Progress and the future

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Why efficiency is dangerous and slowing down makes life better

The urge to do everything faster and better is risky. Far wiser to do what’s good enough for the range of possible futures

by Barry Schwartz

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The sex tech to come could offer more than ‘the real thing’

Sexbots and other artificial lovers might arouse discomfort, but their continued advances could have unexpected upsides

by Rob Brooks

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What does water want? Most humans seem to have forgotten

Asking what water wants sounds a bit mystical, even radical. But it’s a practical, proven path to creating a better world

by Erica Gies

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Future generations deserve good ancestors. Will you be one?

The living, the dead and the unborn are all here with us: we must respect their interests and their world as much as our own

by Roman Krznaric

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The myth of machine consciousness makes Narcissus of us all

The idea that AI can be conscious is a mistake. It’s just a very shiny mirror of humanity, reflecting what we want to see

by David Bentley Hart

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Emotions should be in the heart of complex political debates

Emotion is not opposed to reason but a crucial tool for assessing risk in a complex, uncertain world

by Sabine Roeser