*Special Note: This piece presents a paradox artificially created by Prof. Kingfisher for pondering. It must not be regarded as a given truth.

What does being money consist in? We argue that something is money if, and only if, it is typically acquired in order to realise the reduction in transaction costs that accrues in virtue of agents coordinating on acquiring the same thing when deciding what thing to acquire in order to exchange. What kinds of things can be money? We argue against the common view that a variety of things (notes, coins, gold, cigarettes, etc.) can be money. All monetary systems are (...) best interpreted as implementing the same basic protocol. Money, i.e. the thing that we coordinate on acquiring in order to lower our transaction costs, is, in all cases, a set of positions on an abstract mathematical object, namely a relative ratio scale. The things that we ordinarily call ‘money’ are merely records of positions on such a scale. (shrink)

Models of collective deliberation often assume that the chief aim of a deliberative exchange is the sharing of information. In this paper, we argue that an equally important role of deliberation is to draw participants’ attention to pertinent questions, which can aid the assembly and processing of distributed information by drawing deliberators’ attention to new issues. The assumption of logical omniscience renders classical models of agents’ informational states unsuitable for modelling this role of deliberation. Building on recent insights from psychology, (...) linguistics and philosophy about the role of questions in speech and thought, we propose a different model in which beliefs are treated as answers directed at specific questions. Here, questions are formally represented as partitions of the space of possibilities and individuals’ information states as sets of questions and corresponding partial answers to them. The state of conversation is then characterised by individuals’ information together with the questions under discussion, which can be steered by various deliberative inputs. Using this model, deliberation is then shown to shape collective decisions in ways that classical models cannot capture, allowing for novel explanations of how group consensus is achieved. (shrink)

This paper tackles the asymmetry of economic interests and geopolitics between developed and developing countries. Currently, the geopolitics presupposes that the majority of novel technologies are devised and designed in developed countries with their subsequent transfer to the developing countries. Moreover, in the context of the global crisis, the issue of de-dollarization is relevant from the political and economic points of view. Our specific focus is on the small oil countries and the issue how to get off the oil needle (...) in the painless way. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the rise of cryptocurrency that is envisaged as the substitute of the U.S. dollar which has been the world most dominating currency for the last several decades. This paper considers the global asymmetry which has the greatest impact on countries with economies dependent on energy exports. In the light of the diminishing returns from the sale of oil, we examine the ways for escaping this asymmetry. The authors consider the geopolitical asymmetry stemming from the dominance of the U.S. dollar, analyze the political situation and offer the pathways for the development of those economies where oil become an obstacle for economic development. The paper examines the ways of solving the above-mentioned problem by other states in detail and conduct the comparative analysis of the above issues in relation to the economy of Azerbaijan. From this case study we conduct a comparative analysis of the developed and developing countries taking into account the economic asymmetry and global economic and financial security. (shrink)

As global warming is gradually pushing the Earth to the climate tipping point, the reduction of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has become more urgent than ever. Many high-tech methods, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, have been proposed as crucial tools in the fight against climate change. However, this paper argues that the expensiveness and uncertainty of CCS technologies make them not feasibly deployed. Persistent investment in these technologies also reinforces the outdated eco-deficit mindset that prioritizes monetary (...) over environmental values. In contrast, the recent flood in the Sahara desert turned barren areas green, reminding us that nature, when given the opportunity, can have an astonishing capacity to heal itself. Investing billions of dollars in deploying costly and uncertain high-tech solutions while limiting funds for local communities to take care of reliable natural carbon sinks risks depleting humanity's resources to tackle climate change, especially when the tipping points are closed. (shrink)

Is the term ‘racist’ being applied so widely that it is losing its moral force? Theorists and pundits from across the political spectrum think that it is. They call such a change of meaning “conceptual inflation” and argue that we should try to stop it by restricting the use of ‘racist’ or replacing ‘racist’ with new expressions. But what evidence do we have that ‘racist’ is inflated? Economists do not track currency inflation with mere vibes; they use measurements such as (...) the consumer price index. For example, using CPI, it is observable that there has been considerable US dollar inflation over the last three decades or so: $1.00 in 1989 has the purchasing power of $2.54 in 2024. If ‘racist’ has undergone a similar transformation, as critics of conceptual inflation contend, how could that be measured? Before plunging into the normative debate about whether conceptual inflation is good or bad, we should gather systematic empirical evidence about whether the purported conceptual inflation of ‘racist’ is in fact happening. That is what we do in this paper: we use an apparent time study, a technique drawn from sociolinguistics, to measure whether ‘racist’ is undergoing conceptual inflation. An apparent time study looks at the linguistic behavior of people of different ages as a way of measuring linguistic variation over time. We distinguish two processes that constitute conceptual inflation: extension expansion and intensity bleaching. Across three studies, we found some equivocal evidence that ‘racist’ has undergone extension expansion—its reference class may have slightly expanded—but no evidence that it has undergone intensity bleaching—its moral force remains the same. By comparing ‘racist’ with other terms that have plausibly undergone meaning change, like ‘queer’, we argue that claims about the conceptual inflation of ‘racist’, as they are standardly understood, are overblown. (shrink)

A person with one dollar is poor. If a person with n dollars is poor, then so is a person with n + 1 dollars. Therefore, a person with a billion dollars is poor. True premises, valid reasoning, a false a conclusion. This is an instance of the Sorites-paradox. (There are infinitely many such paradoxes. A man with an IQ of 1 is unintelligent. If a man with an IQ of n is unintelligent, so is a man (...) with an IQ of n+1. Therefore a man with an IQ of 200 is unintelligent.) Most attempts to solve this paradox reject some law of classical logic, usually the law of bivalence. I show that this paradox can be solved while holding on to all the laws of classical logic. Given any predicate that generates a Sorites-paradox, significant use of that predicate is actually elliptical for a relational statement: a significant token of "Bob is poor" means that Bob is poor compared to x, for some value of x. Once a value of x is supplied, a definite cutoff line between having and not having the paradox-generating predicate is supplied. This neutralizes the inductive step in the associated Sorites argument, and the would-be paradox is avoided. (shrink)

Effective altruists recommend that we give large sums to charity, but by far their more central message is that we give effectively, i.e., to whatever charities would do the most good per dollar donated. In this paper, I’ll assume that it’s not wrong not to give bigger, but will explore to what extent it may well nonetheless be wrong not to give better. The main claim I’ll argue for here is that in many cases it would be wrong of you (...) to give a sum of money to charities that do less good than others you could have given to instead, even if it would not have been wrong of you not to give the money to any charity at all. I assume that all the charities under discussion here do positive good overall, do not cause harm, do not infringe rights, etc. What makes my main claim here particularly interesting is that it is inconsistent with what appears to be a fairly common assumption in the ethics of giving, according to which if it is not wrong of you to keep some sum of money for yourself, then it is likewise not wrong of you to donate it to any particular charity you choose. Roughly: if it’s up to you whether to donate the money, it’s also up to you where to donate the money. I challenge this common assumption. (shrink)

If you’ve got millions of dollars to donate, don’t donate them to academic philosophy. Producing philosophical articles and books faces diminishing returns and diverts money and attention from more important causes. Many philosophy books and articles contradict each other; at best, only some can be correct. Philosophy classes are poor at instilling critical thinking skills. Resources that would be spent on philosophy would be better spent elsewhere.

Virtual environments engage millions of people and billions of dollars each year. What is the ontological status of the virtual objects that populate those environments? An adequate answer to that question requires a developed semantics for virtual environments. The truth-conditions must be identified for “tree”-sentences when uttered by speakers immersed in a virtual environment (VE). It will be argued that statements about virtual objects have truth-conditions roughly comparable to the verificationist conditions popular amongst some contemporary antirealists. This does not (...) mean that the virtual objects lack ontological standing. There is an important sense in which virtual objects are no less real for being mind-dependent. (shrink)

Emergence is typically discussed in the context of mental properties or the properties of the natural sciences, and accounts of emergence within these contexts tend to look a certain way. The emergent property is taken to emerge instantaneously out of, or to be proximately caused by, complex interaction of colocated entities. Here, however, I focus on the properties instantiated by the elements of certain systems discussed in social ontology, such as being a five-dollar bill or a pawn-movement, and I suggest (...) that these properties emerge in a distinctive way. They emerge in part because of a system that is far beyond and typically before the object that instantiates them. I characterize how emergence occurs in these cases, juxtaposing it with how emergence is typically discussed. I then consider whether their emergence is best framed as weak or strong as these notions are characterized in the literature, and I reveal what debates are central to answering this question. Though I will not resolve these debates, I do show a collection of views that would vindicate these properties as strongly emergent and downwardly causing. (shrink)

Uniqueness appears to enhance intrinsic value. A unique stamp sells for millions of dollars; Stradivarius violins are all the more precious because they are unlike any others. This observation has not gone overlooked in the value theory literature: uniqueness plays a starring role recalibrating the dominant Moorean understanding of the nature of intrinsic value. But the thesis that uniqueness enhances intrinsic value is in tension with another deeply plausible and widely held thesis, namely the thesis that there is a (...) pro tanto reason to promote the good. It is argued that there is a second, distinct type of uniqueness that plays a more interesting and important axiological role: uniqueness imparts irreplaceable value. This gives occasion to develop the surprisingly undertheorized notion of irreplaceable value. (shrink)

Die Übernahme des KI-Unternehmens DeepMind durch Google für rund eine halbe Milliarde US-Dollar signalisierte vor einem Jahr, dass von der KI-Forschung vielversprechende Ergebnisse erwartet werden. Spätestens seit bekannte Wissenschaftler wie Stephen Hawking und Unternehmer wie Elon Musk oder Bill Gates davor warnen, dass künstliche Intelligenz eine Bedrohung für die Menschheit darstellt, schlägt das KI-Thema hohe Wellen. Die Stiftung für Effektiven Altruismus (EAS, vormals GBS Schweiz) hat mit der Unterstützung von Experten/innen aus Informatik und KI ein umfassendes Diskussionspapier zu den Chancen (...) und Risiken der künstlichen Intelligenz verfasst und geht darin auf aktuelle, mittel- und langfristige Herausforderungen im Bereich der KI-Entwicklung ein. (shrink)

A work of Vietnamese art crossed a million-dollar mark in the international art market in early 2017. The event was reluctantly seen as a sign of maturity from the Vietnamese art amidst the many existing problems. Even though the Vietnamese media has discussed the issues enthusiastically, there is a lack of literature from the Vietnamese academics examining the subject, and even rarer in from the market perspective. This paper aims to contribute an insightful perspective on the Vietnamese art market, and (...) hesitantly the Vietnamese art as well, through the lens of fake, forgery and copy artworks. 35 cases of fake, forgery and copy paintings were found on the news and from the experts' wisdom. Through the examples, we argue that the Vietnamese art market is a temporary reaction to the immaturely rising of the Vietnamese art and the economy. Therefore, the art market is unable to function healthily unless the Vietnamese art and the economy developed. (shrink)

