Generative AI and the future of equality norms.

This article will consider the disruptive impact of generative AI on moral beliefs and practices associated with equality, particularly equality of opportunity. It will first outline a framework for understanding the mechanisms through which generative AI can alter moral beliefs and practices. It will argue that actual and perceived cognitive ability is one of the determinants of social outcomes in modern information economies, and that one of the potential impacts of generative AI is on the distribution of this ability.

Anticipatory gaps challenge the public governance of heritable human genome editing.

Considering public moral attitudes is a hallmark of the anticipatory governance of emerging biotechnologies, such as heritable human genome editing. However, such anticipatory governance often overlooks that future morality is open to change and that future generations may perform different moral assessments on the very biotechnologies we are trying to govern in the present. In this article, we identify an 'anticipatory gap' that has not been sufficiently addressed in the discussion on the public governance of heritable genome editing, namely, uncertainty about the moral visions of future generations about the emerging applications that we are currently attempting to govern now.

Food neophobia and its association with dietary choices and willingness to eat insects.

Growing populations, changing dietary preferences and limitations on natural resources have meant that finding an alternative to traditional animal-based protein sources is a priority. Insects have been proposed as a possible solution due to their many benefits including low resource inputs and rich nutritional profile. However, insects are not consumed on a large scale by Australians.

Moral Uncertainty and Our Relationships with Unknown Minds.

We are sometimes unsure of the moral status of our relationships with other entities. Recent case studies in this uncertainty include our relationships with artificial agents (robots, assistant AI, etc.), animals, and patients with "locked-in" syndrome.

Mechanisms of Techno-Moral Change: A Taxonomy and Overview.

The idea that technologies can change moral beliefs and practices is an old one. But how, exactly, does this happen? This paper builds on an emerging field of inquiry by developing a synoptic taxonomy of the mechanisms of techno-moral change. It argues that technology affects moral beliefs and practices in three main domains: (how we make morally loaded decisions), (how we relate to others) and (how we perceive situations).

The effect of gastrointestinal bitter sensing on appetite regulation and energy intake: A systematic review.

Taste receptors are located on the epithelial surface throughout the alimentary canal to identify nutrients and potential toxins. In the oral cavity, the role of taste is to encourage or discourage ingestion, while in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the taste receptors help the body prepare for an appropriate response to the ingested foods. The GI sensing of bitter compounds may alter the secretion of appetite-related hormones thereby reducing food intake, which may have potential use for managing health outcomes.

Heat Acclimation with or without Normobaric Hypoxia Exposure Leads to Similar Improvements in Endurance Performance in the Heat.

Background: Combining the key adaptation of plasma volume (PV) expansion with synergistic physiological effects of other acclimation interventions to maximise endurance performance in the heat has potential. The current study investigated the effects of heat acclimation alone (H), combined with normobaric hypoxia exposure (H+NH), on endurance athletic performance.

Methods: Well-trained participants completed a heat-stress trial (30 °C, 80% relative humidity (RH), 20.

Tragic Choices and the Virtue of Techno-Responsibility Gaps.

There is a concern that the widespread deployment of autonomous machines will open up a number of 'responsibility gaps' throughout society. Various articulations of such techno-responsibility gaps have been proposed over the years, along with several potential solutions. Most of these solutions focus on 'plugging' or 'dissolving' the gaps.

Australians' experience, barriers and willingness towards consuming edible insects as an emerging protein source.

Increasing global populations and limitations on the natural resources required in food production such as land and water will place further pressure on an already strained food production system. To meet the future food production requirements, it is essential to find viable alternatives to current food sources, without the high resource challenges. Protein production is of particular concern and insects are a nutritious and sustainable source yet, despite a rich history in parts of the world, Australians have been reluctant to adopt the practice as a societal norm.

The Influence of Food Waste Rearing Substrates on Black Soldier Fly Larvae Protein Composition: A Systematic Review.

The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) offers the potential to address two global challenges; the environmental detriments of food waste and the rising demand for protein. Food waste digested by BSF larvae can be converted into biomass, which may then be utilized for the development of value-added products including new food sources for human and animal consumption. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies investigating the influence of food waste rearing substrates on BSF larvae protein composition.

