AI: Unlocking the Post-Human – David Pearce & James Hughes
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AI: Unlocking the Post-Human – David Pearce & James Hughes

ByAdam Ford

A discussion between David Pearce and James Hughes moderated by Adam Ford exploring the ethical and philosophical landscapes of AI, human enhancement and the future of emerging technologies affording higher states of well-being. Pearce and Hughes discuss the implications of transforming human experience via leveraging biotech and cybernetics, as well as requirements for AI to…

Can philosophical zombies do philosophy?
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Can philosophical zombies do philosophy?

ByAdam Ford

Can philosophical zombies be philosophical? Preamble There are various takes on what a p-zombie is, most of which were attempts to dethrone physicalism – this article isn’t one of those. This kind of p-zombie is different from what David Chalmers describes in The Consciousness Mind. In Chalmers view, p-zombies are physiologically identical to humans, even…

J. Dmitri Gallow – AI Interpretability, Orthogonality, Instrumental Convergence & Divergence
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J. Dmitri Gallow – AI Interpretability, Orthogonality, Instrumental Convergence & Divergence

ByAdam Ford

J. Dmitri Gallow discusses the principles of instrumental convergence and divergence in AI. The orthogonality thesis, which states intelligence and desire are independent, and the instrumental convergence thesis, which suggests intelligent beings will have similar instrumental desires, are critical concepts. Gallow’s argument focuses on the instrumental divergence, which emerges from the complexity and unpredictability of AI’s actions based on its desires.

David Pearce – Effective Altruism – Phasing Out Suffering
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David Pearce – Effective Altruism – Phasing Out Suffering

ByAdam Ford

This interview was conducted in 2012 in San Francisco. In the future may will see it is not ethically responsible to play genetic roulette and instead take the decision to have happy, healthy, pro-social offspring. 0:00 Introduction0:36 Alleviating Suffering 7:00 Justified Suffering? 13:12 Buddhism 14:42 The World Transhumanist Association 22:35 Recalibration of Society or Biology?…

James Hughes on the Economic Impacts of Artificial General Intelligence
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James Hughes on the Economic Impacts of Artificial General Intelligence

ByAdam Ford

The following is an enlightening session with James Hughes, Associate Provost at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET), we delve into the intricate world of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its profound economic implications. In this interview, Hughes, a renowned expert in the field, sheds…

Exploring the Frontiers of AI with David Quarel: Emerging Capabilities, Interpretability, and Future Impacts
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Exploring the Frontiers of AI with David Quarel: Emerging Capabilities, Interpretability, and Future Impacts

ByAdam Ford

David Quarel, a Ph.D. student at the Australian National University, is deeply involved in the field of AI, specifically focusing on AI safety and reinforcement learning. He works under the guidance of Marcus Hutter and is currently engaged in studying Hutter’s Universal AI model. This model is an ambitious attempt to define intelligence through the…

The AI Safety Dynamic – Dr Simon Goldstein
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The AI Safety Dynamic – Dr Simon Goldstein

ByAdam Ford

Dr Simon Goldstein is an associate professor at the Dianoia Institute of Philosophy at ACU. In 2023, he is a research fellow at the Center for AI Safety. Simon’s research focuses on AI safety, epistemology, and philosophy of language. Before ACU, Simon was an assistant professor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. Simon received my…

The Unfolding Mysteries of the Cosmos: A Reflection on Seneca’s Vision
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The Unfolding Mysteries of the Cosmos: A Reflection on Seneca’s Vision

ByAdam Ford

The time will come when diligent research over long periods will bring to light things which now lie hidden. A single lifetime, even though entirely devoted to the sky, would not be enough for the investigation of so vast a subject… And so this knowledge will be unfolded only through long successive ages. There will come a time when our descendants will be amazed that we did not know things that are so plain to them… Many discoveries are reserved for ages still to come, when memory of us will have been effaced.