The Blog of the APA is proud to welcome Charlie Taben as the new Philosophy and Technology Research series editor. Charlie previously worked as an editor for the Blog, conceiving of and overseeing the development of the Philosophy and the Mirror of Technology series which explored the evolving relationship between philosophy, technology, and faith. Charlie will be continuing his partnership with the blog as editor of a new research series focused on the broader philosophical questions concerning technology. To explore his plans for the new series, Charlie took the time to answer a few questions.
What are the goals of this series?
My objective is to continue the dialogue from the Philosophy and the Mirror of Technology series. Particularly, covering the nexus of philosophy and technology, including the assessment of technology in the discipline, the commercial and ethical dimensions of AI, the import of technological and scientific developments, and the nature of mathematics.
Why should others be interested in this topic?
The series will review the practical implications of technology and science through a philosophical lens, focusing on the personal and societal issues driven by ubiquitous technological forces. It should therefore be of interest to a broader audience, including professional philosophers, as technology changes our environment and human nature.
Who will you interview as a part of this series/what sort of posts will you feature and why have you chosen them?
I hope to cover a wide range of topics, drawing on a diverse slate of thinkers, considering technology in the broadest possible way. I will discuss the latest advances roiling our culture—algorithms, Bitcoin, euthanasia/capital punishment, and surveillance—as well as how scientific advances are leading to new theories of nature and time.
Why is the APA Blog a good home for this series?
The Blog is the ideal home for this series because it will cover a wide range of issues that affect our ordinary lives—as public philosophy leverages new media to redefine the practical dimensions of the discipline. It will hopefully draw engagement from readers, sharing concerns and solutions and highlighting the value of the humanities and philosophy.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve discovered in this work?
The most surprising thing I have learned should not, in fact, have been a surprise—I have found that authors love to discuss their work! I am not an academic and was struck by the goodwill of the philosophical community. It has been personally enriching to work with so many erudite and interesting people, and I appreciate their enthusiasm for dialogue and civil disagreement.
What do you hope your readers will gain from this series?
I hope that my readers will appreciate that modern science and technology are evolving in ways that should attract philosophical attention. My Philosophy and the Mirror of Technology series covered the changing relationship among science, philosophy, and faith, with increasingly blurred distinctions. I hope to highlight that technological forces have taken on a life of their own—and philosophy is indispensable in managing the risks of the modern world.
Charlie Taben graduated from Middlebury College in 1983 with a BA in philosophy and has been a financial services executive for nearly 40 years. He studied at Harvard University during his junior year and says one of the highlights of his life was taking John Rawls’ class. Today, Charlie remains engaged with the discipline, focusing on Spinoza, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Schopenhauer. He has worked with the APA Blog, creating the Philosophy and the Mirror of Technology Series. Charlie has also performed volunteer work for the Philosophical Society of England. You can find Charlie on Twitter @gbglax
Maryellen Stohlman-Vanderveen is the APA Blog's Diversity and Inclusion Editor and Research Editor. She graduated from the London School of Economics with an MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy in 2023 and currently works in strategic communications. Her philosophical interests include conceptual engineering, normative ethics, philosophy of technology, and how to live a good life.
