Security researcher Joanna Rutkowska launches new blog exploring rationality and humanism
Rutkowska states her previous technical writing became too narrow, prompting a shift to address a more complex value system in her mid-forties
Computer security researcher Joanna Rutkowska has launched a new blog, Tracesofhumanity.org, marking her return to public discourse after a seven-year silence. The site serves as a platform for her to explore the tension between opposing value systems, specifically the struggle between rationality and humanism, pragmatism and beauty, and individualism versus community.
Rutkowska, who is now in her mid-forties, notes that her previous technical blog, which ran from 2006 to 2018, became overly focused on computer systems security and virtualisation. She explains that this narrow focus made it easy for her to lose touch with other aspects of life. Consequently, she identifies her current life stage as a catalyst for adopting a more complex value system compared to her younger self, who prioritised Truth, Knowledge, and Freedom above Humanist transcendentals.
The new blog explicitly aims to address that imbalance by reporting on her struggles between these conflicting ideals. Rutkowska states the blog aims to explore the tension between these opposing values as the central theme of humanism. She posits that struggle, uncertainty, and incompleteness are not flaws but the essence of humanism, suggesting that these elements might even be the very essence of the concept.
Her background in the security community is well established, having led the development of the Qubes OS paranoid-security operating system from its inception in 2009 until 2018. While her previous work and blog focused heavily on operating systems and virtualization security, the launch of this blog follows a significant hiatus and represents a distinct shift towards philosophical reflection rather than technical reporting.
Despite the shift in focus, Rutkowska maintains a belief in rational thinking within any discourse. She invites readers to challenge her reasoning, whether humanist or not, and encourages them to share their perspectives or point out flaws in her arguments. This openness underscores her commitment to rational analysis even as she explores subjective themes.
The specific topics and depth of future posts on Tracesofhumanity.org are not yet defined beyond the stated philosophical themes. While the site explores the intersection of her personal evolution and broader humanist concepts, the extent to which her previous technical work will intersect with her new philosophical reporting remains undefined.
