature on abilities, we develop an account of ML models' capabilities which can be usefully applied to the nascent science of model evaluation. Our core proposal is a conditional analysis of model abilities (CAMA): crudely, a machine learning model has a capability to X just when it would reliably succeed at doing X if it 'tried'. The main contribution of the paper is making this proposal precise in the context of ML, resulting in an operationalisation of CAMA applicable to LLMs. We then put CAMA to work, showing that it can help make sense of various features of ML model evaluation practice, as well as suggest procedures for performing fair inter-model comparisons. (shrink)

Phenomenal transparency was once widely believed to be necessary for cognitive extension. Recently, this claim has come under attack, with a new consensus coalescing around the idea that transparency is neither necessary for internal nor extended cognitive processes. We take these recent critiques as an opportunity to refine the concept of transparency relevant for cognitive extension. In particular, we highlight that transparency concerns an agent’s employment of a resource – and that such employment is compatible with an agent consciously apprehending (...) (or attending to) a resource. This means it is possible for an object to be transparent and opaque to an agent, even at a single moment in time. Once we understand transparency in this way, the detractors’ claims lose their bite, and existing arguments for transparency’s necessity for cognitive extension return to apply with full force. (shrink)

Disruptive technologies can be conceptualized in different ways. Depending on how they are conceptualized, different ethical issues come into play. This article contributes to a general framework to navigate the ethics of disruptive technologies. It proposes three basic distinctions to be included in such a framework. First, emerging technologies may instigate localized “first-order” disruptions, or systemic “second-order” disruptions. The ethical significance of these disruptions differs: first-order disruptions tend to be of modest ethical significance, whereas second-order disruptions are highly significant. Secondly, (...) technologies may be classified as disruptive based on their technological features or based on their societal impact. Depending on which of these classifications one adopts and takes as the starting point of ethical inquiry, different ethical questions are foregrounded. Thirdly, the ethics of disruptive technology raises concerns at four different levels of technology assessment: the technology level, the artifact level, the application level, and the society level. The respective suitability of approaches in technology ethics to address concerns about disruptive technologies co-varies with the respective level of analysis. The article clarifies these distinctions, thereby laying some of the groundwork for an ethical framework tailored for assessing disruptive technologies. (shrink)

The co-shaping of technology and values is a topic of increasing interest among philosophers of technology. Part of this interest pertains to anticipating future value change, or what Danaher (2021) calls the investigation of “axiological futurism”. However, this investigation faces a challenge: “axiological possibility space” is vast, and we currently lack a clear account of how this space should be demarcated. It stands to reason that speculations about how values might change over time should exclude farfetched possibilities and be restricted (...) to possibilities that can be dubbed to be realistic instead. But what does this realism criterion entail? This paper introduces the notion of realistic possibilities as a key conceptual advancement to the study of axiological futurism and offers suggestions as to how realistic possibilities of future value change might be identified. Additionally, I propose two slight modifications to the approach of axiological futurism. First, I argue that axiological futurism can benefit from a thoroughly historicised understanding of moral change. Secondly, I argue that when employed in normative contexts, the axiological futurist should seek to identify realistic possibilities that come along with substantial normative risks. (shrink)

The vast advances in biometrics over the past several decades have brought with them a host of pressing concerns. Philosophical scrutiny has already been devoted to many of the relevant ethical and political issues, especially ones arising from matters of privacy, bias, and security in data collection. But philosophers have devoted surprisingly little attention to the relevant metaphysical issues, in particular, ones concerning matters of personal identity. This paper aims to take some initial steps to correct this oversight. After discussing (...) the philosophical problem of personal identity, the ways in which the notion of biometric identity connects with, or fails to connect with, the philosophical notion of personal identity is explored. Though there may be some good reasons to use biometric identity to track personal identity, it is contended that biometric identity is not the same thing as personal identity and thus that biometrics researchers should stop talking as if it were. (shrink)

This paper aims to clear up the epistemology of learning morality from Artificial Moral Advisors (AMAs). We start with a brief consideration of what counts as moral enhancement and consider the risk of deskilling raised by machines that offer moral advice. We then shift focus to the epistemology of moral advice and show when and under what conditions moral advice can lead to enhancement. We argue that people’s motivational dispositions are enhanced by inspiring people to act morally, instead of merely (...) telling them how to act. Drawing upon these insights, we claim that if AMAs are to genuinely enhance people morally, they should be designed as inspiration and not authority machines. In the final section, we evaluate existing AMA models to shed light on which holds the most promise for helping to make users better moral agents. (shrink)