Most aspects of our private and social lives—our safety, the integrity of the financial system, the functioning of utilities and other services, and national security—now depend on computing. But how can we know that this computing is trustworthy? In Mechanizing Proof, Donald MacKenzie addresses this key issue by investigating the interrelations of computing, risk, and mathematical proof over the last half century from the perspectives of history and sociology. His discussion draws on the technical literature of computer science and artificial intelligence and on extensive interviews with participants. MacKenzie argues that our culture now contains two ideals of proof: proof as traditionally conducted by human mathematicians, and formal, mechanized proof. He describes the systems constructed by those committed to the latter ideal and the many questions those systems raise about the nature of proof. He looks at the primary social influence on the development of automated proof—the need to predict the behavior of the computer systems upon which human life and security depend—and explores the involvement of powerful organizations such as the National Security Agency. He concludes that in mechanizing proof, and in pursuing dependable computer systems, we do not obviate the need for trust in our collective human judgment.

Why the social character of scientific knowledge makes it trustworthy Are doctors right when they tell us vaccines are safe? Should we take climate experts at their word when they warn us about the perils of global warming? Why should we trust science when so many of our political leaders don't? Naomi Oreskes offers a bold and compelling defense of science, revealing why the social character of scientific knowledge is its greatest strength—and the greatest reason we can trust it. Tracing the history and philosophy of science from the late nineteenth century to today, this timely and provocative book features a new preface by Oreskes and critical responses by climate experts Ottmar Edenhofer and Martin Kowarsch, political scientist Jon Krosnick, philosopher of science Marc Lange, and science historian Susan Lindee, as well as a foreword by political theorist Stephen Macedo.

How the blockchain—a system built on foundations of mutual mistrust—can become trustworthy. The blockchain entered the world on January 3, 2009, introducing an innovative new trust architecture: an environment in which users trust a system—for example, a shared ledger of information—without necessarily trusting any of its components. The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is the most famous implementation of the blockchain, but hundreds of other companies have been founded and billions of dollars invested in similar applications since Bitcoin's launch. Some see the blockchain as offering more opportunities for criminal behavior than benefits to society. In this book, Kevin Werbach shows how a technology resting on foundations of mutual mistrust can become trustworthy. The blockchain, built on open software and decentralized foundations that allow anyone to participate, seems like a threat to any form of regulation. In fact, Werbach argues, law and the blockchain need each other. Blockchain systems that ignore law and governance are likely to fail, or to become outlaw technologies irrelevant to the mainstream economy. That, Werbach cautions, would be a tragic waste of potential. If, however, we recognize the blockchain as a kind of legal technology that shapes behavior in new ways, it can be harnessed to create tremendous business and social value.

Make Your Own Living Trust can help you make an individual or shared living trust that’s valid in your state, saving your family time, money, and headaches. You can use a living trust to name beneficiaries for property and set up property management for young people. In this way, a living trust is like a will. However, unlike a will, a living trust lets your family bypass probate court— which saves everyone money, delay, and hassle. Make Your Own Living Trust provides all of the plain English instructions, worksheets, and forms you need to create an individual or shared living trust and a basic will (for yourself and your family), without the need for a lawyer. Whether you are single or part of a couple, you can use this book to: decide whether a living trust is right for your family keep control over trust property while you live appoint someone to manage trust property, if needed name beneficiaries to inherit your assets set up property management for young beneficiaries, and learn how to transfer all types of assets to your trust, including real estate, stocks, jewelry, art, or business assets. Even if you prefer to hire a lawyer to draw up your trust, you can use this book to learn about living trusts before you go to the lawyer. Using the book to learn about living trusts will save you a considerable amount of money, compared to paying a lawyer to explain it to you. All of the explanations, instructions, and examples are in the book, and the forms are available for download details inside the book. The legal forms in this book are not valid in Louisiana, Canada, or the U.S. Territories.

Trust is central to our social lives and trusting relations are themselves of great value. In trusting others, we realise distinctive forms of value. What are these forms of value, and how is trust central to our lives? These questions are explored and developed in this volume, which collects fifteen new essays on the philosophy of trust.--