Tag Archives: Ethics

Space capitalism – build it, own it

Mediation, Musings, , , , , , , ,

At the beginning of August, I started writing a story – Calliope’s Reach – set in a future around 2150 – 2200. The narrative is grounded in a landscape of space capitalism. The following week, I ran across the book New Space Capitalism [1], which connected with recent events, particularly SpaceX’s IPO.

What’s the drift? – cautious optimism for a better future. A stairway to the stars. There’s much history here, and Rainer Zitelmann covers the highlights, including the January 1986 Challenger disaster, which I watched on live TV. ( I was particularly interested in that launch because I had worked with one of the crew.)

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Beyond A Good Place 10.0 – transcript

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A chat with Gemini on 6-8-2026 – raw transcript

The Good Place 10.0 Analysis

[Segment 1: The Initial Inquiry]

[Prompt]

I’d like to explore the American fantasy-comedy television series The Good Place, all 4 seasons, as if you are an expert (professional) in storycraft and moral philosophy, as well as versed in religious mythology, theology and history. Here’s some context.

I’m interested in key takeways from the series and how effective its storytelling (dramatization, visualization) was in conveying those takeaways, particularly as an on-ramp into complex topics; or, generally, as a tutorial for comprehending the moral mystery of life, making sense of such a “whale” one bite at a time.

Also, what questions really were not addressed (loose ends), as if left as a homework for the viewer or for further discussion.

As well as what simplifications or oversights were made in scripting the series for the sake of accessible, engaging entertainment.

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Puritan praise & pride – a legacy of conflated piety

Mediation, Musings, , , , , , , , , , , ,   11 comments  

[Draft 11-7-2024]

We supposedly live in a secular society. And yet, sacred speech dominates our polarized politics. The righteous mind is alive and well. Private & public piety pervades our identities, our virtues and values. Dogma still divides. History has lessons which remain unheeded. Social media (and money) amplify an illusion of majority voice. We drift into a divide over the future of our democracy. The role of reason is in retreat.

Can heads, hearts, and hands find common ground to move forward?

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Robots don’t wipe butts – future of elder care?

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Gerontology and Geriatrics

If we build them, will they be accepted? The Simpsons S31:E12 does not satirize issues about privacy and personal information – just butt wiping. [1] Might co-design and co-production of care robots improve acceptance? [2]

The crew

A team of international researchers, a model of robot acceptance, a small cross-sectional study across Japan, Ireland, and Finland.

The challenge

“Although care robots are being developed and improved at a rapid pace, their social acceptance has been limited.”

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