Beyond Civility & Incivility
We have all heard the well-worn complaint that we live in a divided world. It is worse than that: we are divided over whether...
Can Philosophy Help to Articulate Fair Principles for Low-Income Housing?
The need for more “low-income” housing—a now-standard label—in many parts of the United States has become a major issue during the 2024 presidential campaign,...
Chatting with the Dead
For millennia, bereaved people have tried to continue their relationship with the deceased through various artifacts, practices, and rituals. 2,300 years ago, the Confucian...
Property and Contract Are Dead. Long Live Economic Rights!
“It passed away, as most social systems do, in its sleep, leaving its citizens unaware that it was gone. No society more fully reflects...
What Does it Mean to Die with Dignity?
Assisted dying has always been controversial, but lately, it seems ever more present in public and philosophical debate. The proposed expansion of Canada’s Medical...
Is Racial Identity Ever Straightforward?
Introduction
One of the first times I was prompted to declare my racial identity was during a standardized test in second grade. I remember being...
How can we be good allies as bystanders during war?
Being from the Middle East, it is hard to avoid thinking about war. I’ve lived through three, as well as an event I’ll discuss...
The Simpsons and AI(mmortality)
Since its 1989 debut, The Simpsons has been a leviathan in the entertainment ecosystem. With over 762 episodes over 35 seasons, the show holds...
May We Execute Even the Worst Murderers?
On October 27, 2018, the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh was hosting Shabbat services when Robert Bowers entered the building and opened fire....
Embracing the Mad Science of Machine Consciousness
Almost 25 years ago, I wrote my first (almost certainly naïve) MA thesis on chatbots for what was essentially a philosophy and AI program...