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Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg podcast

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Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

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  Spencer Greenberg  

Clearer Thinking is a podcast about ideas that truly matter. If you enjoy learning about powerful, practical concepts and frameworks, wish you had more deep, intellectual conversations in your life, or are looking for non-BS self-improvement, then we think you'll love this podcast! Each week we invite a brilliant guest to bring four important ideas to discuss for an in-depth conversation. Topics include psychology, society, behavior change, philosophy, science, artificial intelligence, math, economics, self-help, mental health, and technology. We focus on ideas that can be applied right now to make your life better or to help you better understand yourself and the world, aiming to teach you the best mental tools to enhance your learning, self-improvement efforts, and decision-making. • We take on important, thorny questions like: • What's the best way to help a friend or loved one going through a difficult time? How can we make our worldviews more accurate? How can we hone the accuracy of our thinking? What are the advantages of using our "gut" to make decisions? And when should we expect careful, analytical reflection to be more effective? Why do societies sometimes collapse? And what can we do to reduce the chance that ours collapses? Why is the world today so much worse than it could be? And what can we do to make it better? What are the good and bad parts of tradition? And are there more meaningful and ethical ways of carrying out important rituals, such as honoring the dead? How can we move beyond zero-sum, adversarial negotiations and create more positive-sum interactions?

Clearer Thinking is a podcast about ideas that truly matter. If you enjoy learning about powerful, practical concepts and frameworks, wish you had more deep, intellectual conversations in your life, or are looking for non-BS self-improvement, then we think you'll love this podcast! Each week we invite a brilliant guest to bring four important ideas to discuss for an in-depth conversation. Topics include psychology, society, behavior change, philosophy, science, artificial intelligence, math, economics, self-help, mental health, and technology. We focus on ideas that can be applied right now to make your life better or to help you better understand yourself and the world, aiming to teach you the best mental tools to enhance your learning, self-improvement efforts, and decision-making. • We take on important, thorny questions like: • What's the best way to help a friend or loved one going through a difficult time? How can we make our worldviews more accurate? How can we hone the accuracy of our thinking? What are the advantages of using our "gut" to make decisions? And when should we expect careful, analytical reflection to be more effective? Why do societies sometimes collapse? And what can we do to reduce the chance that ours collapses? Why is the world today so much worse than it could be? And what can we do to make it better? What are the good and bad parts of tradition? And are there more meaningful and ethical ways of carrying out important rituals, such as honoring the dead? How can we move beyond zero-sum, adversarial negotiations and create more positive-sum interactions?

 

All

Progress

Duration

Release Date

#227

What do we know for sure about human psychology? (with Simine Vazire)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/227/#transcript) How much progress has psychology made on the things that matter most to us? What are some psychological findings we feel pretty confident are true? How much consensus is there about the Big 5 personality traits? What are the points of disagreement about the Big 5? Are traits the best way of thinking about personality? How consistent are the Big 5 traits across cultures? How accurately do people self-report their own personality? When are psychophysical measures more or less useful than self-report measures? How much credence should we lend to the concept of cognitive dissonance? What's the next phase of improvement in the social sciences? Has replicability improved among the social sciences in, say, the last decade? What percent of papers in top journals contain fraud? What percent of papers in top journals are likely unreplicable? Is it possible to set the bar for publishing too high? How can universities maintain a high level of quality in their professors and researchers without pressuring them so hard to publish constantly? What is the simpliest valid analysis for a given study? Simine Vazire's research examines whether and how science self-corrects, focusing on psychology. She studies the research methods and practices used in psychology, as well as structural systems in science, such as peer review. She also examines whether we know ourselves, and where our blind spots are in our self-knowledge. She teaches research methods. She is editor-in-chief of Psychological Science (as of 1 Jan, 2024) and co-founder (with Brian Nosek) of the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science. Learn more about her and her work at [simine.com] (https://simine.com) . Further reading: --- ["How Replicable Are Links Between Personality Traits and Consequential Life Outcomes? The Life Outcomes of Personality Replication Project", by Christopher J. Soto] (https://www.colby.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Soto_2019.pdf) --- ["Machine learning uncovers the most robust self-report predictors of relationship quality across 43 longitudinal couples studies", by Joel, Eastwick, Allison, and Wolf] (https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1917036117) ------Note from Spencer: I misremembered this study as trying to predict breakups when actually the variable they found they couldn't predict is change in relationship-quality over time. The authors said that "relationship-quality change (i.e., increases or decreases in relationship quality over the course of a study) was largely unpredictable from any combination of self-report variables". Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/227/simine-vazire-what-do-we-know-for-sure-about-human-psychology) ] ... Read more

