Stephen Cave
Senior Research Fellow, University of Cambridge
Stephen Cave is executive director and senior research fellow of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge. A philosopher by training, he has also served as a British diplomat, and written widely on philosophical and scientific subjects, including for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Guardian and others.
Written by Stephen Cave
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Cognition and intelligence
Intelligence: a history
Intelligence has always been used as fig-leaf to justify domination and destruction. No wonder we fear super-smart robots
Stephen Cave
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Ecology and environmental sciences
It’s not easy being green
If rational persuasion fails to make people behave environmentally, could rituals and a dash of guilt do a better job?
Stephen Cave & Sarah Darwin
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Political philosophy
Democracies fail when they ask too little of their citizens
Stephen Cave
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Cognition and intelligence
The free-will scale
Like IQ or EQ, there should be FQ: a freedom quotient to show how much free will we have – and how to get more
Stephen Cave
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Ethics
Once and future sins
In 2115, when our descendants look back at our society, what will they condemn as our greatest moral failing?
Stephen Cave & Stefan Klein
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Death
Everlasting glory
There are few fantasies so absurd as the idea of living on through fame. So why does immortality still beckon?
Stephen Cave
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Death
Not nothing
The death of a fly is utterly insignificant – or it’s a catastrophe. How much should we worry about what we squash?
Stephen Cave
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Death
Frozen dead guys
Is cryonics an ambulance into the future or the latest twist on our ancient fantasy of rebirth?
Stephen Cave
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Biology
Who killed Knut?
The death of a beloved polar bear casts the logic of zoos in a cold light. Are they safe havens or places of sacrifice?
Stephen Cave
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Human rights and justice
Remember Herostratus
The ruling that Anders Breivik is sane leaves his ideas unchallenged. We need a new verdict for crimes of vainglory
Stephen Cave