I have been thinking about the value implications of embracing knowledge. Maybe I am being overly reductionist here but there are three values that seem to me to be intimately connected with the knowledge loop of learning, creating and sharing. Put differently I don’t see how a society based on knowledge would work well or be sustained if any one of these is removed. Now other than the first one you may not recognize these as values and it is not even that easy to define what “values” are in the first place. Think of them as principles that should guide one’s behavior.

Respect

The foundational value for the knowledge system is respect for other people as fellow humans. The system is based on recognizing that while we are individually different and ephemeral (at least for now), we are all members of a species that has developed knowledge as our collective inheritance for generations to come. Each and everyone of us can be part of the knowledge loop but only if we respect each other as humans (the knowledge loop consists of learning, creating and sharing).

Many implications for behavior flow from respect. Obviously it means we should seek to avoid physical or mental harm to others. It also means we should give everyone the opportunity to express themselves and have their concerns be taken seriously. We should not force our opinions on others and tolerate a great many beliefs (as long as those in turn allow for respect). There are also many smaller behavioral implications that flow from respect, such as asking people their name and being polite.

Collectively respect should lead us to assure that everyone’s basic needs are taken care of so that no human has to worry about food, clothing, shelter or healthcare. In other words, respect is more than just the application of the golden rule which is highly self referential. Instead it is a baseline for the treatment of any person as a human being and a participant in the knowledge loop.

Mindfulness

This may at first seem like an odd value and maybe that’s just a question of finding a better word. Historically a lot of people might have said “rationality” but that’s not quite the same.

By mindfulness I mean the ability to experience one’s emotions without letting them hijack our behavior. It is OK to be sad or angry or frightened or jealous. Part of what makes us human is our evolutionary heritage that has given us brain circuits for experiencing those feelings. But as humans we have a kind of super power. We can learn to recognize emotions, acknowledge them and then still return to a state in which we can use what Daniel Kahneman calls “system two” — our ability to reason.

Put differently, mindfulness is a pre-condition for rationality. We should value mindfulness in ourselves and in others. We should act to grow our ability to be mindful whether that is through meditation or simply by trying to get enough sleep. Without mindfulness maintaining respect for others becomes at times difficult if not downright impossible. Much of what we seen in people yelling at each other online (or IRL) is the result of a breakdown of mindfulness.

Precaution

All of our choices should be informed by a precautionary principle (hat tip to Nassim Taleb): we should avoid irreversibility. That’s true at small scales, such as dealing with individuals, but most importantly it is true when dealing with choices that impact planet Earth as a whole. Precaution for instance immediately suggests that it is a bad idea to add a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. We have only one atmosphere, it is relatively small and massively impacts the climate we experience here on earth.

So when we evaluate what to work on or what to do, we should choose projects that have limited downside but the potential for great upside. For instance, working on a system for diagnosing disease is a great example. If you fail there is limited harm but if you succeed humanity will benefit greatly. Building lots of nuclear bombs is an example on the opposite end of the scale as is the Large Hadron Collider.

Precaution is a critical value because it puts a boundary on what the knowledge system should produce. It does so not by telling people what to work on but rather by suggesting important limits. Precaution is what lets the knowledge loop continue (hopefully forever).

There are many other traditional philosophical, religious or humanist values that are notably absent from this short list of three. I would love to hear from readers as to what they think absolutely needs to be added to the list. Of course any other feedback you have is also much appreciated.

I have been thinking about the value implications of embracing knowledge. Maybe I am being overly reductionist here but there are three values that seem to me to be intimately connected with the knowledge loop of learning, creating and sharing. Put differently I don’t see how a society based on knowledge would work well or be sustained if any one of these is removed. Now other than the first one you may not recognize these as values and it is not even that easy to define what “values” are in the first place. Think of them as principles that should guide one’s behavior.

Respect

The foundational value for the knowledge system is respect for other people as fellow humans. The system is based on recognizing that while we are individually different and ephemeral (at least for now), we are all members of a species that has developed knowledge as our collective inheritance for generations to come. Each and everyone of us can be part of the knowledge loop but only if we respect each other as humans (the knowledge loop consists of learning, creating and sharing).

Many implications for behavior flow from respect. Obviously it means we should seek to avoid physical or mental harm to others. It also means we should give everyone the opportunity to express themselves and have their concerns be taken seriously. We should not force our opinions on others and tolerate a great many beliefs (as long as those in turn allow for respect). There are also many smaller behavioral implications that flow from respect, such as asking people their name and being polite.

Collectively respect should lead us to assure that everyone’s basic needs are taken care of so that no human has to worry about food, clothing, shelter or healthcare. In other words, respect is more than just the application of the golden rule which is highly self referential. Instead it is a baseline for the treatment of any person as a human being and a participant in the knowledge loop.

Mindfulness

This may at first seem like an odd value and maybe that’s just a question of finding a better word. Historically a lot of people might have said “rationality” but that’s not quite the same.

By mindfulness I mean the ability to experience one’s emotions without letting them hijack our behavior. It is OK to be sad or angry or frightened or jealous. Part of what makes us human is our evolutionary heritage that has given us brain circuits for experiencing those feelings. But as humans we have a kind of super power. We can learn to recognize emotions, acknowledge them and then still return to a state in which we can use what Daniel Kahneman calls “system two” — our ability to reason.

Put differently, mindfulness is a pre-condition for rationality. We should value mindfulness in ourselves and in others. We should act to grow our ability to be mindful whether that is through meditation or simply by trying to get enough sleep. Without mindfulness maintaining respect for others becomes at times difficult if not downright impossible. Much of what we seen in people yelling at each other online (or IRL) is the result of a breakdown of mindfulness.

Precaution

All of our choices should be informed by a precautionary principle (hat tip to Nassim Taleb): we should avoid irreversibility. That’s true at small scales, such as dealing with individuals, but most importantly it is true when dealing with choices that impact planet Earth as a whole. Precaution for instance immediately suggests that it is a bad idea to add a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. We have only one atmosphere, it is relatively small and massively impacts the climate we experience here on earth.

So when we evaluate what to work on or what to do, we should choose projects that have limited downside but the potential for great upside. For instance, working on a system for diagnosing disease is a great example. If you fail there is limited harm but if you succeed humanity will benefit greatly. Building lots of nuclear bombs is an example on the opposite end of the scale as is the Large Hadron Collider.

Precaution is a critical value because it puts a boundary on what the knowledge system should produce. It does so not by telling people what to work on but rather by suggesting important limits. Precaution is what lets the knowledge loop continue (hopefully forever).

There are many other traditional philosophical, religious or humanist values that are notably absent from this short list of three. I would love to hear from readers as to what they think absolutely needs to be added to the list. Of course any other feedback you have is also much appreciated.