20 hrs Ago

1 HR 21 MINS

1:21:10

20 hrs Ago

#226

Pattern-breaking ideas, and startups that change the world (with Mike Maples)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/226/#transcript) What mistakes do investors make when trying to predict which startups will succeed? Which matters more: a startup's team or its central idea? How do startup founders differ from other capitalists? What makes something a "pattern-breaking" idea or behavior? Are startup founders less sensitive to negative feedback than the average person? Is it possible to achieve startup success without challenging the status quo? Is it true that 90% of startups fail? What is founder-future match? At their core, what are movements? Can startup founders be too good at storytelling? Has the US become less innovative? What are Singapore and Israel doing right that enables them to have the highest number of "unicorn" startups per million people? What's the right amount of "shaking things up"? Mike Maples, Jr. is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, podcaster, and the co-founder of FLOODGATE, a leading seed stage fund in Silicon Valley that invested in companies like Twitter, Twitch, Okta, and Outreach at the very beginning of their startup journeys. An eight-time member of the Forbes Midas List of Top Venture Capital investors, he was one of the pioneers of the seed investing movement, which started in the mid-2000s, and now is a mainstream part of startup funding. Follow him on Twitter at [@m2jr] (https://twitter.com/m2jr) . Further reading: --- [Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future, by Mike Maples] (https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Breakers-Start-Ups-Change-Future/dp/1541704355) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/226/mike-maples-pattern-breaking-ideas-and-startups-that-change-the-world) ] ... Read more

04 Sep 2024

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:03

04 Sep 2024

#225

Decision-making and play-testing (with Dan Epstein)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/225/#transcript) What sorts of decisions are we making without even realizing we're making them? Are people aware of their own values? Do they know how those values rank relative to each other? What are all the various parties, interests, and values that have to be addressed and balanced when making decisions in a healthcare context? What does it mean to "play-test" yourself? What are the best strategies for giving feedback? How much energy is required to make various kinds of decisions? How can we practice and get better at decision-making? What is "tabletop exercising"? What are the most effective ways to bring other people into the decision-making process? What are some aspects of games that ought to be put to good use in non-game contexts? Why are educational games usually neither fun nor educational? How can game design features be used in ways that avoid turning metrics into targets? How can we make better decisions about how to divvy up our time? Dr. Dan Epstein is a practicing medical doctor and academic PhD focusing on decision-making and game design. Dan is the director of The Long Game Project, which helps businesses and leaders improve strategy and decision-making with games and tabletop exercises. Dan is also an ambassador for Giving What We Can, a community of people who pledge to donate a portion of their income to effective causes; and he's a member of High Impact Athletes, a community of current and past athletes who do the same. Follow him on Twitter at [@drdanepstein] (https://twitter.com/drdanepstein) , email him at [email@longgameproject.org] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:email@longgameproject.org) , connect with him on [LinkedIn] (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdanepstein/) , or learn more about his work at [longgameproject.org] (https://longgameproject.org/) . Further reading: --- [The Long Game Project newsletter] (https://sendfox.com/lgp) --- [The Long Game Project YouTube channel] (https://www.youtube.com/@longgameproject) --- [Foundations of Tabletop Exercising: Design Exercises for Real Impact] (https://lgp.onlinecoursehost.com/courses/foundations) — a free course taught by Dan Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/225/dan-epstein-decision-making-and-play-testing) ] ... Read more

