Can an algorithm be racist? An algorithm used to determine bail sentencing assesses the risk that an individual will reoffend. Critics claim the algorithm is unfair because it incorrectly assesses more black individuals as high risk than white.
Should you cling to your beliefs even when others disagree? Or should you reconsider your beliefs whenever they’re challenged? Is it possible to disagree without being disagreeable?
Imagine an organization—the Materials Rights Association (MRA)—that contributes millions to the campaigns of politicians who keep the laws that govern building materials safety lax. The MRA reaps huge financial rewards because cheap building materials, even if highly flammable, are desirable to its member builders.
Can prisoners benefit from engaging in philosophical thinking? Kirstine Szifris spent six months teaching philosophy to prisoners and says it can can mitigate prison violence and help prisoners to engage in deep self-reflection, getting closer to the ideals of rehabilitation.
The Good Place, a hit TV show, begins with a woman named Eleanor who wakes up in the afterlife. Eleanor learns that she has landed in “The Good Place,” even though she knows that she should have landed in the other place. Chidi, a professor of moral philosophy whom Eleanor confides in, decides to teach her to be good.
Philosophers are notorious for expressing themselves in a dry and, let’s face it, boring way. But this isn’t the only way to do philosophy. There are some great philosophical stories that delight and engage, rather than putting the reader to sleep.
Marvel’s newest superhero movie, Black Panther, has been setting records left and right since its release. In many ways, it is a classic superhero movie, with a clearly defined and often one-dimensional super villain that eventually loses to our hero. But many are questioning who is to truly blame in Black Panther.
Loneliness isn’t written about much by analytic philosophers. Nearly everything philosophical written about it is either theological, existentialist, or social psychological. The Shape of Water is a lovely movie for reflecting on loneliness and how it can be overcome in the lives of ordinary people.
Is it ever morally okay to punish people? To punish someone is to hurt them because of a wrong they’ve already committed—whether or not any future benefit will come of that hurt. How could it be okay to deliberately hurt someone?
James Baldwin is one of the most extraordinary thinkers of the 20th century. His writings are a must-read for anyone interested in issues of race in America. In this video, Baldwin tackles the question, “Is the American Dream at the expense of the American Negro?”
Saudi Arabia, a country not known for progressive women’s rights, recently granted the female robot Sophia citizenship. The company behind Sophia has capitalized on this opportunity, as Sophia has become an advocate for women’s rights.
All over the world, men enjoy power and privilege relative to women. It’s always been that way, and probably always will be. But one could also have more hope, given that in some countries women have made a lot of progress.
It’s been 200 years since we’ve been captivated by Mary Shelley’s tale of a man creating a living being. From the moment the creature is “born” Victor Frankenstein calls it a monster. But why did the outcome of Frankenstein’s prized experiment have to turn out so repulsive?
The words “misogyny” and “sexism” are often used interchangeably. But do they really mean the same thing? In an interview with Vox, Cornell philosophy professor Kate Manne draws a distinction between the two.
Why are some films philosophically important? People often assume there’s only one answer to that question: because they reveal important truths about life. But that assumption is profoundly and importantly mistaken.
Yet another school shooting. This one happened on Valentine’s Day in Parkland, Florida, an otherwise attractive suburb north of Ft. Lauderdale. I hear many voices expressing bafflement about the lack of legislative response. But I think it’s the wrong response.