Travis LaCroix
@travislacroix.bsky.social
Dr // Asst. Prof // Philosopher @ Durham University (UK)
(I am also a human being)
Language Origins // AI Ethics // Autism
(I am also a human being)
Language Origins // AI Ethics // Autism
What do philosophers talk about when they talk about autism?
Usually: not actually autism.
When they do talk about autism, they often spread harmful stereotypes. Our scoping literature review, now published (open access) in Synthese, analyses the “philosophy of autism” subfield.
rdcu.be/ewIAr
Usually: not actually autism.
When they do talk about autism, they often spread harmful stereotypes. Our scoping literature review, now published (open access) in Synthese, analyses the “philosophy of autism” subfield.
rdcu.be/ewIAr
What do philosophers talk about when they talk about autism?
rdcu.be
July 22, 2025 at 10:42 AM
What do philosophers talk about when they talk about autism?
Usually: not actually autism.
When they do talk about autism, they often spread harmful stereotypes. Our scoping literature review, now published (open access) in Synthese, analyses the “philosophy of autism” subfield.
rdcu.be/ewIAr
Usually: not actually autism.
When they do talk about autism, they often spread harmful stereotypes. Our scoping literature review, now published (open access) in Synthese, analyses the “philosophy of autism” subfield.
rdcu.be/ewIAr
I didn't announce this when it happened, but my article, "Metaethical perspectives for 'Benchmarking' AI ethics", with @sashamtl.bsky.social, was published back in March in the AI and Ethics journal.
doi.org/10.1007/s436...
doi.org/10.1007/s436...
Metaethical perspectives on ‘benchmarking’ AI ethics - AI and Ethics
Benchmarks are seen as the cornerstone for measuring technical progress in artificial intelligence (AI) research and have been developed for a variety of tasks ranging from question answering to emoti...
doi.org
June 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I didn't announce this when it happened, but my article, "Metaethical perspectives for 'Benchmarking' AI ethics", with @sashamtl.bsky.social, was published back in March in the AI and Ethics journal.
doi.org/10.1007/s436...
doi.org/10.1007/s436...
When people suggest that maybe AI can feel emotions, these are the emotions they are talking about.
a friend of mine shared this ai-generated "emotion wheel" and unfortunately i have been laughing my ass off at it for like 15 minutes now. today i am feeling Fnliinneon
June 6, 2025 at 5:47 PM
When people suggest that maybe AI can feel emotions, these are the emotions they are talking about.
Currently diving deep into the recently-tabled Bill C-2. There is a lot going on here. The bill would allow officials to cancel, suspend or change immigration documents in the 'public interest'. Critics have quickly voiced worries about asylum-seekers and refugees.
June 5, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Currently diving deep into the recently-tabled Bill C-2. There is a lot going on here. The bill would allow officials to cancel, suspend or change immigration documents in the 'public interest'. Critics have quickly voiced worries about asylum-seekers and refugees.
I am disappointed to report that the 2018 film, The Predator, does not treat neurodiversity or disability with any sensitivity or nuance.
May 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I am disappointed to report that the 2018 film, The Predator, does not treat neurodiversity or disability with any sensitivity or nuance.
Anyway, all this forms the foundation for my book-length analysis of how to properly conceive of value alignment and misalignment so that these words are meaningful and useful. broadviewpress.com/product/arti...
May 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Anyway, all this forms the foundation for my book-length analysis of how to properly conceive of value alignment and misalignment so that these words are meaningful and useful. broadviewpress.com/product/arti...
I agree with @abeba.bsky.social here; but, for better or worse, I am trying to fix the hot mess that is the field of value alignment! 😬
May 5, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I agree with @abeba.bsky.social here; but, for better or worse, I am trying to fix the hot mess that is the field of value alignment! 😬
As I am working on final (and so finicky) edits (including spacing and typesetting) for my book, I maintain that LaTeX's slogan should be: "It makes the difficult things easy, and the the easy things difficult".
March 16, 2025 at 6:37 PM
As I am working on final (and so finicky) edits (including spacing and typesetting) for my book, I maintain that LaTeX's slogan should be: "It makes the difficult things easy, and the the easy things difficult".
Classic from the archives.
![A three-panel meme featuring a scene from Donnie Darko.
First panel: Donnie (played by Jake Gyllenhaal, and labelled in the image as "evolution") looks serious. Text [evolution]: "I made a new animal".
Second panel: An older woman (his therapist) sits in a chair, looking skeptical. Text: "new animal or crab again?"
Third panel: "crab again."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qasq4uhopqosqd4uk6faiw44/bafkreiaaiaz2iqjqcwiksitnkjqnuixyb7r7i57gd4xp5u4leq7jtowka4@jpeg)
March 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Classic from the archives.
Give yourself a present? Once a day? EVERY day?! In THIS economy?!?
March 5, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Give yourself a present? Once a day? EVERY day?! In THIS economy?!?
Me: "How many times shall I forgive my [department] who sins against me (asking me to do extra grading)? Up to seven times?"
My Department: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven."
My Department: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven."
March 3, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Me: "How many times shall I forgive my [department] who sins against me (asking me to do extra grading)? Up to seven times?"
My Department: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven."
My Department: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven."
This is a very good book, and a fun read! Continues the excellent work that @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social have been up to. Definitely get a copy!
Pre-order alert, cover, and website reveal for our book, THE AI CON! (with @emilymbender.bsky.social)
It's out for release on May 13, 2025!
thecon.ai
It's out for release on May 13, 2025!
thecon.ai
THE AI CON
How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want
thecon.ai
December 11, 2024 at 8:15 PM
This is a very good book, and a fun read! Continues the excellent work that @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social have been up to. Definitely get a copy!
This article has (finally) been published (open access!) in Philosophical Studies!
The Linguistic DEAD ZONE of Value Aligned Agency, Natural and Artificial.
doi.org/10.1007/s110...
The Linguistic DEAD ZONE of Value Aligned Agency, Natural and Artificial.
doi.org/10.1007/s110...
The linguistic dead zone of value-aligned agency, natural and artificial - Philosophical Studies
The value alignment problem for artificial intelligence (AI) asks how we can ensure that the “values”—i.e., objective functions—of artificial systems are aligned with the values of humanity. In this p...
doi.org
December 11, 2024 at 7:32 PM
This article has (finally) been published (open access!) in Philosophical Studies!
The Linguistic DEAD ZONE of Value Aligned Agency, Natural and Artificial.
doi.org/10.1007/s110...
The Linguistic DEAD ZONE of Value Aligned Agency, Natural and Artificial.
doi.org/10.1007/s110...
Me, once again, departing Calgary
a stack of orange boxes are sitting on a carpet in a room
Alt: Reversed gif of Woody from Toy Story 2 entering a room from a box, while tipping his hat
media.tenor.com
December 8, 2024 at 4:10 AM
Me, once again, departing Calgary
Me returning to Calgary:
an orange box is sitting on a carpet in a living room
Alt: Gif of Woody from Toy Story 2 entering a room from a box, while tipping his hat
media.tenor.com
December 7, 2024 at 1:29 PM
Me returning to Calgary:
You ever think about how 0.014% of Charlottetown* is in the band Alvvays?
(*Circa 2011)
(*Circa 2011)
November 12, 2024 at 8:39 AM
You ever think about how 0.014% of Charlottetown* is in the band Alvvays?
(*Circa 2011)
(*Circa 2011)