Part 1 of this exchange consists in a critique by Smith of Searle’s The Construction of Social Reality focusing on Searle’s use of the formula ‘X counts as Y in context C’. Smith argues that this formula works well for social objects such as dollar bills and presidents where the corresponding X terms (pieces of paper, human beings) are easy to identify. In cases such as debts and prices and money in a bank's computers, however, the formula fails, because these (...) are cases of what he calls ‘free-standing Y terms’, since there is here no X which can count as the corresponding Y. In his response in Part 2, Searle argues that Smith’s critique rests on three misunderstandings: 1. in wrongly presupposing that Searle is trying to analyze the nature of what he calls “social objects”, rather than of social facts; 2. in thinking that the counts as formula is intended as a definition, rather than as a mere mnemonic; and 3. in neglecting the naturalism of Searle’s account. (shrink)

Part 1 of this exchange consists in a critique by Smith of Searle’s The Construction of Social Reality focusing on Searle’s use of the formula ‘X counts as Y in context C’. Smith argues that this formula works well for social objects such as dollar bills and presidents where the corresponding X terms (pieces of paper, human beings) are easy to identify. In cases such as debts and prices and money in a banks computers, however, the formula fails, because these (...) are cases of what he calls ‘free-standing Y terms’, since there is here no X which can count as the corresponding Y. In his response in Part 2, Searle argues that Smith’s critique rests on three misunderstandings: 1. in wrongly presupposing that Searle is trying to analyze the nature of what he calls “social objects”, rather than of social facts; 2. in thinking that the counts as formula is intended as a definition, rather than as a mere mnemonic; and 3. in neglecting the naturalism of Searle’s account. (shrink)

In this paper, I defend a version of the medical model of disability, which defines disability as an enduring biological dysfunction that causes its bearer a significant degree of impairment. We should accept the medical model, I argue, because it succeeds in capturing our judgments about what conditions do and do not qualify as disabilities, because it offers a compelling explanation for what makes a condition count as a disability, and because it justifies why the federal government should spend hundreds (...) of billions of dollars, annually, on aid and accommodations for disabled people. After responding to a pair of objections Elizabeth Barnes has raised against the medical model, I contrast it with Guy Kahane and Julian Savulescu's welfarist account of disability, and with Barnes's own mere-difference view. Both of these accounts face serious challenges, although elements of Barnes's view can—and, in my opinion, should—be adopted by proponents of the medical model. (shrink)

As well as disagreeing about how much one should donate to charity, moral theories also disagree about where one should donate. In light of this disagreement, how should the morally uncertain philanthropist allocate her donations? In many cases, one intuitively attractive option is for the philanthropist to split her donations across all of the charities that are recommended by moral views in which she has positive credence, with each charity’s share being proportional to her credence in the moral theories that (...) recommend that particular charity. Despite the fact that something like this approach is already being used by real-world philanthropists to distribute billions of dollars of donations, it is not supported by any of the approaches to moral uncertainty that have been proposed thus-far in the philosophical literature. In this paper, we will develop a bargaining-based approach to moral uncertainty that honors the proportionality intuition in favor of splitting one’s donations. We also show how this bargaining-based approach has several further advantages over the best alternative proposals. (shrink)

Cet article analyse le risque de corruption que les arrêts Citizens United de 2010 et l’apparition des Super-PACs font peser sur le système électoral états-unien. Lors de la dernière campagne présidentielle, plus de 730 millions de dollars ont été investis dans des publicités électorales par de riches contributeurs et des entreprises privées regroupés en Super-PACs. Nous montrons que cet afflux d’argent consacré à des publicités politiques expose la démocratie américaine à trois formes de « corruption grise », en favorisant (...) la banalisation de pratiques contestables et en troublant la frontière entre ce qui est licite et ce qui ne l’est pas. (1) Déplafonné, le soutien financier aux candidats risque de s’apparenter à de la subornation; (2) certaines des techniques publicitaires employées semblent réduire l’exercice de conviction démocratique à une tentative de corruption de l’électeur; (3) enfin les immenses inégalités d’influence politique que ce système de financement induit participent de la corruption des affaires démocratiques en favorisant leur captation par un petit nombre d’individus fortunés. Nous mettons en évidence que le refus systématique de la Cour Suprême d’envisager ces phénomènes comme des vecteurs de corruption se fonde sur une conception discutable de la démocratie comme système de libre concurrence pour le pouvoir politique. Comprendre la démocratie à partir de son impératif d’égalité permet à l’inverse de rendre visible la corruption à laquelle son système de financement électoral expose la démocratie américaine. (shrink)

Recently, some of the leading proponents of the view that there is widespread incommensurability among goods have suggested that the incommensurability of some goods is a constitutive feature of the goods themselves. So, for example, a friendship and a million dollars are incommensurable because it is part of what it is to be a friendship that it be incommensurable with money. According to these ‘constitutive incommensurabilists’ incommensurability follows from the very nature of certain goods. In this paper, I examine (...) this idea and argue that constitutive incommensurabilists have mistaken for constitutive incommensurability a particular emphatic kind of comparability. This examination involves an account of ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ goods and an explanation of how goods of different ‘types’ figure in practical conflict. (shrink)

Linden Lab studies massive online game "Second Life" unexpectedly gained worldwide fame after a few years after release. To the surprise of many game has met with great interest, despite the lack of promotional campaigns. It can be assumed that the reason why "second life" reached a wider audience was a special type of offered entertainment. Network game proved to be no longer a game that was known so far, but an example of a mass media, whose central element is (...) a dynamic virtual world which is an extension of our "first" reality. "Second Life" has the potential, which is challenging the widely shared rules could shake the foundations of the social world. This program is currently the most advanced example of a virtual economy. Unlike many other massive online games and their predecessors, this game is entirely based on the principles of virtual property ownership, as well as rules of conduct virtual business and service, and finally also the consumption of goods. Users of the game, just like the person providing the data in the framework of social networking sites maintained in the mainstream of Web 2.0, user-generated content constituting the virtual world, which can trade content with others linden virtual dolars that can be exchanged to real U.S. dollars. The increase in popularity of "Second Life" brings to mind the vision of the possibility of creating a better place to live for many people. Closer analysis of this phenomenon does not allow for such statements. In the following instances will be presented: information about the growth of the global market for online games and its consequences, the distinguishing features of "Second Life" from traditional online games, virtual elements of the impact of economics on social life, the concept of entertainment as a job stream properties Games 2.0 and contentious issues, which produces "second life". ** Masowa gra on-line "Second Life" studia Linden Lab nieoczekiwanie zdobyła sławȩ na całym świecie po kilku latach od premiery. Ku zaskoczeniu wielu tytuł spotkał siȩ z ogromnym zainteresowaniem mimo braku akcji promocyjnych. Można przypuszczać, że powodem dla którego "drugie życie" dotarło do szerszego grona odbiorców był szczególny typ zaoferowanej formy rozrywki. Sieciowa gra okazała siȩ nie być już gr¸a} jak¸a} znano do tej pory, lecz przykładem środka masowego przekazu, którego centralnym elementem jest dynamiczny wirtualny świat stanowi¸a}cy przedłużenie naszej, "pierwszej", rzeczywistości. "Second Life" kryje w sobie potencjał, który podważaj¸a}c podzielane powszechnie reguły może wstrz¸a}sn¸a}ć posadami świata społecznego. Program ten jest obecnie najbardziej zaawansowanym przykładem wirtualnej gospodarki. W odróżnieniu od wielu innych masowych gier on-line i ich poprzedniczek pozycja ta w całości opiera siȩ na zasadach posiadania wirtualnej własności, jak też regułach prowadzenia wirtualnej działalności gospodarczej i usługowej, i wreszcie takiej też konsumpcji dóbr. Użytkownicy gry, podobnie jak osoby udostȩpniaj¸a}ce dane w ramach internetowych serwisów społecznościowych utrzymanych w nurcie Web 2.0, generuj¸a} treści tworz¸a}ce wirtualny świat, treści którymi mog¸a} handlować z innymi pobieraj¸a}c za nie opłaty w wirtualnych dolarach lindeńskich wymiennych na realne dolary amerykańskie. Wzrost popularności "Second Life" przywodzi na myśl wizjȩ możliwości stworzenia lepszego miejsca do życia dla wielu ludzi. Bliższa analiza tego zjawiska nie pozwala już na takie stwierdzenia. W dalszej czȩści wyst¸apienia przedstawione zostan¸a: informacje o wzroście globalnego rynku gier on-line i jego konsekwencjach, cechy odróżniaj¸ace "Second Life" od tradycyjnych gier sieciowych, elementy wpływu wirtualnej gospodarki na życie społeczne, pojȩcie rozrywki jako pracy, właściwości nurtu Games 2.0 oraz sporne kwestie, jakie wywołuje "drugie życie". (shrink)

In this article I seek to say what it is for something to count as a neglected disease. I argue that neglect should be defined in terms of efforts at prevention, mitigation and cure, and not solely in terms of research dollars per disability-adjusted life-year. I further argue that the trend towards multifactorialism and risk factor thinking in modern epidemiology has lent credibility to the erroneous view that the primary problem with neglected diseases is a lack of research. A (...) more restrictive contrastive model of disease is endorsed as better suited to the definition of neglected disease. (shrink)

Homeopathic medications are used by millions, and hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on these remedies in the USA alone. In the UK, the NHS covers homeopathic treatments. Nonetheless, homeopathy is held in considerable disrepute by much of the medical and scientific community.Many proponents of homeopathy are well aware of these criticisms but remain unimpressed. The differences of opinion run deep, and the debate seems deadlocked. We aim to shed some light on this situation. We briefly recap some (...) of the major arguments on each side, but we try to go further by making explicit an underlying philosophical presupposition. In particular, we will claim that there is an important principle, which has ancient roots going back at least to Occam, some version of which constrains all empirical reasoning.We call this constraint the simplicity principle.We argue that this is not something specific to a scientific paradigm, but that, all of us, including proponents of homeopathy, are themselves deeply committed to the simplicity principle. However, once the simplicity principle is made explicit and applied to homeopathy, allegiance to homeopathy is clearly seen as irrational. The point is not merely the lack of clinical trials supporting homeopathy; rather, belief in the efficacy of homeopathy leaves a mountain of unexplained mysteries, and thereby flies in the face of the simplicity rule that guides the homeopaths’ own reasoning and arguments. If nothing else, we hope that defenders of homeopathy will gain a greater understanding of why critics are so deeply reluctant to accept the efficacy of homeopathic interventions – and that this reluctance is not mere stubbornness or artificial allegiance to western medicine. Finally, we also hope thereby to illustrate the usefulness of philosophy in unearthing presuppositions in seemingly deadlocked debates. (shrink)

