- The top 25 stories curated by editors and fellow readers!
Editor's Pick
The Bitter Aftertaste of "Technical Sweetness"
 Technical sweetness. Scientists and engineers use this phrase when a puzzle’s solution presents itself, when all the pieces fit beautifully and functionally together, when success at the particular endeavor presents itself in a neat package. Technical sweetness is alluring, consuming, and, as we can see in the story of Victor Frankenstein, potentially blinding to what might follow from the solution being sought. Scientists who are driven by technical sweetness can fail to see what might be obvious to those with a bit more distance — that despite some projects’ allure, sometimes completing the project is not desirable.
When Victor first discovers the secret to life, he is so overwhelmed by his success that he fails to share it with his colleagues and instead accelerates toward a full-fledged test of his insight — Can he animate a body devoid of life? In his desperation to complete this test, he pushes himself to the breaking point, fully in the thrall of the technical sweetness of his work. He stops communicating with his friends and family and disengages from the social connections that might give him a better perspective on his pursuits. He senses that all is not right — that his reluctance to share his work might mean something more than a desire to guard the secret until confirmation is achieved; only once his creation awakes does he realize that it might not have been a good idea to create such life. Indeed, he recoils from what he has done, running from his creation for two years. In the end, he spends the rest of his life in a dark dance with the creature, attempting to forestall further horrors from being inflicted upon humanity.
Continued here
|
Editor's Note: Scientists whose work suddenly raises the red flag - for example, those whose work gets labeled "potential dual-use research of concern" - often balk at the imposition of restrictions and the requirement of deeper reflection. The lure of technical sweetness, of continuing to pursue success in their area of expertise, makes it hard for those scientists to see, much less weigh seriously, the downsides of their work.
WorkWork
WorkWork
WorkWork
WorkWork
WorkWork
WorkGet ready for long thinking, AIs next leap forward - WSJ (No paywall) Nvidia s chief executive made a passing reference late in the companys most recent earnings call that deserves much more attention than it got even if it was understandably overshadowed by $35.1 billion in quarterly revenue, driven 94% higher by customers ravenous demand for AI chips. Work
WorkIts Time for CFOs to Rethink Scenario Planning - Harvard Business Review (No paywall) As companies navigate todays complex business and geopolitical landscape, CFOs have seen risk management rise to the top of their priorities. Theyre increasingly using scenario planning as a key tool to manage risk and strategically unlock new value-creation opportunities. This involves three approaches: 1) Being rigorous and cross-functional, integrating scenario planning into the companys strategic framework; 2) Being outward looking and externally informed by staying ahead of the curve on regulatory updates and policy trends; and 3) Continually refreshing and monitoring scenarios, incorporating new and emerging data, and translating insights into compelling stories that help stakeholders grasp not only the financial implications of scenarios, but also the strategic rationale behind key decisions. WorkIn a threat to patient trust, Texas hospitals must ask Are you a U.S. citizen? - STAT (No paywall) As a first-generation immigrant, much of my childhood was spent in a state of perpetual uncertainty. My family and I fixated on an ever-refreshing screen, patiently watching our status shift from H-1B visa to green card holder to citizen over 14 long years. Yet amid this endless cycle of anxiety, one place surprisingly gave me solace: the hospital. As a long-time patient of Texas Childrens Hospital, I saw early on how health care stood apart a field untouched by the grasp of immigration status, a space where humanity held precedence over nationality.
WorkWork WorkWhat do the gods of generative AI have in store for 2025? - The Economist (No paywall) THE 12 DAYS of Christmas are meant to start on December 25th. But not in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). On December 5th OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, began a blizzard of product shipments dubbed, gratingly, the 12 days of shipmas.It has included a full roll-out of Sora, its video-generation tool, as well as Canvas, a writing and coding product. WorkSouth Korea's Leader Holds Onto Power as the Net Closes In Rival political parties on Wednesday wrangled over when and how President Yoon Suk Yeol should be removed from office, as the police and prosecutors investigating possible insurrection charges closed in on him a week after his ill-fated declaration of martial law. Police officers showed up at Mr. WorkSearching for Loved Ones in a Newly Liberated Syrian Prison - The New Yorker (No paywall) On Wednesday, at Sednaya, a political prison in Syria, hundreds of people prowled the grounds. It was the third day after an astonishing rebel offensive deposed Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled as a tyrant during thirteen years of vicious civil war. After the rebels swept into Damascus, the jailers had fled Sednaya, and the prisoners had been set free. The visitors on Wednesday were relatives of men who were known to have been held there but had not reappeared. On the grass outside, burned black in places by recent fires, groups of them camped out in a grim limbo. WorkWorkWorkWorkThe danger of Trumps promise to pardon J6 defendants If you believe in the work we do at Vox, please support us by becoming a member. Our mission has never been more urgent. But our work isnt easy. It requires resources, dedication, and independence. And thats where you come in. WorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkAre you underperforming as a Leader? How often do you find yourself wondering if you're doing your job well? The actions and decisions of a leader have a greater impact than those of an individual contributor and can be a hindrance to the progress of the team and the organization. WorkCruise's demise will cost Microsoft $800 million.In a regulatory filing, Microsoft said it would "record an impairment charge of approximately $800 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025" tied to GM's decision to defund its robotaxi subsidiary Cruise. WorkWorkMeta Donates $1 Million to Trump's Inaugural Fund Meta said on Wednesday that it had donated $1 million to President-elect Donald J. Trump's inaugural fund, in the latest move by Mark Zuckerberg, the company's chief executive, to foster a positive rapport with Mr. Trump. WorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkWorkMathematicians Uncover a New Way to Count Prime Numbers To make progress on one of number theory's most elementary questions, two mathematicians turned to an unlikely source. Introduction A new proof has brought mathematicians one step closer to understanding the hidden order of those "atoms of arithmetic," the prime numbers. WorkWhat Just Hit the Moon? Daichi Fujii can't get enough of the flashy skies. The astronomer and curator of the Hiratsuka City Museum recently captured videos of bright flashes on the Moon, which coincide with the Geminid meteor showers. Ergo: Some of these fireballs may be hitting our rocky satellite. Work TradeBriefs Publications are read by over 100,000 Industry Executives About Us | Advertise | Privacy PolicyUnsubscribe (one-click) You are receiving this mail because of your subscription with TradeBriefs.
Our mailing address is 3110 Thomas Ave, Dallas, TX 75204, USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
