David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

Philosopher & A̶s̶s̶o̶c̶i̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶D̶e̶a̶n̶ @UNC School for Civic Life & Leadership. Ethics, religion, & politics. Academic freedom. RT≠endorse; opinions own daviddecosimo.com Durham Joined July 2020

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

7 hours ago

This is silly. In its seriousness & orientation to excellence it has more in common with a degree in dance from Juilliard or aerospace engineering from MIT. But unlike those, it’s not about a product but contemplation: joy in truth, meeting an essential & lofty human need. It’s not for everybody (& I wouldn’t choose it) & it’s not a quick path to a career in STEM or health care. But that doesn’t make it right wing, let alone vapid nonsense.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

14 hours ago

@kvallier The idea that AI has moral status, is a 'person,' bears rights, & so on are all 'moral views,' though. Also, I'm skeptical of a neat divide between 'moral views' & 'descriptive views,' since many moral views are descriptive (e.g. "He is a liar," "She is courageous.")

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

16 hours ago

Some views are so repugnant, irrational, & destructive that mockery, ridicule, & contempt for the view (not its holder) is an appropriate, effective, & culturally salutary rejoinder. Argument may also be important too, depending on the context. But it need not be primary. 1/

Kevin Vallier @kvallier

2 days ago

For people who deny AI personhood for any AI model at any point in the future, you're going to need better arguments than this. There are arguments out there, but once agents can solve Navier-Stokes, write music and poetry, and provide people with seemingly fulfilling life

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

16 hours ago

If you are teaching, doing scholarship, or engaging in in-depth conversation with someone amenable to reason who holds the ludicrous, misanthropic view, argument is the appropriate path. But there is very good reason not to dignify the ‘AI are people’ derangement with argument.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

16 hours ago

We know & see this in other cases. Exclusively or primarily responding to online claims that a given race is subhuman or that slavery should be reinstated with philosophical argument is strategically & substantively foolish. It wrongly elevates & dignifies pernicious falsehood.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

4 days ago

I share @JamesWHankins1's concerns regarding the reduction of civic education to a narrow focus on the American founding & on Straussianism, which can be every bit as dogmatic, insular, & anti-intellectual as the worst identitarianism. I sketch my positive vision in this thread.

David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

3 months ago

The tension between civic & liberal education is real but not insuperable. My (minority, it turns out) vision for the civics movement reconciles them. I believe that civic education for *the American regime* requires truly liberal education & even some global great books.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

5 days ago

The ideological corruption of leftist faculty who oppose reform is perfect cover for equally corrupt, nepotistic & mediocre bad actors on the right, who simply blame all their failings, misdeeds, & any criticism on the left. If university reform is stillborn, this will be why.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

5 days ago

New level of anti-social gym behavior and/or extreme tech incompetence unlocked: loudly playing phone on speaker while wearing AirPods.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

6 days ago

It’s a troubling thought that someone might write a piece like this with the primary aim of its being included & digested in AI training data. And on EA’s deranged & misanthropic ethical theory doing exactly that would be praiseworthy.

Bentham's Bulldog🔸 @Benthamsbulldog

2 weeks ago

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

6 days ago

@ilan_wurman @RandyEBarnett Slight but important correction: Harvard *Law School*’s openness to hiring academics with diverse views!

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Yuan Yi Zhu @yuanyi_z

7 days ago

As euthanasia is responsible for more and more deaths, societies become increasingly resistant to admitting abuses that occur in relation to its administration, since doing so would disturb the peace of mind of too many people who had relatives die in that manner.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

@sherifgirgis @jadler1969 @Harvard_Law That is fantastic news!!! A huge congrats!

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

Scripture & Christian theology are absolutely clear: salvation is through Christ alone (e.g. Acts 4:12). While always centering the clear meaning as the church must, there should be humility & room for faithful disagreement as to whether non-obvious possibilities may also obtain.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

So, theologians may speak of 'implicit faith,' posit a post-mortem chance to hear the gospel for those who have never heard it, & so on. For example, in Last Battle, Lewis depicts someone as saved through Aslan/Christ despite/by having followed him under the name of a false god.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

Far more common is the view that not all will be saved. Still, a great many who held that view & who insist salvation is "through (faith in) Jesus Christ alone," allow for expansive or exceptional possibilities as to what exactly is required for that latter claim to be honored.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

There's an essential difference between the questions: 1. How are people saved? (exclusivism vs. pluralism) 2. Will everyone be saved? (restrictivism vs. universalism) Christians answer 1. by saying "Through Jesus Christ alone." But that doesn't entail a particular answer to 2.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

Throughout Christian history, there have been theologians who have held that salvation is exclusively through Jesus Christ, while also avowing universalism, the claim that ultimately all will be saved. That has always been a very marginal view, but it has always been represented.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

@BrandonWarmke I read the OP as a claim about bias. The departments I mentioned have hired folks known to be evangelicals & have admitted & welcomed many such folks as PhD students. Yet George Yancey’s research suggests even more prejudice (of a like sort) against evangelicals than GOP donors.

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David Decosimo @DavidDecosimo

a week ago

And yet perhaps the country’s most famous 'conservative' faculty member teaches at Princeton, another writes for Compact, & there’s robust & vibrant conservative & religious student life. Political donation data may not always give a good picture of campus life for conservatives.