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Kenneth Boyd

Ken Boyd holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Toronto. His philosophical work concerns the ways that we can best make sure that we learn from one another, and what goes wrong when we don’t. You can read more about his work at kennethboyd.wordpress.com

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Technology

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9 Aug 2019

YouTube and the Filter Bubble

Algorithms curating and recommending media content can create echo chambers; they can reinforce misinformation and normalize hate-speech. How can we resist?

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Politics

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22 Jul 2019

The Political Response to Racism: Trump vs. the Squad

How do the political implications of responses like censure complicate the moral scene? What should be our goal in addressing racism?

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Concrete Milkshakes and the Ethics of Being Wrong on the Internet

Recent circulation of misinformation through media channels highlights a troubling trend regarding belief formation. What does it mean to be a responsible epistemic agent?

11 Jul 2019

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Who fact-checks the fact-checkers?

The campaign to stem the tide of misinformation online is beset by a number of formidable epistemic obstacles. How effective can fact-checking ever really be?

5 Jul 2019

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Are Loot Boxes "Quite Ethical"?

Recent rulings have called the loot box mechanics used in franchises like FIFA and Star Wars Battlefront "gambling for children." What's the danger?

1 Jul 2019

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USA vs. Thailand and the Limits of Sportsmanship

Team USA's recent win in the Women's World Cup raised questions of sportsmanship. When does competitive play become unsportsmanlike conduct? What are the rules of sports etiquette derived from?

20 Jun 2019

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Sephora and Diversity Training

Diversity training is being used more and more often in the wake of incidents of racial bias. Is it more than a mea culpa?

12 Jun 2019

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The Morehouse Gift and Reliance on Billionaires

Recent charitable gifts by billionaires to college graduates in debt highlight the complications that come from individuals trying to solve collective action problems.

31 May 2019

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Blame and Forgiveness in Student Loan Debt

What do Elizabeth Warren's proposed policies regarding student debt relief say about responsibility and fairness?

20 May 2019

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Online Discourse and the Demand for Civility

The call for civil discourse is often disingenuous, and finding a neutral ground for debate is difficult in practice. What does 'civility' mean, and what does it not mean?

14 May 2019

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The Problem with "Google-Research"

We rely on the internet to get our news and stay informed, but Google searches can be slanted in ways that are hard to detect.

9 May 2019

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The Ethics of Philosophical Exemptions

Given the threat to public health, what bar should a claim to philosophical exemption from vaccination need to clear?

12 Apr 2019

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Permalancing and What it Means for Work

“Full-time freelancing” is becoming the norm for more and more American workers. What does this trend mean?

2 Apr 2019

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College Admissions and the Ethics of Unfair Advantages

The recent admissions scandal has revealed the unfair advantages that certain people have when applying to school, and what that might mean for the rest of us.

21 Mar 2019

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Esquire and the Life of an American Boy

Esquire's featuring of a white, male teenager as their cover story during Black History Month was just one strike against an ultimately concerning cover story.

19 Feb 2019

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News Fatigue and the Duty to Stay Informed

We all have a duty to stay informed, but how much news is too much news? What can we do to avoid news fatigue?

8 Feb 2019

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Knowing What You Don’t Know

Science is becoming more partisan; public opinion is divided on scientific facts. How did we get here, and what can we do?

28 Jan 2019

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Computer Simulations and the Ethics of Predicting Human Behavior

Computer simulations can be helpful in predicting human behavior, but what about when those predictions are immoral?

21 Jan 2019

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The Rise of Political Echo Chambers

Echo chambers are creating insular factions and polarizing politics. Is this a problem? And is there a way out?

11 Jan 2019

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Bothsidesism and Why It Matters

Bothsidesism means acknowledging that moral equivalence is dangerous: just because there are two sides of an issue doesn't mean they're ethically equal.

2 Jan 2019

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Should You Rate Your Professor? The Ethics of Student Evaluations

Just how reliable are student evaluations of teachers at the end of the semester? Often, they reveal biases.

26 Dec 2018

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On Tumblr, Adult Content is Banned - For Good?

Tumblr's ban on adult content claims to be making the blogging platform a better, safer place, yet hate speech is still readily found. Is the ban the best solution?

11 Dec 2018

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