First Derivative [51]
Chinese genes—decentralization — tech policy — Luther vs. Erasmus — genocide — contra Scientism — AI explanations — pop culture — African war
first Derivative [51]
February 23, 2018
Chinese genes—decentralization — tech policy — Luther vs. Erasmus — genocide — contra Scientism — AI explanations — pop culture — African war
China, Unhampered by Rules, Races Ahead in Gene-Editing Trials
by Preetika Rana, Amy Dockser Marcus, and Wenxin Fan (The Wall Street Journal)
“As part of its drive to place China on the global stage in a multitude of industries, Beijing in a 2016 five-year plan highlighted gene editing.”
Why Decentralization Matters
by Chris Dixon (Medium)
“Decentralized networks aren’t a silver bullet that will fix all the problems on the internet. But they offer a much better approach than centralized systems.”
The Tech ‘Regrets’ Industry
by Audrey Watters
“They do not appear to have read any history. So it is easy for them to declare: no one could have possibly known… Why not trust those of us who knew it was bullshit all along and who can tell you the whole history of a bad idea?”
Luther vs. Erasmus: When Populism First Eclipsed the Liberal Elite
by Michael Massing (The New York Review of Books)
“Five hundred years ago, [Erasmus] faced a populist uprising led by a powerful provocateur, Martin Luther, that resulted in divisions no less explosive than those we see in America and Europe today.”
Myanmar is Not a Morality Play
by Roger Cohen (The New York Times): Aung San Suu Kyi oversees an ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. Why? —TK
Horror in Burma
by Jay Nordlinger (National Review)
Broad scope on the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Myanmar with some brutal details —TK
Unenlightened thinking: Steven Pinker’s embarassing new book is a feeble sermon for rattled liberals
by John Gray (The New Statesman)
A hard-hitting but appropriate review of Steven Pinker’s new book. We need a more sophisticated humanism to think about advancing science and techonology—TK
For artificial intelligence to thrive, it must explain itself
(The Economist)
“If, however, AI agents could somehow explain why they did what they did,trust would increase and those agents would become more useful.”
Against popular culture
by Owen Hulatt (Aeon)
“Popular culture, for Adorno, is not bad because it provides us with quick and accessible pleasure in a way that modern, demanding ‘high art’ does not. On the contrary, it is bad because it promises this pleasure and fails to deliver it in a genuine way.”
An Endless War
by Michael Barbaro (The Daily)
ABOUT fD
fD is a weekly newsletter focusing on deep trends and signal insights in ideas, technology, politics, economics, foreign affairs, culture, philosophy, and more. The goal is to deliver content and analyses that matter beyond the present moment.
I hope you enjoy. Questions and comments always welcome -TK
EPHEMERA
Check out an op-ed I wrote, hence all the Myanmar reading this week