This chapter focuses on the psychological mechanisms behind the construction of preference, especially the actual processes used by humans when they make decisions in their everyday lives or in business situations. The chapter uses cognitive psychological techniques to break down these processes and set them in their social context. When attributes are compatible with the response scale, they are assigned greater weight because they are most easily mapped onto the response. For instance, when subjects are asked to set a price (...) for a gamble this task is compatible with the information about the gamble payoff, which is also expressed in monetary values (e.g., dollars). Conversely, when the task requires a choice the payoff information is not easily mapped onto the response anymore and loses some of its salience. In fact, Slovic, Griffin, and Tversky (1990) could show that using non-monetary outcomes attenuates preference reversals when no compatibility between the pricing task and the outcome attribute was possible. An assumption of the compatibility effect is that response modes compatible with specific characteristics of the options (e.g., payoffs) draw attention to them. One of the main themes that has emerged from behavioral decision research during the past decades is the view that people's preferences are often constructed—not merely revealed—in the process of elicitation (see e.g. Slovic). This conception is derived in part from studies demonstrating that normatively equivalent methods of elicitation often give rise to systematically different responses. These "preference reversals" violate the principle of procedure invariance fundamental to theories of rational choice and raise difficult questions about the nature of human values. If different elicitation procedures produce different orderings of options, how can preferences be defined and in what sense do they exist? Describing and explaining such failures of invariance will require choice models of far greater complexity than the traditional models -/- . (shrink)

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into the research landscape has transforming almost every extending field, including pharmaceutical research. The idea of drug discovery itself is very conventional and has long been criticized for being overly lengthy and expensive, which sometimes may take more than 10 years and billions of dollars to develop a certain drug. AI and ML formulate the future of the drug discovery process by using big data to provide preliminary drug candidates (...) more effectively. This paper overviews the innovations defined by AI and ML in the field of drug discovery, major achievements, techniques, and use cases. Additionally, we explore how AI algorithms can enter biological data, inspect drug-target relations, determine optimal drug design, and potentially recompose famous drugs. This means through using big data with the help of AI in the process of research, previously undisclosed patterns that help in developing effective treatments for patients are found. The paper also addresses the related issues and limitations in applying AI in this domain, namely, data quality issues, the interpretability of AI solutions, and some ethical concerns. Herein, to provide a concrete foundation to the concepts mentioned so far, we discuss the different AI applications and case studies in drug discovery from a survey of the available literature. The article also provides information regarding the methodologies used in AI-enabled drug discovery like deep learning, reinforcement learning, and natural language processing. Moreover, we compare the use of conventional and artificial intelligence methods, while demonstrating what is good and what maybe in both. The results section offers a review and an integration of the most recent objectives and recommendations for subsequent research instruction. Therefore, despite these prohibitive AI and ML forecasts for drug discovery improvement, continuous interaction between computational scientists, biologists, and regulatory authorities is functional to fully unlock this potential. (shrink)

What is the value of a lightning bolt? A strange question, perhaps. But as it arcs across the sky, that bolt is doing something remarkable: it's fixing nitrogen from the air, making it available to plants in a process that took nature billions of years to evolve. If we tried to replicate this service industrially, it would cost millions. Yet, in our economic systems, that lightning bolt is worth exactly zero dollars and zero cents. This paradox sits at the (...) heart of our troubled relationship with nature. For centuries, we have tried to squeeze the infinite complexity of the natural world into the finite box of market prices. But as climate change accelerates and biodiversity collapses, it is becoming clear that our economic models are not just incomplete – they are actively dangerous. A new paradigm is emerging in the interdisciplinary of biology, physics, information science, and quantum theory, offering fresh perspectives on how we might better understand and measure value. (shrink)

Agricultural biotechnology refers to a diverse set of industrial techniques used to produce genetically modified foods. Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods manipulated at the molecular level to enhance their value to farmers and consumers. This book is a collection of essays on the ethical dimensions of ag biotech. The essays were written over a dozen years, beginning in 1988. When I began to reflect on the subject, ag biotech was an exotic, untested, technology. Today, in the first year of (...) the millenium, the vast majority of consumers in the United States have taken a bite of the apple. Milk produced by cows injected with a GM protein called recombinant bovine growth hormone (bGH), is found, unlabelled, on grocery shelves throughout the US. In 1999, half of the soybeans and cotton harvested in the US were GM varieties. Billions of dollars of public and private monies are being invested annually in biotech research, and commercial sales now reach into the tens of billions of dollars each year. Whereas ag biotech once promised to change American agriculture, it now is in the process of doing so. (shrink)

Modern Monetary Theory and the Universal Law of Balance in Nature -/- Introduction -/- Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) challenges traditional economic thinking by proposing that sovereign governments with their own currency are not financially constrained like households. Instead, they can issue money to finance public spending as long as they manage inflation and resource allocation effectively. When viewed through the lens of my universal formula, which is based on the universal law of balance in nature, MMT emerges as a valid (...) approach to economic management. However, to fully align with natural balance, it must incorporate productivity (GDP), GDP per capita, the Gini coefficient, and population regulation to ensure a stable and just society. -/- The law of Karma in Economic Systems -/- The law of karma, or cause and effect, applies to all systems, whether natural or human-made. For any system to function properly, it must be free of defects or errors. In the economic context, this means that government policies must ensure that money creation and resource distribution do not lead to instability or inequality. -/- MMT recognizes that government spending can boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by increasing demand for goods and services. However, if money creation exceeds productive capacity, inflation occurs, disrupting economic balance. Conversely, if spending is too low, unemployment and stagnation result. This delicate balance follows the same principle as a well-functioning system—any defect, such as misallocation of resources or failure to regulate money flow, leads to dysfunction. -/- Using MMT to Increase GDP Without Causing Inflation -/- One of the main criticisms of MMT is the risk of inflation. However, a government can increase GDP annually without triggering inflation if it directs money creation toward productive sectors that expand the economy’s capacity. This aligns with the universal law of balance—spending must be proportional to the system’s ability to absorb it. -/- To achieve this, the government must focus on: -/- 1. Investing in Infrastructure and Public Goods -/- Building roads, bridges, and energy grids increases economic efficiency and reduces business costs. -/- Improved public transportation lowers logistics costs and improves workforce mobility. -/- Infrastructure spending has a high multiplier effect, meaning that every dollar spent generates more economic activity. -/- 2. Funding Research, Development, and Innovation -/- Investing in new technologies and industries increases long-term productivity, ensuring that new money corresponds to real economic growth. -/- Government-funded innovation, such as AI, renewable energy, and biotechnology, leads to new industries and job creation, expanding GDP without inflationary pressure. -/- 3. Expanding Education and Workforce Training -/- Government-funded education and vocational training programs enhance labor productivity, ensuring that the workforce can meet the demands of evolving industries. -/- A highly skilled workforce increases GDP by producing higher-value goods and services, preventing inflation by raising overall economic efficiency. -/- 4. Supporting Strategic Industrial Growth -/- Providing targeted investment and subsidies to high-potential industries ensures that economic expansion is driven by productive capacity rather than speculation. -/- Countries like South Korea and China have used government spending to develop manufacturing and technology sectors, increasing GDP without inflation. -/- 5. Encouraging Sustainable Energy and Agriculture -/- Investment in renewable energy reduces long-term reliance on fossil fuels, lowering production costs and ensuring energy security. -/- Supporting modern agricultural practices increases food supply, preventing price spikes that contribute to inflation. -/- By focusing government spending on productivity-enhancing sectors, MMT can be applied to grow GDP while avoiding excess money supply beyond the economy’s capacity, ensuring economic balance. -/- Balancing GDP and GDP per Capita -/- While GDP measures the total value of goods and services produced in an economy, it does not reflect the distribution of wealth and individual well-being. A country can have a high GDP but still experience widespread poverty if wealth is concentrated among a few. -/- To maintain balance, economic policies must focus on GDP per capita, which measures average economic output per person. If GDP grows but the population increases at an unsustainable rate, per capita wealth declines, leading to economic stress. This aligns with my universal formula, which emphasizes that decision-making must adhere to natural balance. A nation must regulate population growth to ensure that resources, jobs, and social services are adequate for all citizens. -/- Feedback Mechanisms in Economic Policy -/- The economy, like all natural systems, operates through feedback mechanisms. MMT recognizes that government spending fuels growth, but excessive money creation without corresponding productivity leads to inflation. This is where taxation and investment in productivity serve as balancing tools. -/- If inflation rises, taxes can be increased to reduce excess money in circulation. -/- If unemployment is high, the government can spend more on job programs and infrastructure to boost productivity. -/- If wealth concentration worsens, progressive taxation can redistribute income, preventing social instability. -/- The Gini Coefficient and Economic Justice -/- The Gini coefficient measures income inequality within a society. A higher value indicates greater inequality, which can lead to social unrest and economic imbalance. If wealth is concentrated among a small elite while the majority struggle, the economy becomes unstable, much like a defective system that cannot function efficiently. -/- MMT provides tools to reduce inequality by funding public services, education, and healthcare without relying on traditional tax revenues. However, this spending must be directed toward increasing productivity and ensuring fair wealth distribution to avoid imbalances. A well-functioning system should aim for a moderate Gini coefficient, where economic opportunities are accessible to all. -/- Population Regulation to Maintain Balance -/- A key factor in economic stability is population regulation. If a country’s population grows too rapidly, GDP per capita declines, straining resources, infrastructure, and public services. Conversely, a shrinking population can lead to labor shortages and economic contraction. -/- To maintain balance, governments must implement policies that ensure population growth aligns with economic capacity. These include: -/- Education and family planning programs to encourage sustainable growth. -/- Investment in automation and AI to offset potential labor shortages in aging populations. -/- Sustainable immigration policies to balance workforce needs. -/- Conclusion -/- Modern Monetary Theory, when properly applied, aligns with the universal law of balance in nature by ensuring that economic systems function without defects. However, for MMT to work effectively, it must integrate GDP growth, GDP per capita, income distribution (Gini coefficient), and population regulation to maintain stability. -/- By directing money creation toward productive investments, such as infrastructure, education, innovation, and sustainable industries, governments can increase GDP annually without triggering inflation. This approach ensures that money supply matches real economic output, preventing the imbalance that leads to economic crises. -/- Incorporating these principles into policy-making ensures that economic decisions are guided by natural laws, leading to a more stable, just, and prosperous society. -/- . (shrink)

Advanced nanotechnology promises to be one of the fundamental transformational emerging technologies alongside others such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other informational and cognitive technologies. Although scholarship on nanotechnology, particularly advanced nanotechnology such as molecular manufacturing has nearly ceased in the last decade, normal nanotechnology that is building the foundations for more advanced versions has permeated many industries and commercial products and has become a billion dollar industry. This paper acknowledges the socialtechnicity of advanced nanotechnology and proposes how its convergence (...) with other enabling technologies like AI can be anticipated and designed with human values in mind. Preliminary guidelines inspired by the Value Sensitive Design approach to technology design are proposed for molecular manufacturing in the age of artificial intelligence. (shrink)

This article considers some different views of fairness and whether they conflict with the use of a version of Cost Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) that calls for maximizing health benefits per dollar spent. Among the concerns addressed are whether this version of CEA ignores the concerns of the worst off and inappropriately aggregates small benefits to many people. I critically examine the views of Daniel Hausman and Peter Singer who defend this version of CEA and Eric Nord among others who criticize (...) it. I come to focus in particular on the use of CEA in allocating scarce resources to the disabled. (shrink)

