Postdoc @univienna in theological ethics. PhD in religion @UVA. Publications Coordinator @AARWeb. Editor at @ReadingReligion. 🇺🇸🇪🇺
Austria
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This is true regardless of how powerful you think AI is and regardless of what you think AI will accomplish (artistically, intellectually, or otherwise). There is an ontological difference!
In this era of artificial intelligence, it is becoming urgent to distinguish human art from what machines produce. There is an ontological difference, even before an aesthetic one, between art and what a machine can generate through statistical calculation based on millions of images created by others. Algorithms lack the spark of humanity. For this reason, the Church wishes to renew an alliance with artists and cultural institutions to safeguard our humanity.
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That's what I never really got about dry people. Whenever we're in dry spaces, they're like afraid we're going to get stuff wet? Like, um, what's wrong with being wet?
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The Marc Andreessen line on introspection that everyone was riled up about several months ago has an implicit pedigree that all sides will probably find unfortunate
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This is a good, short, and clear explanation of the worry and everyone should at least entertain the line of thought. Capabilities could slow or we could develop better control, and the biggest worry in light of recent events is that we're moving in the opposite direction on both
A lot of people wonder:
How could we actually go from rogue AI agents to human extinction?
This is how.
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I suspect this will be met with reflexive dismissal by many but they should at least be curious to see the results. If AI is obviously bad at philosophy then their wisdom will be affirmed, but the key will be recognizing it as terrible when they don't know whether or not it is AI
1/ Introducing PhilosophyBench from @StanfordAILab @StanfordHCI, the first independent, large-scale benchmark for evaluating AI’s philosophical capabilities.
philosophybench.org
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I almost have to respect the relentless antinatalism of David Benatar, which has now entered my realm of study. He's been pushing this for decades.
(He's also not wrong about antinatalist strands in religion, like the valorization of celibacy for much of Christian history.)
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This is in fact a very important development. Human superforecasting is hard enough to make sense of (how much we should weigh the predictions, what effect they should have on markets, etc.) and all this become even weirder if AI can predict the future better than anyone else
AIs cracking short-term superforecasting is such an important (and, still, under-discussed) trend.
Via a new piece from @nikostro economist.com/science-and-te…
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All the stories about students unable to read or write without LLMs (so unable to read or write) suggest that dedicating time to reading or writing is now unusually high-value. Using an hour of your workday to read a novel is probably among the most "productive" things you can do
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This is good. If AI has you worried about the end of the world, don't forget about the threat of good old-fashioned war
open.substack.com/pub/hinter…
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Of interest to anyone who listens to audiobooks. The process involves many actors and several layers of craftsmanship
nytimes.com/interactive/2026…
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Evan Sandsmark retweeted
In American Journal Theology & Philosophy 46.2-3, a special issue focusing on Willis Jenkins's lecture 'Migrations of the Sacred: Religion, Extinction, and Multispecies Value Transformation," @EvanSandsmark elaborates on two concerns prompted by Jenkins. scholarlypublishingcollectiv…
ALT Cover of American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, Vol. 46, No. 2 - 3, May - September 2025. Light grey background with Tables of Contents text and small red, green, yellow and blue abstract designs under the title text
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I find Axios generally useful but their style is extremely irritating. This headline, with its alliteration designed to please a five-year-old, is a good illustration of the problem
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Evan Sandsmark retweeted
New SPECIAL ISSUE: Vol. 46, Iss. 2-3, American Journal of Theology and Philosophy "Migrations of the Sacred." Contributors include @EvanSandsmark, @iamalda (@FloridaState), Evan Berry (@ASU_SHPRS), @hinduprof (@EtownCollege), and more. scholarlypublishingcollectiv…
ALT Cover of American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, Vol. 46, No. 2 - 3, May - September 2025. Light grey background with Tables of Contents text and small red, green, yellow and blue abstract designs under the title text
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I don't think I've come across this edition before. I like the subtle Joyce Carol Oates endorsement
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This is great. Reich's strongest point is that giving should ultimately seek democratic validation (successful initiatives should lead to legislation), and Berger's that there are objects of moral concern who are unrepresented in our democratic system (eg noncitizens, animals)
Thanks to @asteriskmgzn for hosting and writing up this fun debate I had with my friend Rob Reich about philanthropy and democracy and the coming AI giving boom (though they did me dirty with the photo choice!): asteriskmag.substack.com/p/w…
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