Progress and the future
Consciousness
idea
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
Nature and the environment
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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
Technology and media
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What the journey from Star Trek to Siri says about our culture
The talking computer in Star Trek takes the culture and technology of the present and dreams up future possibilities
by Liz W Faber
Food and drink
idea
What our fantasies about futuristic food say about us
Once ‘future foods’ were powdered and automatic, but times change and today they have become about speed and social justice
by Kelly Alexander
Progress and the future
idea
Over-optimism about racial justice is widespread and harmful
Achieving racial justice takes work, but narratives of ever-unfolding progress can make it seem as if the job is already done
by Michael Kraus
Progress and the future
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Utopian thinking prompts us to get real about society’s needs
Visions of utopia challenge what is considered to be realistic and help us start to see what must change in social life
by William Paris
Sex and sexuality
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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
Architecture
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The sink in the hall: how pandemics transform architecture
From the sink in the hall to the UV light in the bus depot: how pandemics past and present can transform architecture
by Theodora Philcox
Technology and media
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Should we be concerned that the decisions of AIs are inscrutable?
Machine learning is a black box – even when the decision is correct, how the algorithm arrived at it can be a mystery
by John Zerilli
Technology and media
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When a machine decision does you wrong, here’s what we should do
When a machine does you wrong, what should you do - litigate or regulate? Why AI decision-making should be fairer, by design
by Aziz Huq
Money and economics
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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
Ethics
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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