Kwame Anthony Appiah

New York, Princeton

NYU Professor and Columnist at The New York Times

b. London. raised Kumasi, Ghana. m. Henry Finder. Prof NYU. Ethicist NYTimes. Topics: Philosophy esp. Ethics, Black Studies. Retweet not endorsement. He/him.

Articles

Can I Use Sick Leave if I’m Not Actually Sick? - The New York Times

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

Are sick days a benefit I’m free to use however I want?
The House Next Door Has Black Mold. Do I Tell Potential Tenants?

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

My wife and I live in a neighborhood of single-family homes, most of which are owner-occupied. The home next door, however, is rented out by an absentee landlord. We became friendly with the previous tenants, who moved out very abruptly a couple of weeks ago. We learned from them that the house is infested with black mold, as identified by a professional testing company, and they shared the results with us. The mold issue was serious enough to cause health issues for the previous tenants.
Translation’s Drift | Kwame Anthony Appiah

3 weeks ago | nybooks.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

For Elizabeth Bishop, a successful translation was, in large part, a matter of luck. As someone who published translations of poetry and supervised the translations of her own poetry, she had definite ideas of what made for a good one. “You really should repeat a line exactly if the original repeats it exactly,” she told her Portuguese translator, urging her to avoid taking liberties. “You shouldn’t put in words that aren’t there….
A Friend Bought Crypto for My Newborn Baby. Do I Have to Hold on to It?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

My wife and I just had a baby girl. A college friend of ours sent us $175 in Bitcoin as a baby gift. He's a crypto bro and is super-into it, while I, on the other hand, am extremely skeptical. My friend said that I can't sell it until her bat mitzvah (when "it will be at least $1,000," in his words). I believe that there is a decent likelihood that it is worth $0 in 12 years.
Should I Retire if My Co-Workers Are Facing Layoffs?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

I am a federal employee who is eligible for retirement. I have a job that is intellectually challenging, gives back to the public and is personally rewarding. As federal government employees in my department face potential layoffs, is it ethical for me to defer retirement? There would be no negative impact for me, and I am certain I would be offered other jobs because of my expertise.
Is It Colonialism When Europeans Retire in Cheaper Countries?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

I see many older Northern Europeans retiring to countries like Portugal or Morocco. And I know that some Americans are doing the same in Latin America. Is it fair to enjoy a different country's sun and cheaper living in retirement, or is this a new, sweet form of colonialism? - Taimaz SzirniksFrom the Ethicist: "Colonialism," historically, happened when a state took over another territory, typically by force or fiat. It's a story about domination backed by state power.
Can I Use A.I. to Look Better Online?

1 month ago | flipboard.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

4 hours agoA serial paedophile who went on the run for more than 27 years was tracked down thanks to Artificial Intelligence, police have revealed. Richard Burrows, 81, was jailed for 46 years on Wednesday for 97 charges of child sexual abuse while working as a housemaster at a Cheshire boarding school and …
My Boyfriend Has a Husband. Should I Tell Him About Us?

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

I'm a man who's been with my husband for over 35 years. Some 12 years ago, I began a second relationship with another man. I didn't seek it out, but it has deeply enriched my life. I've been open with my husband, and this honesty led to our own understanding about boundaries - what some call ethical nonmonogamy. My struggle: My second partner hasn't told his husband about the nature of our relationship. They have an open arrangement, but the depth and specifics of ours haven't been revealed.
Mi novia no deja de mirar mi teléfono. ¿Deberíamos terminar?

2 months ago | diario.mx | Kwame Anthony Appiah

Soy un hombre de 60 años que está divorciado desde hace ocho años. Desde mi divorcio, no me he vuelto a casar y he terminado dos relaciones importantes debido a problemas de comportamiento y uso de sustancias. Actualmente estoy en una relación de 16 meses con una mujer recién separada. No vivimos juntos, pero pasamos la mayor parte de nuestro tiempo juntos, funcionando como una pareja casada. Estoy empleado en un trabajo mejor pagado y cubro la mayoría de nuestros gastos.
Our Gardener Wants to Avoid Taxes. Should We Pay Him in Cash?

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Kwame Anthony Appiah

Throughout our 55 years of marriage, my husband and I have never once cheated on our taxes. Now the man who mows and trims our lawn has asked us to pay him in cash instead of by check. We have little doubt as to why he has made this request. My husband feels very uncomfortable with this, but I disagree. This man is a landscape service of one and most likely only makes a modest income.