This case examines the rise and fall of WeWork—a company that experienced one of the most dramatic changes of fortune in technology company history. For several years, WeWork was a Silicon Valley darling, growing at breakneck speed with visionary Adam Neumann at the helm. By some estimates, Neumann’s company was worth $47 billion in January of 2019. But when the company filed paperwork in preparation for going public later that year, investors balked at the details revealed in the documents: billions (...) of dollars in losses and lots of questionable behavior on the part of Neumann (including numerous conflicts of interest involving his personal business dealings). The IPO was postponed and later withdrawn; Neumann was forced to step down as CEO; and by May of 2020 the company’s valuation had dropped to $3 billion. Exploring this recent history will provide an opportunity to ask what lessons can be drawn from the rise and fall of WeWork, and from the economic and social context that enabled its growth. (shrink)

Convergence research is driven by specific and compelling problems and requires deep integration across disciplines. The potential of convergence research is widely recognized, but questions remain about how to design, facilitate, and assess such research. Here we analyze a seven-year, twelve-million-dollar convergence project on sustainable climate risk management to answer two questions. First, what is the impact of a project-level emphasis on the values that motivate and tie convergence research to the compelling problems? Second, how does participation in convergence projects (...) shape the research of postdoctoral scholars who are still in the process of establishing themselves professionally? We use an interview-based approach to characterize what the project specifically enabled in each participant’s research. We find that (a) the project pushed participants’ research into better alignment with the motivating concept of convergence research and that this effect was stronger for postdoctoral scholars than for more senior faculty. (b) Postdocs’ self-assessed understanding of key project themes, however, appears unconnected to metrics of project participation, raising questions about training and integration. Regarding values, (c) the project enabled heightened attention to values in the research of a large minority of participants. (d) Participants strongly believe in the importance of explicitly reflecting on values that motivate and pervade scientific research, but they question their own understanding of how to put value-focused science into practice. This mismatch of perceived importance with poor understanding highlights an unmet need in the practice of convergence science. (shrink)

The small school movement originated in the democratic ideology of Deborah Meier, who sought to create schools that gave students, parents, teachers, and all stakeholders in the communities they served a voice in education. In New York City, Meier's vision was implemented haphazardly by a group of business and political elites able to pour millions of dollars into an initiative without carefully considering the complex interests involved in creating new small schools. According to this author, this lack of forethought (...) placed students and parents at an even greater disadvantage than had existed previously. It was thought that the creation of small schools of choice would provide students, parents, and families the most appropriate education for their children, and that free market practices would create an environment of increased accountability and transparency, which would improve educational outcomes for all students. The author argues that these measures failed to improve educational equity and opportunities for students, and that they also placed students most in-need at an even greater disadvantage, thus hurting the very children these laws were created to help. She supports this argument using a critique of neoliberalism in the context of education as defined by Michael Apple, John Rawls's original position, and the application of Rawls's position in an educational context by Barry Bull. (shrink)

It is now generally recognized that Earth is at risk of a devastating collision with an asteroid or a comet. Impressive strides in our understanding of this threat have been made in recent decades, and various efforts to deal with it have been undertaken. However, the pace of government action hasn’t kept up with the advance of our knowledge. Despite the daunting dimensions of planetary defense, one intrepid NGO has stepped up to the plate: The B612 Foundation has embarked on (...) a half-billion-dollar project, called Sentinel, to map the estimated one million near-Earth objects that could wipe out a city or even end civilization. This article offers an explanation of how it came to be that private citizens have assumed what is arguably government’s primary mandate to "provide for the common defence." It then examines some of the practical – or, if you will, ethical – risks that may be attendant on such a shift of responsibility. Finally, a new policy emphasis is proposed. (shrink)

The danger of deflation has been rather frequently mentioned recently among nu-merous concerns over the European and partly American economies. Analysts cite the Japanese economy which has been suffering from deflation for the last two decades despite the large investments in economy and the government's efforts to increase inflation. Similarly, notwithstanding many trillions of dollars, euro, pounds and yen that were invested in economies over the past few years, the infla-tion in the Western countries still remains low. On the (...) whole, there are reasons to maintain that European countries suffer from ‘the Japanese disease’, and this disease can progress or even become chron-ic. The USA, although to a lesser extent, has the signs of the disease as well. As a result, the financial infusions can become permanent, as it happened in Japan. The present paper defines the reasons of the problem, explains the irregularity of the inflation-deflation processes in the world and also offers some forecasts. (shrink)

The Illusion of Success: How Glamorizing Extreme Wealth Distorts Reality -/- Introduction -/- In today’s world, extreme wealth accumulation is often portrayed as the ultimate symbol of success. Social media, Hollywood, and business magazines frequently celebrate billionaires, luxury lifestyles, and financial empires, creating an illusion that success is solely defined by material wealth. However, this obsession with extreme riches distorts the true meaning of achievement and fulfillment. While financial stability is important, an overemphasis on wealth as the pinnacle of success (...) ignores ethical concerns, promotes unrealistic standards, and contributes to social inequality. This essay explores why glamorizing extreme wealth creates an illusion of success, provides real-world examples, and suggests solutions to redefine success in a more balanced and meaningful way. -/- The Problems with Glamorizing Extreme Wealth -/- 1. Shallow Definition of Success -/- Success is often equated with material wealth, leading people to believe that financial riches alone define a fulfilling life. This perspective overlooks other essential aspects such as personal growth, happiness, strong relationships, and contributions to society. -/- Example: Many billionaires, despite their immense wealth, express dissatisfaction or regret later in life. Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, famously reflected on his deathbed that despite his financial achievements, what mattered most was family and love, not wealth. -/- Solution: Society should broaden its definition of success to include well-being, emotional intelligence, social impact, and personal growth. Schools and media should highlight stories of people who achieve success through creativity, innovation, or service rather than just financial gain. -/- 2. Overlooks Ethical Concerns -/- Many individuals accumulate extreme wealth through exploitative means, monopolization, or environmental harm. When wealth is glorified without considering its origins, society sends the wrong message that “winning at any cost” is acceptable. -/- Example: The fast-fashion industry, led by billion-dollar companies like Shein and Zara, thrives on cheap labor and poor working conditions in developing countries. Yet, these brands are celebrated for their financial success while their ethical violations are ignored. -/- Solution: Consumers should be educated about ethical consumption, and governments should enforce fair labor laws and environmental regulations to ensure wealth accumulation does not come at the cost of exploitation. -/- 3. Creates Unattainable Standards -/- The media often showcases the extravagant lifestyles of billionaires—private jets, mega-mansions, and designer brands—as if they are attainable for the average person. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and unrealistic aspirations, causing individuals to chase unattainable financial goals instead of meaningful personal development. -/- Example: Social media influencers often portray luxury lifestyles, leading young people to believe that financial success is the only path to happiness. This illusion pressures individuals into unhealthy financial habits, such as overspending or taking on debt to maintain a lavish lifestyle. -/- Solution: Media platforms should promote financial literacy and realistic wealth-building strategies, emphasizing the importance of saving, investing wisely, and achieving a balanced lifestyle rather than promoting excessive consumerism. -/- 4. Ignores Wealth Inequality -/- By excessively focusing on the ultra-rich, society often ignores the struggles of the majority. Many people face financial hardship, lack access to quality education, and struggle with healthcare costs, yet their stories are overshadowed by the glorification of extreme wealth. -/- Example: In the United States, the wealth gap has widened significantly, with the richest 1% owning more wealth than the bottom 90% combined. Despite this, media coverage often focuses on billionaires like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos rather than addressing systemic issues like wage stagnation or the rising cost of living. -/- Solution: Governments should implement progressive taxation, better wages, and social programs that ensure economic growth benefits all, not just the wealthy elite. Policies that support entrepreneurship and small businesses can also help create a more balanced economy. -/- 5. False Promise of Happiness -/- Many assume that accumulating vast amounts of money guarantees happiness. However, psychological research shows that after a certain financial threshold (around $75,000 per year, according to studies), more money does not significantly increase happiness. Instead, purpose, meaningful relationships, and well-being play a much larger role in long-term satisfaction. -/- Example: Celebrities like Jim Carrey and MacKenzie Scott (ex-wife of Jeff Bezos) have spoken about how money does not guarantee happiness. MacKenzie Scott has donated billions to charity, stating that fulfillment comes from giving, not accumulating. -/- Solution: People should be encouraged to seek purpose beyond wealth—through meaningful careers, personal development, and contributing to their communities. Schools should teach emotional intelligence and the value of non-material success. -/- 6. Distorts Economic Priorities -/- When extreme wealth is idolized, economic policies often favor the rich over the majority. This leads to tax breaks for corporations, reduced funding for social services, and policies that widen the wealth gap rather than support fair economic growth. -/- Example: In some countries, tax laws favor large corporations while small businesses struggle to survive. Meanwhile, billionaires use loopholes to pay little or no taxes, despite their enormous wealth. -/- Solution: Governments should enforce fair taxation policies and reinvest wealth into public services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure. This ensures economic benefits are distributed more equitably. -/- 7. Encourages Short-Term Thinking -/- The obsession with wealth accumulation often promotes risky financial behavior, gambling mindsets, and a disregard for long-term sustainability. When people chase quick financial success, they may ignore ethical business practices or long-term financial planning. -/- Example: The rise of speculative investments like cryptocurrency and meme stocks has led many individuals to risk their life savings in hopes of instant wealth, often resulting in financial ruin. -/- Solution: Financial education should focus on responsible investment strategies and long-term financial security rather than chasing get-rich-quick schemes. Governments should regulate speculative markets to prevent economic instability. -/- Conclusion: Redefining Success for a Better Society -/- Glamorizing extreme wealth accumulation distorts the true meaning of success, leading to unrealistic expectations, ethical compromises, and social inequality. While financial stability is essential, true success should be measured by a holistic balance—well-being, personal fulfillment, contribution to society, and ethical integrity. -/- To counteract the illusion of success tied solely to wealth, society must shift its focus to values that promote sustainable prosperity. This includes: -/- Redefining success to include social impact, happiness, and personal growth. -/- Promoting ethical business practices that prioritize fair wages and environmental responsibility. -/- Implementing fair economic policies that support small businesses and the working class. -/- Teaching financial literacy to help individuals make informed financial decisions. -/- Encouraging a culture of giving and sustainability rather than excessive consumption. -/- By fostering a more balanced view of success, we can create a society where wealth is not just about accumulation but about shared prosperity, ethical responsibility, and long-term well-being. -/- . (shrink)

