Thomas Malthus posited that the Earth had a carrying capacity — a limit to the resources that can support a species’ population. As we approach this carrying capacity, Charlotte Sleigh believes that the principle of “make kin, not babies” can help save our species. Coined by philosopher Donna Hathway, this refers to extending compassion to and nurturing people other than our immediate genetic relatives. People are already adopting this principle in addition to deciding not to have children because many societies already struggle to provide for all of their citizens. Read full article here
Societal Issues
AI Predicts Crime A Week In Advance With 90 Per Cent Accuracy
An artificial intelligence model built by Ishanu Chattopadhyay and his colleagues analysed crime data in Chicago from 2014 to 2016 and managed to predict future levels of crime down to the nearest 300 metres, a week before they actually happened. While extremely useful, this artificial intelligence has been shown to expose racial prejudice in law enforcement. Hopefully, as the study’s data and methodology have been made available for others to evaluate, these prejudices can be avoided in the next iteration. Read full article here