28 Aug 2024

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:56

28 Aug 2024

#224

The path to utopia (with Nick Bostrom)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/224/#transcript) Why do there seem to be more dystopias than utopias in our collective imagination? Why is it easier to find agreement on what we don't want than on what we do want? Do we simply not know what we want? What are "solved worlds", "plastic worlds", and "vulnerable worlds"? Given today's technologies, why aren't we working less than we potentially could? Can humanity reach a utopia without superintelligent AI? What will humans do with their time, and/or how will they find purpose in life, if AIs take over all labor? What are "quiet" values? With respect to AI, how important is it to us that our conversation partners be conscious? Which factors will likely make the biggest differences in terms of moving the world towards utopia or dystopia? What are some of the most promising strategies for improving global coordination? How likely are we to end life on earth? How likely is it that we're living in a simulation? Nick Bostrom is a Swedish-born philosopher with a background in theoretical physics, computational neuroscience, logic, and artificial intelligence, along with philosophy. He's been a Professor at Oxford University, where he served as the founding Director of the Future of Humanity Institute from 2005 until its closure in April 2024. He is currently the founder and Director of Research of the Macrostrategy Research Initiative. Bostrom is the author of over 200 publications, including Anthropic Bias (2002), Global Catastrophic Risks (2008), Human Enhancement (2009), and Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (2014). His work has pioneered many of the ideas that frame current thinking about humanity's future (such as the concept of an existential risk, [the simulation argument] (https://simulation-argument.com/) , [the vulnerable world hypothesis] (https://nickbostrom.com/papers/vulnerable.pdf) , the unilateralist's curse, etc.), while some of his recent work concerns the moral status of digital minds. His most recent book, [Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World] (https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Utopia-Meaning-Solved-World/dp/1646871642/) , was published in March of 2024. Learn more about him at his website, [nickbostrom.com] (https://nickbostrom.com/) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/224/nick-bostrom-the-path-to-utopia) ] ... Read more

24 Aug 2024

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:54

24 Aug 2024

#223

Physical limits and the long-term future (with Anders Sandberg)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/223/#transcript) How much energy is needed for GDP growth? Would our civilization have developed at the same rate without fossil fuels? Could we potentially do the same things we're currently doing but with significantly less energy? How different would the world look if we'd developed nuclear energy much earlier? Why can't anything go faster than light? Will the heat death of the universe really be "the end" for everything? How can difficult concepts be communicated in simple ways that nevertheless avoid being misleading or confusing? Is energy conservation an unbreakable law? How likely is it that advanced alien civilizations exist? What are S-risks? Can global civilizations be virtuous? What is panspermia? How can we make better backups of our knowledge and culture? Anders Sandberg is a researcher at the Institute for Futures Studies in Sweden. He was formerly senior research fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at University of Oxford. His research deals with emerging technologies, the ethics of human enhancement, global and existential risks, and very long-range futures. Follow him on Twitter / X at [@anderssandberg] (https://twitter.com/anderssandberg) , find him via his various links [here] (https://linktr.ee/arenamontanus) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/223/anders-sandberg-physical-limits-and-the-long-term-future) ] ... Read more