High intensity exercise downregulates mRNA expression during the early stages of recovery in young males and females.

Background: Physical exercise and activity status may modify the effect of the fat mass- and obesity-associated () genotype on body weight and obesity risk. To understand the interaction between FTO's effect and physical activity, the present study investigated the effects of high and low intensity exercise on FTO mRNA and protein expression, and potential modifiers of exercise-induced changes in FTO in healthy-weighted individuals.

Methods: Twenty-eight untrained males and females (25.

Similarities in Metabolic Flexibility and Hunger Hormone Ghrelin Exist between FTO Gene Variants in Response to an Acute Dietary Challenge.

The rs9939609 polymorphism of the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been associated with obesity, and studies have also shown that environmental/lifestyle interaction such as dietary intake might mediate this effect. The current study investigates the postprandial hormonal regulators of hunger and indirect markers of substrate utilisation and metabolic flexibility following a dietary challenge to determine if suppression of circulating ghrelin levels and/or reduced metabolic flexibility exist between FTO genotypes. One hundred and forty seven healthy, sedentary males and females (29.

Welcoming Robots into the Moral Circle: A Defence of Ethical Behaviourism.

Can robots have significant moral status? This is an emerging topic of debate among roboticists and ethicists. This paper makes three contributions to this debate. First, it presents a theory-'ethical behaviourism'-which holds that robots can have significant moral status if they are roughly performatively equivalent to other entities that have significant moral status.

Regulating Child Sex Robots: Restriction or Experimentation?

In July 2014, the roboticist Ronald Arkin suggested that child sex robots could be used to treat those with paedophilic predilections in the same way that methadone is used to treat heroin addicts. Taking this onboard, it would seem that there is reason to experiment with the regulation of this technology. But most people seem to disagree with this idea, with legal authorities in both the UK and US taking steps to outlaw such devices.

The Quantified Relationship.

The growth of self-tracking and personal surveillance has given rise to the Quantified Self movement. Members of this movement seek to enhance their personal well-being, productivity, and self-actualization through the tracking and gamification of personal data. The technologies that make this possible can also track and gamify aspects of our interpersonal, romantic relationships.

Why We Should Create Artificial Offspring: Meaning and the Collective Afterlife.

This article argues that the creation of artificial offspring could make our lives more meaningful (i.e. satisfy more meaning-relevant conditions of value).

Should we use Commitment Contracts to Regulate Student use of Cognitive Enhancing Drugs?

Are universities justified in trying to regulate student use of cognitive enhancing drugs? In this article I argue that they can be, but that the most appropriate kind of regulatory intervention is likely to be voluntary in nature. To be precise, I argue that universities could justifiably adopt a commitment contract system of regulation wherein students are encouraged to voluntarily commit to not using cognitive enhancing drugs (or to using them in a specific way). If they are found to breach that commitment, they should be penalized by, for example, forfeiting a number of marks on their assessments.

An evaluative conservative case for biomedical enhancement.

It is widely believed that a conservative moral outlook is opposed to biomedical forms of human enhancement. In this paper, I argue that this widespread belief is incorrect. Using Cohen's evaluative conservatism as my starting point, I argue that there are strong conservative reasons to prioritise the development of biomedical enhancements.

Will Life Be Worth Living in a World Without Work? Technological Unemployment and the Meaning of Life.

Suppose we are about to enter an era of increasing technological unemployment. What implications does this have for society? Two distinct ethical/social issues would seem to arise. The first is one of distributive justice: how will the (presumed) efficiency gains from automated labour be distributed through society? The second is one of personal fulfillment and meaning: if people no longer have to work, what will they do with their lives? In this article, I set aside the first issue and focus on the second.

Pain Management in the Post-Operative Pediatric Urologic Patient.

Optimizing pain management is a component of enhanced perioperative recovery for children undergoing urologic surgery. Incisional pain and discomfort from bladder spasms are two types of pain associated with bladder surgery. A child's developmental level and verbal skills must be considered when selecting pain assessment tools.