Though this volume is a bit dated, there are few recent popular books dealing specifically with the psychology of murder and it’s a quick overview available for a few dollars, so still well worth the effort. It makes no attempt to be comprehensive and is somewhat superficial in places, with the reader expected to fill in the blanks from his many other books and the vast literature on violence. For an update see e.g., Buss, The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology (...) 2nd ed. V1 (2016) p 265, 266, 270–282, 388–389, 545–546, 547, 566 and Buss, Evolutionary Psychology 5th ed. (2015) p 26, 96–97,223, 293-4, 300, 309–312, 410 and Shackelford and Hansen, The Evolution of Violence (2014) He has been among the top evolutionary psychologists for several decades and covers a wide range of behavior in his works, but here he concentrates almost entirely on the psychological mechanisms that cause individual people to murder and their possible evolutionary function in the EEA (Environment of Evolutionary Adaptation—i.e., the plains of Africa during the last million years or so). -/- Buss starts by noting that as with other behaviors, ‘alternative’ explanations such as psychopathology, jealousy, social environment, group pressures, drugs and alcohol etc. do not really explain, since the question still remains as to why these produce homicidal impulses, i.e., they are the proximate causes and not the ultimate evolutionary (genetic) ones. As always, it inevitably boils down to inclusive fitness (kin selection), and so to the struggle for access to mates and resources, which is the ultimate explanation for all behavior in all organisms. Sociological data (and common sense) make it clear that younger poorer males are the most likely to kill. He presents his own and others homicide data from industrialized nations, and tribal cultures, conspecific killing in animals, archeology, FBI data and his own research into normal people's homicidal fantasies. Much archeological evidence continues to accumulate of murders, including that of whole groups, or of groups minus young females, in prehistoric times. -/- After surveying Buss’s comments, I present a very brief summary of intentional psychology (the logical structure of rationality), which is covered extensively in my many other articles and books. -/- Those with a lot of time who want a detailed history of homicidal violence from an evolutionary perspective may consult Steven Pinker’s ‘The Better Angels of Our Nature Why Violence Has Declined’(2012), and my review of it easily available on the net and in two of my recent ebooks. Briefly, Pinker notes that murder has decreased steadily and dramatically by a factor of about 30 since our days as foragers. So, even though guns now make it extremely easy for anyone to kill, homicide is much less common. Pinker thinks this is due to various social mechanisms that bring out our ‘better angels’, but I think it’s due mainly to the temporary abundance of resources from the merciless rape of our planet, coupled with increased police presence, with communication and surveillance and legal systems that make it far more likely to be punished. This becomes clear every time there is even a brief and local absence of the police. -/- Those wishing a comprehensive up to date framework for human behavior from the modern two systems of thought viewpoint may consult my e-book ‘The Logical Structure of Philosophy, Psychology, Mind and Language in Wittgenstein and Searle 367p (2016). Those interested in more of my writings on psychology may see Suicidal Utopian Delusions in the 21st Century--Philosophy, Human Nature and the Collapse of Civilization 392p (2017). For all my writings in their most recent versions, please consult my e-book Philosophy, Human Nature and the Collapse of Civilization - Articles and Reviews 2006-2017 3rd Ed. 686p (2017). -/- All of my papers and books have now been published in revised versions both in ebooks and in printed books. -/- Talking Monkeys: Philosophy, Psychology, Science, Religion and Politics on a Doomed Planet - Articles and Reviews 2006-2017 (2017) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HVC7YP. -/- The Logical Structure of Philosophy, Psychology, Mind and Language in Ludwig Wittgenstein and John Searle--Articles and Reviews 2006-2016 (2017) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071P1RP1B. -/- Suicidal Utopian Delusions in the 21st century: Philosophy, Human Nature and the Collapse of Civilization - Articles and Reviews 2006-2017 (2017) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711R5LGX -/- . (shrink)

Our planet contains 194 independent states and much more nations. They share membership of the United Nations and in consequence they subscribed the Universal Declaration of Rights. These are rooted in the modern universal conception of states and human rights formulated by philosophers of the Enlighten Age like Locke, Kant., Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau. Concepts like democracy are mirrored to the organization of the political life as it was developed in North America and Europe at the end of the 18th (...) and the 19th century. Universality was deeply rooted in the Western intellectual, moral and religious tradition of that part of the world. Even globalization of the economic and social life is governed by the same Western standards and worldwide consumed basic goods like prime matter,. food and energy is expressed in terms of Western currency like dollar, pound sterling or euro. Despite this economic globalization there were two contradictory political evolution to discern: At the one hand more than 70 new states where created and on the other hand 28 European states started to integrate to a political European Union. The latter trend was based on a deep economic integration and since the creation of the euro also a financial integration. Basic idea was the creation of a free economic market as bases for a political unified Europe. Euro criticism is not only identified with conservatism, nationalism, narrow mind and even racism, euro criticism is deprived from any intellectual significance. However other trends put some shadow on the European project. First the Soviet experience around Marxism, Leninism and Stalinism unified more different nations than the European Union but ended in a complete political and economic chaos. Secondly the financial euro crisis involves only the tacit undermining of the national political independence of the member states, but does not make room for a deep analysis what the fundamentals are of this crisis such as lack of confidence of the citizen in the created unified political and financial market and its main instruments like banks that we consider as the fundamental boundary conditions of the worldwide globalization of goods, power and all aspects of human life. Furthermore we claim that this market in al its aspects is the worst answer to the inconvenient yet unavoidable truth that Western way of life of consumption includes a ecological footprint that exceeds since many years the sustainability of our planet. -/- . (shrink)

The World’s Leading Research and Development Institutions and Companies -/- Introduction -/- Research and Development (R&D) is the backbone of global innovation, driving technological progress, economic growth, and scientific discoveries. Across the world, top institutions and corporations invest billions of dollars into R&D to push the boundaries of human knowledge and create groundbreaking technologies. This essay explores the most influential research institutions and companies shaping the future through their contributions in science, engineering, medicine, and technology. -/- The Role of (...) Research Institutions in Global Innovation -/- Research institutions play a crucial role in advancing fundamental and applied sciences. Many of these institutions are publicly funded universities and government research agencies that focus on a wide range of disciplines, from medicine and engineering to artificial intelligence and space exploration. -/- 1. Leading Research Institutions -/- Some of the most prestigious research institutions include: -/- National Institutes of Health (NIH) – USA: The primary agency of the U.S. government responsible for biomedical and public health research. -/- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – USA: A global leader in aerospace and space exploration, NASA continues to innovate in space technology and planetary science. -/- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) – France: The largest governmental research organization in France, covering all scientific disciplines. -/- Max Planck Society – Germany: A network of research institutes in Germany, known for excellence in science and technology. -/- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) – China: China’s premier research institution focuses on science and technology innovation across various fields. -/- Harvard University – USA: Leads in biomedical research, social sciences, and humanities. -/- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – USA: At the forefront of engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing research. -/- Stanford University – USA: Known for its deep ties to Silicon Valley, Stanford plays a key role in tech innovation. -/- University of Oxford & University of Cambridge – UK: Both institutions are among the oldest and most respected in the world, conducting high-impact research in medicine, engineering, and the humanities. -/- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) – Switzerland: Excels in engineering and natural sciences research. -/- University of Tokyo – Japan: Japan’s leading university, known for its research in science and technology. -/- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – USA: A leader in space science and physics. -/- Imperial College London – UK: Specializes in engineering, medical, and business research. -/- University of Toronto – Canada: A top institution in AI, robotics, and engineering. -/- 2. Engineering and Technology Research Leaders -/- Engineering research institutions contribute to infrastructure, automation, and digital transformation. Some of the most prominent ones include: -/- University of California, Berkeley – USA: Known for its research in engineering, computer science, and environmental science. -/- University of Pennsylvania – USA: Invests in innovative engineering projects. -/- University of Michigan – USA: Known for technological advancements in multiple fields. -/- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) – Switzerland: Excels in engineering and digital research. -/- Tsinghua University – China: A leader in AI, renewable energy, and industrial automation research. -/- The Role of Private Companies in Research and Development -/- Private corporations play a major role in R&D, investing heavily in emerging technologies, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, and industrial innovations. Many of the world’s biggest companies spend billions to maintain leadership in their respective fields. -/- 1. Leading Technology Companies in R&D -/- Amazon ($73.2B in R&D spending, 2022): Focuses on cloud computing, AI, logistics, and automation. -/- Alphabet (Google) ($39.5B in R&D, 2022): Invests in AI, quantum computing, and search algorithms. -/- Meta (Facebook) ($35.3B in R&D, 2022): Focuses on AI, VR, and the Metaverse. -/- Apple ($27.7B in R&D, 2022): Leads in consumer electronics and semiconductor technology. -/- Microsoft ($26.6B in R&D, 2022): Invests in AI, cloud computing, and software innovation. -/- 2. Engineering and Industrial Companies in R&D -/- Volkswagen ($19.88B in R&D, 2022): A leader in automotive engineering and electric vehicles. -/- Samsung ($19.29B in R&D, 2022): Develops advanced semiconductors and electronics. -/- Intel ($17.53B in R&D, 2022): Focuses on microprocessors and AI hardware. -/- Huawei ($24B in R&D, 2022): Leads in telecommunications and 5G development. -/- Siemens – Germany: A global leader in industrial automation, medical technology, and smart infrastructure. -/- Nokia – Finland: Focuses on telecommunications infrastructure and technology development. -/- Sony – Japan: Invests in consumer electronics, gaming, and entertainment technologies. -/- Boeing – USA: Develops aerospace technology, defense systems, and commercial aircraft innovations. -/- General Electric (GE) – USA: Focuses on energy, aviation, and industrial automation R&D. -/- 3. Pharmaceutical and Biotech Research Leaders -/- Roche ($14.72B in R&D, 2022): A leading pharmaceutical company specializing in diagnostics and biotech innovations. -/- Pfizer: Known for vaccine development, including the COVID-19 vaccine. -/- Moderna: A pioneer in mRNA technology for medical treatments. -/- Johnson & Johnson: Invests heavily in medical devices and pharmaceuticals. -/- Bristol-Myers Squibb – USA: Focuses on biopharmaceutical research, including immunology and oncology. -/- AstraZeneca – UK/Sweden: Invests in pharmaceutical research, particularly in oncology and cardiovascular diseases. -/- The Impact of R&D on Society and the Future -/- The advancements driven by R&D have a profound impact on global society. Some of the most significant areas of innovation include: -/- Healthcare: Research in biotechnology, gene therapy, and medical AI is revolutionizing healthcare, leading to personalized medicine and new treatments for previously incurable diseases. -/- Artificial Intelligence: AI research in institutions and companies is driving automation, machine learning, and deep learning applications. -/- Sustainable Energy: Engineering research is focusing on renewable energy, electric vehicles, and smart grid technologies to combat climate change. -/- Space Exploration: Organizations like NASA, SpaceX, and ESA are expanding human exploration beyond Earth. -/- Telecommunications: Companies like Huawei, Nokia, and Qualcomm are leading the development of 5G and future wireless communication technologies. -/- Automotive Industry: Electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and autonomous driving are key research areas for companies like Tesla, Volkswagen, and Toyota. -/- Conclusion -/- The world’s leading R&D institutions and companies are shaping the future through their groundbreaking work in science, engineering, medicine, and technology. Universities and research centers provide the foundation for discovery, while corporations drive commercial applications of these innovations. As investments in R&D continue to grow, humanity will witness even greater advancements in fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and space exploration, ultimately improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. -/- . (shrink)

