Latest Articles
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The Case for Electric Vehicles
Only ten years ago if you wanted an electric car you would need to build one yourself. In a EV event I attended in 2008 an owner explained why they were so awesome. His arguments remain true today. Low Operational Cost Compared to petrol electricity will cost about one fifth of petrol. In fact even this can be reduced if you change your electricity…
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What is reality? How do we know?
Imagine living four thousand years ago. What would you believe about reality? You would believe that you live on the surface of a flat plain, with the stars and the sun rising and setting each day, moving predictably across the sky. Your senses would tell you this is true. And in a limited way it was, in that to a mere human in that…
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In Defense of Free Speech
Why are we now, in 2019 revisiting basic human rights such as the right of free expression?
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The Engagement Maximisers
Nick Bostrom described a thought experiment in 2003 about a paperclip maximiser, an artificially general intelligent system whose utility function is to maximise paper clip production. The paperclip maximiser would lack the social values of humans, and so would continue to make paperclips even as it destroyed humanity and turned the entire Earth into a huge pile of paperclips. Academic thought experiments are one…
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The EV Future
In November Mike Hosking published his opinion of electric cars titled ‘Environmentalists have no grasp on reality‘, concluding that “no matter how hard the media, the spin doctors, and the environmentalists tell us that EVs are here and the future, they’re not.” Before we disassemble his views in detail it would be good to discuss why fossil fuel cars have no future. Let us…
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Big Brother’s Wet Dream
In the book 1984, George Orwell explores pervasive surveillance and social control. Citizens in 1984 experience total surveillance, potentially monitored twenty four hours a day through cameras and microphones that are installed into all homes. Everything said and done could be monitored. Because of the effort required, only a small proportion of people are actually monitored at the same time within the Orwellian universe.…
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Artificial Intelligence Resources
Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence Why AI researchers shouldn’t turn their backs on the military The World Economic Forum warns that AI may destabilize the financial system Children ‘at risk of robot influence’ AI identifies heat-resistant coral reefs in Indonesia Google DeepMind’s AI can detect over 50 sight-threatening eye conditions Don’t expect IBM’s Watson to cure cancer anytime soon Engineers teach…
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State of Surveillance
In George Orwell’s 1984 the state had something like a TV in every room that was two way. There could be someone watching or listening to you at any time, and therefore you could not assume that it was safe to talk about any critical views of the state without being monitored. This vision has essentially become reality, but with vastly larger scope. Almost…
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Islam and Humanism
Thanks to all who posted on ‘Islam and Rationalism’. Here are some thoughts on Islam and Humanism. I see Humanism as being more concerned with the ethics of human coexistence and Rationalism being more concerned with the development of accurate understanding. An underlying theme of many anti-Islam posts here has been a rejection of the idea of coexistence with Muslims. ‘Keep them out’ means…
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AI Storming Medical Image Analysis
The days of highly trained specialists being required to perform analysis of medical images is coming to a close.
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Should We Develop Autonomous Weapons?
The coupling of artificial intelligence and weapons is well under way. Any military strategist will tell you that technology is a huge tactical advantage on the battlefield. At Agincourt it was the longbow, and in World War II the nuclear weapon. Deciding not to take advantage of new technology might just be the last decision you make. We have had cruise missiles capable of…
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President’s Corner, December 2017
November was a pretty busy month. We held the annual ‘dinner’ at the Bays Club in Browns bay where we awarded Susan and Des Vize the Bertrand Russell Award for hosting a family who fled Saudi Arabia to avoid the consequences of being an atheist in that country. The Vize family hosted the refugee family for six months. Judy also has provided significant personal…
