Tom Reed: a datacenter of automated AI researchers, optimizing against internal evals, would only appear to approach superintelligence while actually optimizing benchmarks that fail to generalize. Reed points out that there’s no training data available for a machine to learn how to do most messy real-world tasks, e.g. where’s the training data for being a CEO? Related to my piece on the Heideggerian critique of AI. The Goodhart Singularity — Tom Reed
Eric Schwitzgebel uses Xunzi and Zhuangzi to argue for harmonizing-with-the-dao as a fourth option in normative ethics, distinct from consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics. I’ve heard spiritual friends express a form of this idea, that you should fully embrace being in the flow of who you are, even if that means being a criminal! Be the best criminal you can be! Like with every ethical system, it breaks down, and probably needs guardrails. The Ethics of Harmonizing with the Dao — Eric Schwitzgebel
Hetty McKinnon’s vegan spring lasagna: fresh sheets layered with a spinach-tofu cream (tofu, garlic, nutritional yeast, baby spinach, blended), fava beans, pesto, mozzarella; charred top under the broiler. Hetty McKinnon’s vegetarian cookbook, Tenderheart, is one of my favorite cookbooks of all time. Every recipe in there is so flavorful. Cannot recommend her enough. Lasagna verde — Hetty Lui McKinnon
Has no one expressed the notion that maybe there is no formal ethical system? Probably my view is that if you sort out inner issues, ethical behavior appears spontaneously. And no, I don't think being a criminal is ethical, for most forms of crime at least.