14 Aug 2024

1 HR 44 MINS

1:44:04

14 Aug 2024

#222

Becoming a goat to avoid existential dread (with Thomas Thwaites)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/222/#transcript) How hard is it to construct a toaster from scratch? Do we in modern times individually have more knowledge than individuals living 100 or 1,000 years ago? Should corporations be thought of as a kind of emergent artificial intelligence? To what extent are corporations — and more broadly, whole economies — aligned with human values? Which animals experience the smallest amount of existential dread? Are humans at the top of the evolutionary "pyramid"? Is it possible to make a completely harmless car? Or is it even possible to make a completely harmless anything? What are the differences between "Cowboy Earth" and "Spaceship Earth"? Thomas Thwaites is an award-winning design researcher and author of two acclaimed books, The Toaster Project, and Goatman. His sometimes eccentric projects explore the psychological and social impacts of technology as we struggle to find a sustainable future. His work is exhibited at museums and galleries worldwide, and is in the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The Boijmans Museum in Rotterdam, and the Banque de France. He has a BSc. in Human Sciences from University College London and an MA in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Art. Learn more about him at his website, [thomasthwaites.com] (https://www.thomasthwaites.com/) . Further reading: --- [The Toaster Project: Or a Heroic Attempt to Build a Simple Electric Appliance from Scratch, by Thomas Thwaites] (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-toaster-project-or-a-heroic-attempt-to-build-a-simple-electric-appliance-from-scratch_thomas-thwaites/368792/#edition=6634345&idiq=5528822) --- [Goatman: How I Took a Holiday from Being Human (One Man's Journey to Leave Humanity Behind and Become Like a Goat), by Thomas Thwaites] (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/goatman-how-i-took-a-holiday-from-being-human_thomas-thwaites/11601557/#edition=11165953&idiq=29064317) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/222/thomas-thwaites-becoming-a-goat-to-avoid-existential-dread) ] ... Read more

07 Aug 2024

1 HR 53 MINS

1:53:29

07 Aug 2024

#221

AI apocalypticism vs. AI optimism (with Adam Russell)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/221/#transcript) What is "apocaloptimism"? Is there a middle ground between apocalypticism and optimism? What are the various camps in the AI safety and ethics debates? What's the difference between "working on AI safety" and "building safe AIs"? Can our social and technological coordination problems be solved only by AI? What is "qualintative" research? What are some social science concepts that can aid in the development of safe and ethical AI? What should we do with things that don't fall neatly into our categories? How might we benefit by shifting our focus from individual intelligence to collective intelligence? What is cognitive diversity? What are "AI Now", "AI Next", and "AI in the Wild"? Adam Russell is the Director of the AI Division at the University of Southern California's [Information Sciences Institute (ISI)] (https://www.isi.edu/) . Prior to ISI, Adam was the Chief Scientist at the University of Maryland's [Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security] (https://www.arlis.umd.edu/) , or ARLIS, and was an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland's Department of Psychology. He was the Principal Investigator for standing up the [INFER] (https://www.infer-pub.com/) (Integrated Forecasting and Estimates of Risk) forecasting platform. Adam's almost 20-year career in applied research and national security has included serving as a Program Manager at the [Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity] (https://www.iarpa.gov/) (IARPA), then as a Program Manager at the [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] (https://www.darpa.mil/) (DARPA) (where he was known as the [DARPAnthropologist] (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-15-the-darpanthropologist/id1163190520?i=1000451276622) ) and in May 2022 was appointed as the Acting Deputy Director to help stand up the [Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health] (https://arpa-h.gov/) (ARPA-H). Adam has a BA in cultural anthropology from Duke University and a D.Phil. in social anthropology from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has also represented the United States in rugby at the international level, having played for the US national men's rugby team (the Eagles). Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/221/adam-russell-ai-apocalypticism-vs-ai-optimism) ] ... Read more

01 Aug 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:48

01 Aug 2024

#220

Should we trust papers published in top social science journals? (with Daniel Lakens)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/220/#transcript) How much should we trust social science papers in top journals? How do we know a paper is trustworthy? Do large datasets mitigate p-hacking? Why doesn't psychology as a field seem to be working towards a grand unified theory? Why aren't more psychological theories written in math? Or are other scientific fields mathematicized to a fault? How do we make psychology cumulative? How can we create environments, especially in academia, that incentivize constructive criticism? Why isn't peer review pulling its weight in terms of catching errors and constructively criticizing papers? What kinds of problems simply can't be caught by peer review? Why is peer review saved for the very end of the publication process? What is "importance hacking"? On what bits of psychological knowledge is there consensus among researchers? When and why do adversarial collaborations fail? Is admission of error a skill that can be taught and learned? How can students be taught that p-hacking is problematic without causing them to over-correct into a failure to explore their problem space thoroughly and efficiently? Daniel Lakens is an experimental psychologist working at the Human-Technology Interaction group at Eindhoven University of Technology. In addition to his empirical work in cognitive and social psychology, he works actively on improving research methods and statistical inferences, and has published on the importance of replication research, sequential analyses and equivalence testing, and frequentist statistics. Follow him on Twitter / X at [@Lakens] (https://twitter.com/Lakens) . Further reading: --- [Nullius in Verba] (https://nulliusinverba.podbean.com/) (Daniel's podcast) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/220/daniel-lakens-should-we-trust-papers-published-in-top-social-science-journals) ] ... Read more

