Top News, Articles, and Interviews in Philosophy

What we can learn from ancient Greeks about tyranny

31. July 2020 Philosophy News News
In their brand-new democracy, the people of ancient Athens knew there was one form of government they never wanted to suffer through again: tyranny. They loved to see plays depicting tyrants on stage. These rulers typically do not listen to advice or expert opinion. But authority figures who don’t listen don’t learn; they make terrible […] The post What we can learn from ancient Greeks about tyranny appeared first on OUPblog.         Related StoriesExploring hypothetical thinkingWhat we can learn from tragedyFive things to know about F. Scott [More]
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Exploring hypothetical thinking

30. July 2020 Philosophy News News
What is hypothetical thinking? We do it continually. Consider making a decision, from choosing what to eat to choosing what to do about a dangerous disease. In deciding between options, you have to consider each of them, working out what’s likely to happen if  you take it, then compare the results. A natural human way to […] The post Exploring hypothetical thinking appeared first on OUPblog.         Related Stories“Scram” and its ungainly kinSmartphones are pacifiers for tough timesDry and thirsty, part 2: [More]
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AOC & Yoho

29. July 2020 Philosophy News News
Representative Ocasio-Cortez, best known as “AOC”, was called disgusting, crazy and dangerous by Representative Yoho. He was apparently upset because she expressed agreement with the plausible claim that poverty is linked to crime rates in New York City.  As Yoho walked away from AOC, he was overheard calling her a “fucking bitch.” I am not [More]
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78 - Humans and Robots: Ethics, Agency and Anthropomorphism

27. July 2020 Philosophy News News
   Are robots like humans? Are they agents? Can we have relationships with them? These are just some of the questions I explore with today's guest, Sven Nyholm. Sven is an assistant professor of philosophy at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. His research focuses on ethics, particularly the ethics of technology. He is a friend of the show, having appeared twice before. In this episode, we are talking about his recent, great, book Humans and Robots: Ethics, Agency and Anthropomorphism. You can download the episode here or listen below. You can also subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and other podcasting services (the RSS feed is here). Show Notes:Topics covered in this episode include: Why did Sven play football with a robot? Who won? What is a robot? What is an agent? Why does it matter if robots are agents? Why does Sven worry about a normative mismatch between humans and robots? What should we do about this normative mismatch? Why are people worried about responsibility gaps arising as a result of the widespread deployment of robots? How should we think about human-robot collaborations? Why should human drivers be more like self-driving cars? Can we be friends with a robot? Why does Sven reject my theory of ethical behaviourism? Should we be pessimistic about the future of roboethics?Relevant Links Sven's Homepage Sven on Philpapers Humans and Robots: Ethics, Agency and Anthropomorphism 'Can a robot [More]
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