La première chose que nous devons garder à l’esprit est que lorsque nous disons que la Chine dit ceci ou la Chine fait cela, nous ne parlons pas du peuple chinois, mais des sociopathes qui contrôlent le PCC -- Parti communiste chinois, c’est-à-dire, les sept tueurs en série sociopathes seniles (SSSSK) du Comité permanent du PCC ou des 25 membres du Politburo etc. Les plans du PCC pour la Seconde Guerre mondiale et la domination totale sont énoncés très clairement dans (...) les publications et les discours du gouvernement chinois et c’est le « rêve chinois » de Xi Jinping. C’est un rêve seulement pour la petite minorité (peut-être quelques dizaines à quelques centaines) qui gouvernent la Chine et un cauchemar pour tout le monde (y compris 1,4 milliard de Chinois). Les 10 milliards de dollars par an leur permettent, à eux ou à leurs marionnettes, de posséder ou de contrôler des journaux, des magazines, des chaînes de télévision et de radio et de placer des fausses nouvelles dans la plupart des grands médias partout dans le monde chaque jour. En outre, ils ont une armée (peut-être des millions de personnes) qui troll tous les médias de placer plus de propagande et de noyer des commentaires légitimes (l’armée de 50 centimes). En plus de dépouiller le monde des ressources de 3rd, une poussée majeure de l’initiative de des centaines de milliards de dollars Belt and Road est la construction de bases militaires dans le monde entier. Ils forment le monde libre dans une course aux armements massive de haute technologie qui fait la guerre froide avec l’Union soviétique ressembler à un pique-nique. Bien que le SSSSK, et le reste de l’armée mondiale, dépensent des sommes énormes sur le matériel avancé, il est très probable que WW3 (ou les petits engagements qui l’ont précédé) sera dominé par les logiciels. Il n’est pas hors de question que le SSSSK, avec probablement plus de pirates (codeurs) travaillant pour eux, puis tout le reste du monde combiné, va gagner de futures guerres avec un minimum de conflit physique, juste en paralysant leurs ennemis via le net. Pas de satellites, pas de téléphones, pas de communications, pas de transactions financières, pas de réseau électrique, pas d’Internet, pas d’armes de pointe, pas de véhicules, de trains, de navires ou d’avions. Il n’y a que deux voies principales pour enlever le PCC, libérer 1,4 milliard de prisonniers chinois, et mettre fin à la marche lunatique à la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Le pacifique est de lancer une guerre commerciale tous avare pour dévaster l’économie chinoise jusqu’à ce que l’armée en ait marre et démarre le PCC. Une alternative à la fermeture de l’économie chinoise est une guerre limitée, comme une frappe ciblée par dire 50 drones thermobares sur le 20e Congrès du PCC, lorsque tous les membres supérieurs sont en un seul endroit, mais qui n’aura pas lieu avant 2022 afin que l’on puisse frapper la réunion plénière annuelle. Les Chinois seraient informés, au fur et à mesure de l’attaque, qu’ils devaient déposer les armes et se préparer à organiser des élections démocratiques ou à être regroupés dans l’âge de pierre. L’autre alternative est une attaque nucléaire tous anch, une attaque nucléaire. La confrontation militaire est inévitable compte tenu de la voie actuelle du PCC. Il se produira probablement sur les îles de la mer de Chine méridionale ou Taiwan dans quelques décennies, mais comme ils établissent des bases militaires dans le monde entier, il pourrait se produire n’importe où (voir Tigre accroupi, etc.). Les conflits futurs auront des aspects difficiles et souples avec les objectifs déclarés du PCC de mettre l’accent sur la cyberguerre par le piratage et le paralysage des systèmes de contrôle de toutes les communications militaires et industrielles, l’équipement, les centrales électriques, les satellites, Internet, les banques, et tout appareil ou véhicule connecté au net. Les SS sont lentement sur le terrain d’un éventail mondial de sous-marins ou de drones sous-marins habités et autonomes capables de lancer des armes conventionnelles ou nucléaires qui peuvent rester dormants en attendant un signal de la Chine ou même à la recherche de la signature de navires ou d’avions américains. Tout en détruisant nos satellites, éliminant ainsi la communication entre les États-Unis et nos forces dans le monde entier, ils utiliseront les leurs, en conjonction avec des drones pour cibler et détruire nos forces navales actuellement supérieures. Bien sûr, tout cela se fait de plus en plus automatiquement par l’IA. De loin le plus grand allié du PCC est le parti démocrate des États-Unis. Le choix est d’arrêter le PCC maintenant ou regarder comme ils prolongent la prison chinoise sur le monde entier. Ceux qui s’intéressent à d’autres détails sur le chemin fou de la société moderne peuvent consulter mes autres œuvres telles que Suicide by Democracy-an Obituary for America and the World th Edition 2020 et Suicidal Utopian Delusions in the 21st Century: Philosophie, Nature Humaine et l’effondrement de la civilisation 4e ed (2020) . (shrink)

The first thing we must keep in mind is that when saying that China says this or China does that, we are not speaking of the Chinese people, but of the Sociopaths who control the CCP -- Chinese Communist Party, i.e., the Seven Senile Sociopathic Serial Killers (SSSSK) of the Standing Committee of the CCP or the 25 members of the Politburo etc.. -/- The CCP’s plans for WW3 and total domination are laid out quite clearly in Chinese govt publications (...) and speeches and this is Xi Jinping’s “China Dream”. It is a dream only for the tiny minority (perhaps a few dozen to a few hundred) who rule China and a nightmare for everyone else (including 1.4 billion Chinese). The 10 billion dollars yearly enables them or their puppets to own or control newspapers, magazines, TV and radio channels and place fake news in most major media everywhere every day. In addition, they have an army (maybe millions of people) who troll all the media placing more propaganda and drowning out legitimate commentary (the 50 cent army). -/- In addition to stripping the 3rd world of resources, a major thrust of the multi-trillion dollar Belt and Road Initiative is building military bases worldwide. They are forcing the free world into a massive high-tech arms race that makes the cold war with the Soviet Union look like a picnic. -/- Though the SSSSK, and the rest of the world’s military, are spending huge sums on advanced hardware, it is highly likely that WW3 (or the smaller engagements leading up to it) will be software dominated. It is not out of the question that the SSSSK, with probably more hackers (coders) working for them then all the rest of the world combined, will win future wars with minimal physical conflict, just by paralyzing their enemies via the net. No satellites, no phones, no communications, no financial transactions, no power grid, no internet, no advanced weapons, no vehicles, trains, ships or planes. -/- There are only two main paths to removing the CCP, freeing 1.4 billion Chinese prisoners, and ending the lunatic march to WW3. The peaceful one is to launch an all-out trade war to devastate the Chinese economy until the military gets fed up and boots out the CCP. -/- An alternative to shutting down China’s economy is a limited war, such as a targeted strike by say 50 thermobaric drones on the 20th Congress of the CCP, when all the top members are in one place, but that won’t take place until 2022 so one could hit the annual plenary meeting. The Chinese would be informed, as the attack happened, that they must lay down their arms and prepare to hold a democratic election or be nuked into the stone age. The other alternative is an all-out nuclear attack. Military confrontation is unavoidable given the CCP’s present course. It will likely happen over the islands in the South China Sea or Taiwan within a few decades, but as they establish military bases worldwide it could happen anywhere (see Crouching Tiger etc.). Future conflicts will have hardkill and softkill aspects with the stated objectives of the CCP to emphasize cyberwar by hacking and paralyzing control systems of all military and industrial communications, equipment, power plants, satellites, internet, banks, and any device or vehicle connected to the net. The SS are slowly fielding a worldwide array of manned and autonomous surface and underwater subs or drones capable of launching conventional or nuclear weapons that may lie dormant awaiting a signal from China or even looking for the signature of US ships or planes. While destroying our satellites, thus eliminating communication between the USA and our forces worldwide, they will use theirs, in conjunction with drones to target and destroy our currently superior naval forces. Of course, all of this is increasingly done automatically by AI. -/- By far the biggest ally of the CCP is the Democratic party of the USA. The choice is to stop the CCP now or watch as they extend the Chinese prison over the whole world. -/- Of course, universal surveillance and digitizing of our lives is inevitable everywhere. Anyone who does not think so is profoundly out of touch. -/- Of course it is the optomists who expect the Chinese sociopaths to rule the world while the pessimists (who view themselves as realists) expect AI sociopathy (or AS as I call it – i.e., Artificial Stupidity or Artificial Sociopathy) to take over, perhaps by 2030 Those interested in further details on the lunatic path of modern society may consult my other works such as Suicide by Democracy-an Obituary for America and the World 3rd Edition 2019 and Suicidal Utopian Delusions in the 21st Century: Philosophy, Human Nature and the Collapse of Civilization 5th ed (2019) -/- . (shrink)

La première chose que nous devons garder à l'esprit est que lorsque vous dites que la Chine dit ceci ou la Chine fait cela, nous ne parlons pas du peuple chinois, mais des sociopathes qui contrôlent le PCC -- Parti communiste chinois, c'est-à-dire les sept tueurs en série sociopathiques séniles (SSSSK) de l'E e Comité permanent du PCC ou des 25 membres du Politburo, etc. -/- Les plans du PCC pour la Troiseme Guerre mondiale et la domination totale sont énoncés (...) très clairement dans les publications et les discours du gouvernement chinois et c'est le « rêve chinois » de Xi Jinping. C'est un rêve seulement pour la petite minorité (peut-être quelques dizaines à quelques centaines) qui gouvernent la Chine et un cauchemar pour tout le monde (y compris 1,4 milliard de Chinois). Les 10 milliards de dollars par an leur permettent, eux ou leurs marionnettes, de posséder ou de contrôler des journaux, des magazines, des chaînes de télévision et de radio et de placer des fausses nouvelles dans la plupart des grands médias partout chaque jour. En outre, ils ont une armée (peut-être des millions de personnes) qui troll tous les médias plaçant plus de propagande et de noyer les commentaires légitimes (l'armée de 50 cents). -/- En plus de dépouiller le 3e monde des ressources, l'une des grandes orientations de l'initiative Belt and Road, qui s'est portée à plusieurs milliards de dollars, consiste à construire des bases militaires dans le monde entier. Ils forcent le monde libre dans une course aux armements massive de haute technologie qui fait de la guerre froide avec l'Union soviétique ressembler à un pique-nique. -/- Bien que le SSSSK, et le reste de l'armée du monde, dépensent d'énormes sommes sur le matériel de pointe, il est très probable que WW3 (ou les petits engagements qui y ont précédé) sera dominé par le logiciel. Il n'est pas hors de question que le SSSSK, avec probablement plus de pirates (codeurs) travaillant pour eux, puis tout le reste du monde combiné, va gagner de futures guerres avec un conflit physique minimal, juste en paralysant leurs ennemis via le net. Pas de satellites, pas de téléphones, pas de communications, pas de transactions financières, pas de réseau électrique, pas d'Internet, pas d'armes avancées, pas de véhicules, trains, navires ou avions. -/- Il n'y a que deux voies principales à enlever le CCP, libérant 1,4 milliard de prisonniers chinois, et mettant fin à la marche folle à WW3. Le pacifique est de lancer une guerre commerciale tous adhérences pour dévaster l'économie chinoise jusqu'à ce que l'armée en ait marre et démarre le PCC. -/- Une alternative à la fermeture de l'économie de la Chine est une guerre limitée, comme une frappe ciblée par dire 50 drones thermobares sur le 20e Congrès du PCC, lorsque tous les membres supérieurs sont en un seul endroit, mais qui n'aura pas lieu jusqu'en 2022 afin on pourrait frapper à la réunion plénière annuelle. Les Chinois seraient informés, au fur et à mesure de l'attaque, qu'ils devaient déposer les armes et se préparer à tenir des élections démocratiques ou à être nuked dans l'âge de pierre. L'autre alternative est une attaque nucléaire tous adhérences. La confrontation militaire est inévitable compte tenu de la trajectoire actuelle du PCC. Il se produira probablement au-dessus des îles dans la mer de Chine méridionale ou à Taïwan dans quelques décennies, mais pendant qu'ils établissent des bases militaires dans le monde entier il pourrait se produire n'importe où (voir Tigre accroupi etc.). Les conflits futurs auront des aspects de hardkill et de softkill avec les objectifs déclarés du CCP pour souligner la cyberguerre en piratant et paralysant des systèmes de commande de toutes les communications militaires et industrielles, équipements, centrales électriques, satellites, internet, banques, et tout appareil ou véhicule connecté au réseau. Les SS sont lentement sur le terrain d'un éventail mondial de sous-marins de surface et autonomes habités et autonomes ou des drones capables de lancer des armes conventionnelles ou nucléaires qui peuvent rester en sommeil en attendant un signal de la Chine ou même à la recherche de la signature de navires ou d'avions américains. Tout en détruisant nos satellites, éliminant ainsi la communication entre les États-Unis et nos forces dans le monde entier, ils utiliseront les leurs, en conjonction avec des drones pour cibler et détruire nos forces navales actuellement supérieures. Bien sûr, tout cela est de plus en plus fait automatiquement par l'IA. (shrink)