24 Jul 2024

1 HR 41 MINS

1:41:47

24 Jul 2024

#219

Is psychology the same across cultures? (with Joseph Henrich)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/219/#transcript) What are "WEIRD" cultures? What percentage of the world's population is WEIRD? Why do WEIRD cultures tend to use analytic thinking (as opposed to the wholistic thinking used in non-WEIRD cultures)? Does school make you more intelligent or merely more knowledgeable? Do individualistic cultures tend to innovate more than collectivistic cultures? How does moral reasoning differ between WEIRD and non-WEIRD cultures? Is the world becoming more WEIRD? How diverse are non-WEIRD cultures? Joseph Henrich is currently the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Before moving to Harvard, he was a professor of both Economics and Psychology at the University of British Columbia for nearly a decade, where he held the Canada Research Chair in Culture, Cognition, and Coevolution. His research deploys evolutionary theory to understand how human psychology gives rise to cultural evolution and how this has shaped our species' genetic evolution. Using insights generated from this approach, Professor Henrich has explored a variety of topics, including economic decision-making, social norms, fairness, religion, marriage, prestige, cooperation, and innovation. He's conducted long-term anthropological fieldwork in Peru, Chile, and in the South Pacific, as well as having spearheaded several large comparative projects. In 2016, he published [The Secret of Our Success] (https://secretofoursuccess.fas.harvard.edu/) (Princeton) and in 2020, [The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West became psychologically peculiar and particularly prosperous] (https://weirdpeople.fas.harvard.edu/) (FSG). Learn more about his work [here] (https://henrich.fas.harvard.edu/) , or follow him on Twitter / X at [@JoHenrich] (https://twitter.com/JoHenrich) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum ---Jennifer Vanderhoof — Transcriptionist Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/219/joseph-henrich-is-psychology-the-same-across-cultures) ] ... Read more

17 Jul 2024

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:53

17 Jul 2024

#218

Spencer on The 80,000 Hours Podcast discussing money & happiness and hype vs. value (with Rob Wiblin...

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/218/#transcript) NOTE: Spencer appeared as a guest on [The 80,000 Hours Podcast] (https://80000hours.org/podcast/) back in March, and this episode is our release of that recording. Thanks to the folks at The 80,000 Hours Podcast for sharing both their audio and transcript with us! Does money make people happy? What's the difference between life satisfaction and wellbeing? In other contexts, critics are quick to point out that correlation does not equal causation; so why do they so often seem to ignore such equations when they appear in research about the relationships between money and happiness? When is hype a good thing? What are some ethical ways to generate hype? What are some signs that someone is an untrustworthy or hurtful person? Are pre-registrations and/or registered reports helping with reproducibility in the social sciences? Should we all maintain a list of principles to help guide our decisions? What are the most common pitfalls in group decision-making? What is "lightgassing"? What kinds of life outcomes can be predicted from a person's astrological sign? How does machine learning differ from statistics? When does retaliatory behavior become pro-social? In what ways do people change when they become parents? Rob Wiblin hosts The 80,000 Hours Podcast, which investigates the world's most pressing problems and what listeners can do to solve them. You can learn more about Rob at [robwiblin.com] (http://robwiblin.com/) , learn more about his research work at [80000hours.org] (http://80000hours.org/) , and follow him on social media at [@robertwiblin] (https://twitter.com/robertwiblin) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/218/rob-wiblin-spencer-on-the-80-000-hours-podcast-discussing-money-happiness-and-hype-vs-value) ] ... Read more

