Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

238 | Scott Shapiro on the Technology and Philosophy of Hacking

May 29, 2023

Scott Shapiro, a Yale law professor and philosopher, dives into the complex world of hacking and cybersecurity. He explains why creating unhackable computers is nearly impossible, highlighting the psychological vulnerabilities of users. The conversation spans historical hacking incidents, like the Morris Worm, and the eerie blend of philosophy and law that underpins hacking behavior. Shapiro also discusses the potential paths for young hackers, turning their skills away from crime and into positive cybersecurity careers. Intrigued? Tune in for a deep dive!

01:27:52

Episode guests

Scott Shapiro

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Code as Data

02:30

The Distinction Between Up Code and Down Code

00:43

The Danger of Default Passwords and Botnets

01:23

Intro

5min

Hacking at the Crossroads of Philosophy and Law

10min

Nostalgia, Choice Overload, and the Philosophy of Hacking

3min

The Legacy of Turing: Computing and Hacking

13min

The Morris Worm: A Catalyst for Cybersecurity Awareness

20min

Navigating Young Male Hackers

14min

Unraveling Celebrity Cyber Vulnerabilities

21min

Navigating the Balance of Cybersecurity Awareness

5min

Modern computers are somewhat more secure against being hacked - either by an inanimate virus or a human interloper - than they used to be. But as our lives are increasingly intertwined with computers, the dangers that hacking poses are enormously greater. Why don't we just build unhackable computers? Scott Shapiro, who is a law professor and philosopher, explains why that's essentially impossible. On a philosophical level, computers rely on an essential equivalence between "data" and "code," which is vulnerable to exploitation. And on a psychological level, human beings will always be the weakest link in the chain of security.

Web page with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2023/05/29/238-scott-shapiro-on-the-technology-and-philosophy-of-hacking/

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Scott Shapiro received a J.D. from Yale Law School and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia. He is currently the Charles F Southmayd Prof of Law and Philosophy at Yale University. He is the Director of the Yale Center for Law and Philosophy and also Director of the Yale Cybersecurity Lab. He is the Co-Editor of Legal Theory, and Co-Editor for philosophy of Law at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. His new book is Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks.

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