Political short-termism costs the global economy hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars annually, and leads to many millions of deaths from disasters and suboptimal spending. In this paper, I propose a futures assembly explicitly incentivised to promote the interests of future generations as a promising strategy to ameliorate short-termism. The assembly I propose is governed by citizens randomly selected from among the populace, who are rewarded in the future to the extent that they successfully promote the welfare of (...) future generations. The most initially promising such retrospective accountability mechanism is an iterated mechanism, in which each generation of policymakers rewards the previous generation for their policy choices and for their own evaluation of the previous generation. Such an assembly, supplemented with the duties, powers, and tools that I describe, and with appropriate support from archivists and experts, may manage to represent generations many years into the future. (shrink)

Charge card extortion is a difficult issue in monetary administrations. Billions of dollars are lost because of charge card misrepresentation consistently. There is an absence of research concentrates on dissecting true Mastercard information attributable to classification issues. In this paper, AI calculations are utilized to identify charge card misrepresentation. Standard models are utilized. At that point, hybrid techniques which use AdaBoost and Majority Voting are applied. To assess the model viability, a freely accessible charge card informational collection is utilized. (...) At that point, a true charge card informational index from a budgetary organization is investigated. Moreover, noise is added to the information tests to additionally survey the heartiness of the calculations. The exploratory outcomes decidedly demonstrate that the dominant part casting a ballot technique accomplishes great exactness rates in recognizing misrepresentation cases in chargecards. (shrink)

Resumen. La presente investigación pretende analizar los costos y beneficios económicos de una dolarización oficial en México, tomando como punto de referencia los casos de Panamá, El Salvador y Ecuador, quienes han tenido un éxito significativo con la dolarización, como una medida para mejorar su estabilidad macroeconómica y erradicar las devaluaciones de sus monedas con respecto al dólar. Abstract. This research aims to analyze the economic costs and benefits of official dollarization in Mexico, taking as reference the case of Panama, (...) El Salvador and Ecuador, who have had significant success with dollarization, as a measure to improve its macroeconomic stability and eradicate the devaluations of their currencies against the dollar. (shrink)

Preventing Election Manipulation: Safeguards Against Propaganda and Hidden Motives -/- Elections are the foundation of democratic governance, ensuring that leadership reflects the will of the people. However, history has repeatedly shown that candidates can win by manipulating public perception through propaganda, misinformation, and by hiding their true motives. While such elections may be technically valid, they often lack ethical legitimacy, leading to governance that does not truly serve the public interest. To prevent election manipulation, societies must implement strong safeguards, including (...) media literacy education, independent journalism, strict election laws, social media regulation, political funding transparency, civic engagement, and whistleblower protections. By examining real-world examples from different countries, we can better understand how these measures strengthen democracy and protect the integrity of elections. -/- The Role of Media Literacy and Critical Thinking -/- One of the most effective ways to counter propaganda and manipulation is through media literacy education. When voters are equipped with the ability to critically analyze information, they are less likely to fall for deceptive political messaging. -/- Finland has integrated media literacy into its school curriculum, teaching students how to recognize misinformation, propaganda, and biased narratives. As a result, Finland ranks among the most resistant countries to fake news, demonstrating that an informed population is less susceptible to manipulation. -/- In Sweden, government agencies actively work with media organizations to educate citizens about misinformation, especially during election periods. -/- Estonia has taken a technological approach by incorporating digital literacy programs to help citizens distinguish between real and fake online content. -/- By investing in education that enhances critical thinking, societies can create an electorate that makes decisions based on truth rather than deception. -/- The Importance of Independent and Transparent Media -/- A free and independent press is crucial in exposing political deception and ensuring that voters have access to accurate information. Without independent journalism, political leaders can control narratives, suppress inconvenient truths, and mislead the public. -/- In the United States, investigative journalism has played a key role in exposing political corruption. The Watergate scandal, uncovered by journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, demonstrating how the media can hold leaders accountable. -/- In South Korea, independent journalism was instrumental in exposing the corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye, leading to mass protests and her eventual impeachment in 2017. -/- In India, independent news outlets like The Wire and Scroll continue to challenge misinformation and expose political propaganda, despite facing government pressure. -/- A strong and fearless media ensures that no political leader can manipulate elections without public scrutiny. -/- Strict Election Laws and Fact-Checking Institutions -/- Election laws must regulate campaign messaging, penalize misinformation, and promote transparency. Without strict regulations, candidates can use false narratives to mislead voters. -/- France bans political advertising on TV and radio in the months leading up to elections to prevent mass media manipulation. -/- Germany has strict laws against spreading false information that could influence election outcomes, including heavy fines for politicians or parties caught disseminating fake news. -/- South Africa has established the Electoral Commission, which monitors campaign activities and ensures fair political competition. -/- Additionally, independent fact-checking institutions play a vital role in verifying politicians’ claims. Organizations like PolitiFact in the U.S., Full Fact in the UK, and Africa Check in South Africa actively investigate political statements, providing voters with verified information. -/- Regulating Social Media to Prevent Manipulation -/- Social media has become a powerful tool for both legitimate political campaigns and misinformation. Without regulation, candidates can spread propaganda unchecked, influencing voter perceptions. -/- During Brazil’s elections, misinformation was widely spread through WhatsApp, influencing voter opinions. In response, WhatsApp limited the ability to forward mass messages to curb the spread of fake news. -/- The European Union has implemented strict digital regulations, requiring social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to label political ads and remove false information that could influence elections. -/- In Indonesia, the government collaborates with technology companies to identify and remove fake news before it spreads during elections. -/- By regulating online political content and holding social media platforms accountable, governments can prevent digital platforms from becoming tools for manipulation. -/- Ensuring Transparency in Political Funding -/- When campaign financing is not transparent, wealthy donors, corporations, or even foreign entities can secretly influence elections to serve their own interests. Transparent funding laws ensure that voters know who is backing a candidate and why. -/- Canada enforces strict donation limits and public disclosure laws, preventing corporate and foreign influence in elections. -/- Mexico has implemented an independent electoral institute that monitors campaign financing to prevent corruption and ensure fair competition. -/- South Korea requires all political donations to be publicly disclosed, ensuring that funding sources are transparent. -/- When political funding is transparent, voters can assess whether a candidate is truly working for the public or for hidden interests. -/- Encouraging Civic Engagement and Public Debates -/- An engaged electorate is essential for a healthy democracy. Public debates allow candidates to present their policies while being questioned on their track records and potential contradictions. -/- Taiwan holds nationally televised public debates where candidates must defend their policies and respond to public concerns. -/- In Nigeria, civil society organizations organize town hall meetings where citizens can directly ask candidates about their plans and policies. -/- France requires presidential candidates to participate in at least one public debate before elections, ensuring that voters hear multiple perspectives. -/- By encouraging open discussion and debate, societies can reduce the effectiveness of propaganda and allow voters to make informed decisions. -/- Protecting Whistleblowers and Investigative Agencies -/- Corrupt and deceptive political campaigns can only be exposed if whistleblowers and investigative agencies are protected. When individuals feel safe to reveal political misconduct, democracy is strengthened. -/- Edward Snowden revealed mass government surveillance programs, sparking global discussions about privacy and state overreach. -/- In Ukraine, anti-corruption agencies and investigative journalists have exposed multiple cases of political fraud, leading to greater government transparency. -/- In Malaysia, whistleblower efforts exposed the 1MDB scandal, which involved billions of dollars in corruption at the highest levels of government, eventually leading to the prosecution of former Prime Minister Najib Razak. -/- Encouraging and protecting whistleblowers ensures that political leaders cannot hide their unethical actions from the public. -/- Conclusion -/- While manipulation, propaganda, and hidden motives remain threats to democracy, societies can take strong measures to prevent these tactics from determining election outcomes. By investing in media literacy, supporting independent journalism, enforcing strict election laws, regulating social media, ensuring financial transparency, encouraging civic engagement, and protecting whistleblowers, democracies can safeguard the integrity of elections. -/- Without these safeguards, democracy becomes vulnerable to manipulation, allowing candidates with hidden agendas to rise to power. However, countries that actively promote transparency, accountability, and critical thinking create an environment where deception is less effective. The fight against election manipulation is an ongoing challenge, but with the right policies and public awareness, fair elections can be preserved for future generations. -/- . (shrink)

Human actions and decisions are most of the times not only grounded on emotional reactions, they are irrationally debasing. While such emotions and heuristics were perhaps suitable for dealing with life in the Stone Age, they are woefully inadequate in the Silicon Age. The substitution of traditional news agencies and communication platforms in Nigeria with social media networks has not only increased human capacities, it has aided the common good and further eased communication and increased the human knowledge base. For (...) instance, the Silicon Valley in the state of California in the United State of America has proved the extent to which human ingenuity can be exerted in beneficial ways. Here in, the top of the multibillion-dollar communication companies like Apple, eBay, Cisco, Lockheed, Hewlett Packard (HP), Google, Netflix, Facebook, Oracle, Tesla, etc. whose yearly budgets far exceed the entire yearly budget of Nigeria, has proved that, ICT remains the building blocks of contemporary communities. The state of California for instance prides herself as the 6th largest economy of the world after France and Brazil. This romantic picture of ICT is but only one chapter of the ICT divide. In today’s world, the scale and speed of the highly partisan news and falsehoods that circulate in the human environment is deafening. In politics and governance for instance, the populist have exploited the ICT effectively and without restraints, to access power and authority. Today, we are in the era of post-truth, an era in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. An era that harbours corruption of intellectual integrity and damage to the whole fabric of democracy. The battle to protect information integrity and expose fake news becomes sine qua non. We shall in this paper explore the dark side of the age of information, a side that has been exploited by the media mavens, political hacks, and ideological propagandists who promote lies, illusion, confusion, and other forms of demented or manipulated imagination. In doing this, we shall proceed as follows: i. Historicize the concept of ‘fake news’ here referred to as post-truth. ii. Interrogate the concept of ‘information’ and its goal in human affairs iii. Evaluate the nexus between ‘truth’ values in ‘information’, ‘Misinformation’ and ‘dis-information’ iv. Situate the role of Philosophy in the era of post-truth. (shrink)

It was the summer of 1984, the American dollar was strong, and this was my first venture to Europe. I found her and didn't even know I was searching for her. Mysteriously she crossed my path one day in Rome. I should confess though- at this point in my life, I am an uneasy Protestant.

