Table of Contents
The Basilisk Papers
A Collection of Cautionary Tales
By Adam A Lohnes
In our interconnected age of rapid information exchange and advancing artificial intelligence, we face a new category of intellectual danger: ideas that cause harm simply by being understood. These "information hazards" challenge our fundamental assumptions about knowledge, academic freedom, and the responsibilities of those who work with dangerous ideas.
This collection of cautionary tales explores the human dimensions of information hazards—the psychology of dangerous knowledge, the ethics of intellectual protection, and the complex challenges faced by educators, researchers, and institutions navigating this treacherous territory.
Each story stands alone while contributing to a larger examination of how we might responsibly handle knowledge that carries inherent psychological risks. From university philosophy departments to corporate AI research labs, from online communities to government institutions, these tales illuminate the growing need for frameworks to manage dangerous ideas without sacrificing intellectual freedom.
Content Note: While these stories avoid describing specific information hazards in detail, they explore potentially distressing themes around intellectual danger and psychological risk. They are designed to foster understanding rather than cause harm, but readers should approach thoughtfully.
"Some questions are dangerous to ask, not because they lack answers, but because seeking those answers can change you in ways you don't want."