10 Jul 2024

2 HR 34 MINS

2:34:19

10 Jul 2024

#217

Concrete actions anyone can take to help improve AI safety (with Kat Woods)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/217/#transcript) Why should we consider slowing AI development? Could we slow down AI development even if we wanted to? What is a "minimum viable x-risk"? What are some of the more plausible, less Hollywood-esque risks from AI? Even if an AI could destroy us all, why would it want to do so? What are some analogous cases where we slowed the development of a specific technology? And how did they turn out? What are some reasonable, feasible regulations that could be implemented to slow AI development? If an AI becomes smarter than humans, wouldn't it also be wiser than humans and therefore more likely to know what we need and want and less likely to destroy us? Is it easier to control a more intelligent AI or a less intelligent one? Why do we struggle so much to define utopia? What can the average person do to encourage safe and ethical development of AI? Kat Woods is a serial charity entrepreneur who's founded four effective altruist charities. She runs [Nonlinear] (https://www.nonlinear.org/) , an AI safety charity. Prior to starting Nonlinear, she co-founded [Charity Entrepreneurship] (https://www.charityentrepreneurship.com) , a charity incubator that has launched dozens of charities in global poverty and animal rights. Prior to that, she co-founded [Charity Science Health] (https://www.givewell.org/charities/charity-science-health/all-content) , which helped vaccinate 200,000+ children in India, and, according to GiveWell's estimates at the time, was similarly cost-effective to AMF. You can follow her on Twitter at [@kat__woods] (https://twitter.com/kat__woods) ; you can read her EA writing [here] (https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/users/katherinesavoie?sortedBy=topAdjusted) and [here] (https://www.lesswrong.com/users/ea247?sortedBy=topAdjusted) ; and you can read her personal blog [here] (https://www.katwoods.org/) . Further reading: --- [Robert Miles AI Safety @ YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/c/robertmilesai) --- ["The AI Revolution: The Road to Superintelligence", by Tim Urban] (https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html) --- [Uncontrollable: The Threat of Artificial Superintelligence and the Race to Save the World, by Darren McKee] (https://www.amazon.com/Uncontrollable-Threat-Artificial-Superintelligence-World/dp/B0CNNYKVH1) --- [The Nonlinear Network] (https://www.nonlinear.org/network.html) --- [PauseAI] (https://pauseai.info/) --- [Dan Hendrycks @ Manifund] (https://manifund.org/hendrycks) (AI regrantor) --- [Adam Gleave @ Manifund] (https://manifund.org/AdamGleave) (AI regrantor) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum ---Jennifer Vanderhoof — Transcriptionist Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/217/kat-woods-concrete-actions-anyone-can-take-to-help-improve-ai-safety) ] ... Read more

