Archive for the ‘ethics’ category: Page 50
Feb 10, 2018
What does China’s monkey breakthrough mean for human cloning?
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: biotech/medical, ethics
Jan 7, 2018
Mirror neuron activity predicts people’s decision-making in moral dilemmas, study finds
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: ethics, neuroscience
It is wartime. You and your fellow refugees are hiding from enemy soldiers, when a baby begins to cry. You cover her mouth to block the sound. If you remove your hand, her crying will draw the attention of the soldiers, who will kill everyone. If you smother the child, you’ll save yourself and the others.
If you were in that situation, which was dramatized in the final episode of the ’70s and ’80s TV series “M.A.S.H.,” what would you do?
The results of a new UCLA study suggest that scientists could make a good guess based on how the brain responds when people watch someone else experience pain. The study found that those responses predict whether people will be inclined to avoid causing harm to others when facing moral dilemmas.
Dec 27, 2017
What’s Love got to do with Education?
Posted by Jennifer Gidley in categories: complex systems, education, ethics, evolution, futurism, health, homo sapiens, human trajectories, innovation, philosophy, sustainability
[This article is drawn from Ch. 8: “Pedagogical Love: An Evolutionary Force” in Postformal Education: A Philosophy for Complex Futures.]
“There is nothing more important in this world than radical love” as Paolo Freire told Joe Kincheloe over dinner.
- Joe Kincheloe. Reading, Writing and Cognition. 2006.
Dec 6, 2017
Raising the Profile of Women Futurists
Posted by Jennifer Gidley in categories: ethics, futurism, human trajectories, philosophy, sex, sustainability, transparency
An Interview with Jennifer Gidley
by Tracey Follows, Founder/Director of the Female Futures Bureau
Jennifer Gidley is a former President of the World Futures Studies Federation (2009−2017), a UNESCO and UN partner and global peak body for futures studies scholarship, she led a network of hundreds of world leading futures scholars and researchers from around the globe. An adjunct Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS in Sydney, futurist, author, psychologist and educator, Jennifer is a prolific author of dozens of academic papers, serves on several academic boards, and most recently authored Postformal Education: A Philosophy for Complex Futures (Springer, 2016) & The Future: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2017).
Tracey: I spoke to Jennifer about her perspective on Female Futures.
Oct 29, 2017
Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to robot Sophia
Posted by Amnon H. Eden in categories: ethics, law, robotics/AI
(Revised post)
Arab News, the official outlet of the Royal Saudis, proudly reported of Saudi Arabia being “the first country to grant a robot citizenship”. Below is a more sober account of this publicity stunt.
Continue reading “Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to robot Sophia” »
Oct 26, 2017
The rights of synthetic lifeforms is the next great civil rights controversy
Posted by Gerard Bain in categories: ethics, government, law, robotics/AI, transportation
With artificial intelligence technology advancing rapidly, the world must consider how the law should apply to synthetic beings. Experts from the fields of AI, ethics, and government weigh in on the best path forward as we enter the age of self-aware robots.
Artificially intelligent (AI) robots and automated systems are already transforming society in a host of ways. Cars are creeping closer to Level 5 autonomy, factories are cutting costs by replacing human workers with robots, and AIs are even outperforming people in a number of traditionally white-collar professions.
Continue reading “The rights of synthetic lifeforms is the next great civil rights controversy” »
Oct 24, 2017
Cryonics: Putting Death on Ice
Posted by Derick Lee in categories: cryonics, economics, ethics, life extension, neuroscience
Robert C. W. Ettinger’s seminal work, The Prospect Of Immortality, detailed many of the scientific, moral, and economic implications of cryogenically freezing humans for later reanimation. It was after that book was published in 1962 that the idea of freezing one’s body after death began to take hold.
One of the most pressing questions is, even if we’re able to revive a person who has been cryogenically preserved, will the person’s memories and personality remain intact? Ettinger posits that long-term memory is stored in the brain as a long-lasting structural modification. Basically, those memories will remain, even if the brain’s “power is turned off”.
This infographic delves into the mechanics and feasibility of cryonics – a process that thousands of people are betting will give them a second shot at life.
Read more
Oct 12, 2017
Aubrey de Grey — Our Moral Obligation to Cure Aging
Posted by Dan Kummer in categories: biotech/medical, ethics, life extension
Recorded Oct 4th, 2017
Link to the interview, goo.gl/8rQ6YS
Continue reading “Aubrey de Grey — Our Moral Obligation to Cure Aging” »
Oct 9, 2017
Book Review: Longevity Promotion a Multidisciplinary Perspective
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: biotech/medical, ethics, law, life extension
There’s no doubt that Dr. Ilia Stambler’s Longevity promotion: multidisciplinary perspective is a great book for the advocate and keen supporter of healthy life extension. Check out our review by Nicola Bagalà.
There’s no doubt that Dr. Ilia Stambler’s Longevity promotion: multidisciplinary perspective is a thorough book that all kinds of advocates of healthy longevity may find very useful. The book reads pretty much like a collection of academics papers, each dealing with a different aspect of the matter, including science, history, social and moral implications, legislation, and advocacy. Just like you would expect from an academic work, each section of this book is complete with exhaustive sources that will indubitably prove helpful should you wish to dig deeper into the topic being discussed.
The first section of the book focuses on advocacy, discussing typical concerns raised in the context of life extension, outreach material, and initiatives, and it offers suggestions for effective policies to promote aging and longevity research. The latter part of this section was one of the hardest for me to read since policies and legislation are not at all my strongest suit, but I do believe that professional lobbyists and advocates who have legal and regulatory backgrounds and wish to take action will find numerous ideas in it.
Continue reading “Book Review: Longevity Promotion a Multidisciplinary Perspective” »
