Philosophy Now

Philosophy Now is a magazine for everyone interested in ideas. It isn't afraid to tackle all the major questions of life, the universe and everything. It tries to corrupt innocent citizens by convincing them that philosophy can be exciting, worthwhile and comprehensible, and also to provide some light and enjoyable reading matter for those already ensnared by the muse, such as philosophy students and academics. It contains articles on all aspects of philosophy, plus book reviews, film reviews, news, cartoons, and the occasional short story.

Mind and Artificial Intelligence: A Dialogue

Philosophy Now

some of our Contributors

News

Shorts

What it Means to be Human: Blade Runner 2049 • Kilian Pötter introduces the big ideas and problems around artificial consciousness.

AI & Human Interaction • Miriam Gorr asks what we learn from current claims for cyberconsciousness.

SiMoN + FiNN

Arguing with the Chinese Room • Michael DeBellis says Searle’s famous argument about computers not having understanding does not compute.

Typing to Turing • The bombe, designed by Alan Turing, was an electro-mechanical device used by British cryptologists to help decipher German Enigma-encrypted messages during World War II.

What’s Stopping Us Achieving Artificial General Intelligence? • A. Efimov, D. Dubrovsky, and F. Matveev explore how the development of AI is limited by the perceived need to understand language and be embodied.

Can Machines Be Conscious? • Sebastian Sunday Grève and Yu Xiaoyue find an unexpected way in which the answer is ‘yes’.

Hap & Happiness • Stephen Anderson meditates on misfortune and meaning.

Philosophy Café

Hannah Arendt On the Spectre of Nuclear War • Maurits de Jongh finds our contemporary situation reflected in earlier states.

The Urgency of Art • Sam McAuliffe thinks that art offers another way of thinking.

Spinoza’s Godly Mystery

Ergoing Nowhere • Noah Harris says Descartes failed to find absolute foundations for knowledge.

Descartes & Stupidity • Trevor Pateman asks: stupidity – essence, or accident?

How Descartes Inspired Science • Kanan Purkayastha has both general and special theories about how the master rationalist inspired modern empirical science.

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) • Thund’rous Trumpets sound Heralds of Doom’s own Carriage. Beware Mammon’s Snare!

Chamfort (1740-1794) • Martin Jenkins looks at the life of a wry observer of society, cut short by that society’s revolutionary turmoil.

Letters • When inspiration strikes, don’t bottle it up. Email me at rick.lewis@philosophynow.org Keep them short and keep them coming!

How To Live A Happy Life, With Seneca • Massimo Pigliucci shares some Stoic standards.

We Have Always Been Cyborgs Stefan Lorenz Sorgner • Natasha Beranek sees transhumanism get an upgrade, and Paul J. D’Ambrosio looks at the sorts of successes to which failure can lead.

In Praise of Failure Costica Bradatan

GHOSTBUSTERS™ • Thomas R. Morgan ponders the phantom pain and pleasure perspective.

Reflections on Taking My Blood Pressure • Raymond Tallis finds himself within himself.

Subscribe to Philosophy Now

Back Issues & Digital Editions

Question of the Month? What Is Time? • Each answer below receives a book. Apologies to the many entrants not included.

The Last Thought • Everything must end eventually, even consciousness. A short story by Grant Bartley.