Utopia אוטופיה

Uri Aviv

Provocation | Human, All Too Human

A wide range of groups are testing the edges and exploring the frontiers of humanity — conservatives argue against abortion, activists lobby for animal rights, engineers develop brain/computer interfaces, and lest we forget, messianic fundamentalists have quite a lot to say about the true virtue of human nature. Yet the question remains unanswered, unanswerable, and ours to ask, again and again: to ponder, define, imagine and reimagine what it means to be human. If we stop asking, who is going to take on this Sisyphean task? ChatGPT?

Eden Kupermintz

Lead | Bearing Hope

Ursa Major had long been used to find the North star and lead lost seafarers, travellers and wanderers to safety. Ursula K. Le Guin, the Great Bear of science fiction, does the same. In her novels Le Guin has the remarkable ability to contain the intimate within the infinite, the personal human journey upon the strange map of the future she vividly imagined. Even when we might think all is lost and nothing can be done, she’s there to guide us, to show us true North, only this Ursula points the way to hope.

Nadav Neuman

Deep Dive | The Extinction of Utopia

Is it still possible to imagine a utopia, and if so, how? Fifty years ago, Ursula K. Le Guin wrote a short story that marks the beginning of the answer to this question.

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Prof. Elana Gomel

Provocation | On Robots and Newts

Čapek’s Scifi vision reflects the politics of his turbulent time and we're experiencing the fallout of those violent upheavals to this day.

Amos Noy

Recommendation | Beyond Hope and Despair: Thoughts on Imagination

Two Readings, Two Books, Two Hopes, Ursula K. Le Guin and Tove Jansson

Yuval Ofer

Recommendation | What would Ursula say?

What can we learn from Ursula K. Le Guin's literature about our current reality?

Nadav Neuman

Deep Dive | The Extinction of Utopia

Is it still possible to imagine a utopia, and if so, how? Fifty years ago, Ursula K. Le Guin wrote a short story that marks the beginning of the answer to this question.

Uri Aviv

Deep Dive | The Eternals

Reflections on Effective Altruism and religious fundamentalism. The End of Days, everlasting Utopias and Messianic times have occupied human imagination, hope and anxiety throughout history. There’s great danger in attempts to bring eternity to the here and now.

Boaz Lavie

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – A Truly Fantastic Letter

Although the dangers are real, very real - I won't sign.

Eli Cook

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – It’s The Economy, Stupid

The danger lurking within the development of innovative AI technologies is nothing new. Greed is as old as time

Tehilla Shwartz - Altshuler

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – The Scenario

In 1962, the Cuban missile crisis brought the world closer to nuclear war than it has ever been. What might the 13 days of the AI geo-political crisis look like?

Noa Manheim

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – Pens For Hire Facing Extinction

Nothing artificial poses a threat to the written word, there’s no mechanical replication or language model that can produce true righteous indignation or holy wrath. Those are human, as is the real danger

Yanai Sened

Recommendation | The Mars Express

Mars Express explores a fantastic future that remains haunted by the same problems troubling us today

Future of Life Institute

Provocation | Human, All Too Human

Lead | Bearing Hope

Deep Dive | The Extinction of Utopia

Is it still possible to imagine a utopia, and if so, how? Fifty years ago, Ursula K. Le Guin wrote a short story that marks the beginning of the answer to this question.

Provocation | On Robots and Newts

Čapek’s Scifi vision reflects the politics of his turbulent time and we're experiencing the fallout of those violent upheavals to this day.

Recommendation | Beyond Hope and Despair: Thoughts on Imagination

Two Readings, Two Books, Two Hopes, Ursula K. Le Guin and Tove Jansson

Recommendation | What would Ursula say?

What can we learn from Ursula K. Le Guin's literature about our current reality?

Deep Dive | The Extinction of Utopia

Is it still possible to imagine a utopia, and if so, how? Fifty years ago, Ursula K. Le Guin wrote a short story that marks the beginning of the answer to this question.

Deep Dive | The Eternals

Reflections on Effective Altruism and religious fundamentalism. The End of Days, everlasting Utopias and Messianic times have occupied human imagination, hope and anxiety throughout history. There’s great danger in attempts to bring eternity to the here and now.

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – A Truly Fantastic Letter

Although the dangers are real, very real - I won't sign.

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – It’s The Economy, Stupid

The danger lurking within the development of innovative AI technologies is nothing new. Greed is as old as time

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – The Scenario

In 1962, the Cuban missile crisis brought the world closer to nuclear war than it has ever been. What might the 13 days of the AI geo-political crisis look like?

Provocation | Response to ‘Pause AI’ Open Letter – Pens For Hire Facing Extinction

Nothing artificial poses a threat to the written word, there’s no mechanical replication or language model that can produce true righteous indignation or holy wrath. Those are human, as is the real danger

Recommendation | The Mars Express

Mars Express explores a fantastic future that remains haunted by the same problems troubling us today

Provocation | Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter

We call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4

Human, All Too Human

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