Gold and Its Role in War, Economy, and the Shift to Fiat Currency -/- Gold has long been a symbol of wealth, power, and economic stability. Historically, it was used as money, backing national currencies and serving as a reserve asset. However, its limitations led to the shift toward fiat currency, which provides greater flexibility in managing modern economies. Gold has also played a crucial role in global conflicts, particularly World War II, where nations hoarded, looted, and traded gold to (...) finance their war efforts. Understanding the relationship between gold, war, and economic stability explains why the world moved away from the gold standard and adopted fiat money. -/- The Limitations of Gold as Money -/- While gold has been used as currency for centuries, it has several drawbacks that make it unsuitable for modern economies. First, gold is not easily divisible or portable, making everyday transactions impractical. Carrying and transferring large amounts of gold requires security and infrastructure, increasing costs. Additionally, gold supply is limited, meaning that as economies grow, the money supply cannot expand accordingly, leading to deflation and economic stagnation. -/- Gold’s price volatility also makes it a poor monetary standard. Unlike fiat money, which governments can regulate, gold’s value fluctuates based on mining output, global demand, and geopolitical events. This instability can create uncertainty in financial markets. Moreover, in today’s digital economy, gold cannot facilitate rapid, electronic transactions, making it inefficient for global trade. -/- Perhaps the most significant limitation is that a gold-based system restricts monetary policy. Governments and central banks use interest rates and money supply adjustments to manage inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. A gold standard would prevent these interventions, making financial crises harder to control. -/- Gold and Economic Conflicts -/- If gold were still the primary form of money, it could lead to major economic and geopolitical conflicts. Gold is not evenly distributed worldwide, meaning nations with larger reserves would have disproportionate financial power, potentially leading to tensions and wars over resources. -/- A gold-based economy would also increase economic instability. Countries would hoard gold during crises, reducing money circulation and triggering deflation, unemployment, and recessions. Additionally, a reliance on gold would encourage illegal mining, black markets, and corruption, further destabilizing global economies. -/- Gold’s Role in World War II -/- Gold played a crucial role in World War II, financing both the Axis and Allied powers. Nations used gold to purchase war materials, pay for military expenses, and maintain economic stability during the conflict. -/- Nazi Germany’s Gold Hoarding and Economic Warfare -/- The Third Reich relied heavily on stolen gold to finance its war machine. The Nazis: -/- Looted central bank reserves from occupied countries such as Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Belgium, and France. -/- Stole gold from individuals, especially Jewish victims of the Holocaust, by confiscating jewelry, coins, and even extracting gold from dental fillings. -/- Traded stolen gold with neutral countries, such as Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal, in exchange for vital war materials like oil, tungsten, and industrial equipment. -/- Deposited gold in Swiss banks, where it was laundered and converted into usable currency, allowing the Nazis to bypass economic sanctions. -/- Japan’s Gold Operations in Asia -/- Japan also plundered gold and resources from occupied territories in China, the Philippines, Malaya, and Indonesia. Some theories suggest Japan hid large amounts of looted gold, known as “Yamashita’s Gold”, in underground vaults in the Philippines. Like Germany, Japan used stolen gold to trade for fuel, weapons, and technology. -/- Allied Powers and Gold Reserves -/- While the Axis relied on looted gold, the Allied powers used their national gold reserves to finance their war efforts: -/- The United States and Britain backed war loans and military production with gold reserves. The U.S. used its gold stockpile to fund the Lend-Lease Program, which provided military aid to allies such as Britain, the Soviet Union, and China. -/- Britain moved its gold reserves to Canada for safekeeping, fearing a German invasion. -/- The Soviet Union used gold to purchase war materials from neutral nations, ensuring its war effort remained well-supplied. -/- Neutral countries like Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal facilitated war financing by exchanging gold for goods, often ignoring its origins. Swiss banks in particular played a key role in laundering Nazi gold, enabling Germany to continue funding its military. -/- The Shift to Fiat Currency -/- World War II demonstrated the financial instability of relying on gold, leading to major economic reforms. In 1944, the Bretton Woods Agreement established a new financial system, where the U.S. dollar was linked to gold, and other currencies were pegged to the dollar. This created stability in global finance. However, as economies grew, the limitations of gold-backed currency became clear. In 1971, the U.S. abandoned the gold standard, transitioning to a fully fiat currency system. -/- Fiat money allows governments to: -/- Expand the money supply to support economic growth. -/- Adjust interest rates and inflation to stabilize economies. -/- Avoid deflation and liquidity crises that plagued the gold standard. -/- Fiat currency also eliminates gold-related conflicts and reduces dependence on resource-intensive mining, benefiting both economies and the environment. -/- Conclusion -/- Gold has played a central role in economic history, from its use as money to its impact on global conflicts. While valuable, gold is impractical as modern money due to its physical limitations, deflationary risks, and geopolitical consequences. World War II showcased the dangers of gold hoarding and economic warfare, leading to the adoption of fiat currency. The transition to fiat money has enabled greater economic stability, flexibility, and global trade, making it the foundation of the modern financial system. -/- . (shrink)

Gold and Its Role in War, Economy, and the Shift to Fiat Currency -/- Gold has long been a symbol of wealth, power, and economic stability. Historically, it was used as money, backing national currencies and serving as a reserve asset. However, its limitations led to the shift toward fiat currency, which provides greater flexibility in managing modern economies. Gold has also played a crucial role in global conflicts, particularly World War II, where nations hoarded, looted, and traded gold to (...) finance their war efforts. Understanding the relationship between gold, war, and economic stability explains why the world moved away from the gold standard and adopted fiat money. -/- The Limitations of Gold as Money -/- While gold has been used as currency for centuries, it has several drawbacks that make it unsuitable for modern economies. First, gold is not easily divisible or portable, making everyday transactions impractical. Carrying and transferring large amounts of gold requires security and infrastructure, increasing costs. Additionally, gold supply is limited, meaning that as economies grow, the money supply cannot expand accordingly, leading to deflation and economic stagnation. -/- Gold’s price volatility also makes it a poor monetary standard. Unlike fiat money, which governments can regulate, gold’s value fluctuates based on mining output, global demand, and geopolitical events. This instability can create uncertainty in financial markets. Moreover, in today’s digital economy, gold cannot facilitate rapid, electronic transactions, making it inefficient for global trade. -/- Perhaps the most significant limitation is that a gold-based system restricts monetary policy. Governments and central banks use interest rates and money supply adjustments to manage inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. A gold standard would prevent these interventions, making financial crises harder to control. -/- Gold and Economic Conflicts -/- If gold were still the primary form of money, it could lead to major economic and geopolitical conflicts. Gold is not evenly distributed worldwide, meaning nations with larger reserves would have disproportionate financial power, potentially leading to tensions and wars over resources. -/- A gold-based economy would also increase economic instability. Countries would hoard gold during crises, reducing money circulation and triggering deflation, unemployment, and recessions. Additionally, a reliance on gold would encourage illegal mining, black markets, and corruption, further destabilizing global economies. -/- Gold’s Role in World War II -/- Gold played a crucial role in World War II, financing both the Axis and Allied powers. Nations used gold to purchase war materials, pay for military expenses, and maintain economic stability during the conflict. -/- Nazi Germany’s Gold Hoarding and Economic Warfare -/- The Third Reich relied heavily on stolen gold to finance its war machine. The Nazis: -/- Looted central bank reserves from occupied countries such as Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Belgium, and France. -/- Stole gold from individuals, especially Jewish victims of the Holocaust, by confiscating jewelry, coins, and even extracting gold from dental fillings. -/- Traded stolen gold with neutral countries, such as Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal, in exchange for vital war materials like oil, tungsten, and industrial equipment. -/- Deposited gold in Swiss banks, where it was laundered and converted into usable currency, allowing the Nazis to bypass economic sanctions. -/- Japan’s Gold Operations in Asia -/- Japan also plundered gold and resources from occupied territories in China, the Philippines, Malaya, and Indonesia. Some theories suggest Japan hid large amounts of looted gold, known as “Yamashita’s Gold”, in underground vaults in the Philippines. Like Germany, Japan used stolen gold to trade for fuel, weapons, and technology. -/- Allied Powers and Gold Reserves -/- While the Axis relied on looted gold, the Allied powers used their national gold reserves to finance their war efforts: -/- The United States and Britain backed war loans and military production with gold reserves. The U.S. used its gold stockpile to fund the Lend-Lease Program, which provided military aid to allies such as Britain, the Soviet Union, and China. -/- Britain moved its gold reserves to Canada for safekeeping, fearing a German invasion. -/- The Soviet Union used gold to purchase war materials from neutral nations, ensuring its war effort remained well-supplied. -/- Neutral countries like Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal facilitated war financing by exchanging gold for goods, often ignoring its origins. Swiss banks in particular played a key role in laundering Nazi gold, enabling Germany to continue funding its military. -/- The Shift to Fiat Currency -/- World War II demonstrated the financial instability of relying on gold, leading to major economic reforms. In 1944, the Bretton Woods Agreement established a new financial system, where the U.S. dollar was linked to gold, and other currencies were pegged to the dollar. This created stability in global finance. However, as economies grew, the limitations of gold-backed currency became clear. In 1971, the U.S. abandoned the gold standard, transitioning to a fully fiat currency system. -/- Fiat money allows governments to: -/- Expand the money supply to support economic growth. -/- Adjust interest rates and inflation to stabilize economies. -/- Avoid deflation and liquidity crises that plagued the gold standard. -/- Fiat currency also eliminates gold-related conflicts and reduces dependence on resource-intensive mining, benefiting both economies and the environment. -/- Conclusion -/- Gold has played a central role in economic history, from its use as money to its impact on global conflicts. While valuable, gold is impractical as modern money due to its physical limitations, deflationary risks, and geopolitical consequences. World War II showcased the dangers of gold hoarding and economic warfare, leading to the adoption of fiat currency. The transition to fiat money has enabled greater economic stability, flexibility, and global trade, making it the foundation of the modern financial system. -/- . (shrink)