Nick Bostrom: Technological Ethics and Academic Contributions

Nick Bostrom’s Technological Ethics and Academic Contributions

Nick Bostrom studies existential risks (AI, biotech) and human enhancement. Key works: Superintelligence (2014) and papers on AI alignment. Free PDFs on his website.

🔗 Free PDFs of most papers

Nick Bostrom’s Technological Ethics and Academic Contributions

1. Introduction

Nick Bostrom (1973–) is a Swedish philosopher and founder of the Future of Humanity Institute (FHI) at the University of Oxford. He is renowned for his work on existential risks, superintelligence, and human enhancement. His interdisciplinary research bridges ethics, artificial intelligence, and futurism, making him a central figure in contemporary technology ethics.

2. Core Ethical Perspectives

  1. Superintelligence Risk Theory
    • AI could surpass human control, posing existential threats.
    • Advocates for the “alignment problem”—ensuring AI goals align with human values.
  2. Existential Risk Theory
    • Warns of global catastrophes (nuclear war, rogue AI, biotech).
    • Calls for international cooperation to mitigate low-probability, high-impact risks.
  3. Human Enhancement Ethics
    • Supports gene editing and brain-computer interfaces but warns of societal inequality.

3. Key Publications

(1) Books
  • Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (2014)
    • Examines AI’s potential失控 scenarios and proposes governance solutions.
(2) Seminal Papers
  1. “Existential Risks: Analyzing Human Extinction Scenarios” (2002)
    • Content: Classifies extinction risks (AI, nanotechnology, bioengineering) and proposes risk assessment frameworks.
    • Source: Oxford PDF
  2. “Ethical Issues in Human Enhancement” (2009)
    • Content: Debates ethics of gene editing and cognitive enhancement, advocating cautious progress.
    • Source: Springer Link
  3. “The Future of AI: Three Scenarios” (2017)
    • Content: Predicts AI trajectories (utopian, dystopian, controlled transition).
    • Source: Personal Website PDF

4. Open-Access Resources

5. Impact & Criticism

  • Legacy: Influenced AI safety research (e.g., OpenAI/DeepMind ethics guidelines).
  • Controversy: Criticized for prioritizing “sci-fi risks” over real-world AI biases.

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