03 Jul 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:20

03 Jul 2024

#216

What do socialism and effective altruism have in common? (with Garrison Lovely)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/216/#transcript) What does effective altruism look like from a leftist / socialist perspective? Are the far left and EA the only groups that take radical egalitarianism seriously? What are some of the points of agreement and disagreement between EA & socialism? Socialists frequently critique the excesses, harms, and failures of capitalism; but what do they have to say about the effectiveness of capitalism to produce wealth, goods, and services? Is socialism just a top-down mirror of capitalism? How difficult is it to mix and match economic tools or systems? Why is the left not more tuned into AI development? What are the three main sides in AI debates right now? Why are there so many disagreements between AI safety and AI ethics groups? What do the incentive structures look like for governments regarding AGI? Should the world create a CERN-like entity to manage and regulate AI research? How should we think about AI research in light of the trend of AI non-profits joining forces with or being subsumed by for-profit corporations? How might for-profit corporations handle existential risks from AI if those risks seem overwhelmingly likely to become reality? Garrison Lovely is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist with cover stories in [The Nation] (https://www.thenation.com/article/society/mckinsey-whistleblower-confessions/) and [Jacobin] (https://www.jacobinmag.com/author/garrison-lovely) and long-form work in [BBC Future] (https://bbc.in/3OhWUE3) , [Vox] (https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/23639475/pescetarian-eating-fish-ethics-vegetarian-animal-welfare-seafood-fishing-chicken-beef-climate) , [Current Affairs] (https://www.currentaffairs.org/author/garrison-lovely) , and elsewhere. He has appeared on [CBS News Sunday Morning] (https://www.cbsnews.com/video/pulling-back-the-veil-of-secrecy-surrounding-mckinsey/#x) , [The Weather Channel] (https://youtu.be/G7NEtUJC29Q) , [The Majority Report] (https://www.youtube.com/live/EnsitCyMXX0?si=FQSpcbnl6OIj7udn&t=3143) , and [SiriusXM] (https://player.fm/series/the-john-fugelsang-podcast/pioneers-uncovering-the-truth) . He hosts the podcast [The Most Interesting People I Know] (https://mostinterestingpeople.podbean.com/) . His writing has been referenced in publications like [The New Yorker] (https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/will-ai-become-the-new-mckinsey#:~:text=A%20former%20McKinsey%20employee%20has%20described%20the%20company%20as%20%E2%80%9Ccapital%E2%80%99s%20willing%20executioners%E2%80%9D%3A%20if%20you%20want%20something%20done%20but%20don%E2%80%99t%20want%20to%20get%20your%20hands%20dirty%2C%20McKinsey%20will%20do%20it%20for%20you.) (by Ted Chiang), [ProPublica] (https://www.propublica.org/article/the-country-that-exiled-mckinsey) , [New York Magazine] (http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/mckinsey-in-puerto-rico.html) , [The New Republic] (https://newrepublic.com/article/155863/houston-astros-cheaters-2017-world-series-mckinsey-problem) , and [GQ] (https://www.gq.com/story/buttigieg-mckinsey-clients-list) . Read his writings on [his Substack] (http://garrisonlovely.substack.com/) ; learn more about his work at his website, [garrisonlovely.com] (http://garrisonlovely.com/) ; or email him at [tgarrisonlovely@gmail.com] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:tgarrisonlovely@gmail.com) . Further reading: --- ["13 Ways Some Companies Make Money While Causing Harm", by Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/2017/10/13-ways-some-companies-make-money-while-causing-harm/) --- ["Can Humanity Survive AI?", by Garrison Lovely] (https://jacobin.com/2024/01/can-humanity-survive-ai) in Jacobin --- ["The Data Show That Socialism Works", by Nick Warino] (https://www.currentaffairs.org/2019/12/the-data-show-that-socialism-works) in Current Affairs Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/216/garrison-lovely-what-do-socialism-and-effective-altruism-have-in-common) ] ... Read more

26 Jun 2024

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:31

26 Jun 2024

#215

Raising our happiness baseline (with Sasha Chapin)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/215/#transcript) How easy is it to shift our baseline level of happiness? What sorts of things can most effectively shift that baseline? And are they highly specific to each individual or generalizable to most people? What are the differences between conceptual and phenomenal self-love? Why might it be useful to view shame as a kink? How does self-love or self-acceptance differ from indulging or even just tolerating the worst parts of yourself? What's the best way to think about "woo"? How genuine is the stereotypical guru demeanor of serenity, graciousness, and attentiveness? Is it possible for people with aphantasia to learn visualization? What's so interesting about perfume? What can people do to become better writers? Sasha Chapin is a writer currently living in California. Most of his recent writing is on [his Substack] (https://sashachapin.substack.com/) . His most popular posts there are ["What the humans like is responsiveness"] (https://sashachapin.substack.com/p/what-the-humans-like-is-responsiveness) and ["50 Things I Know"] (https://sashachapin.substack.com/p/50-things-i-know) . He also wrote a book called [All the Wrong Moves: A Memoir About Chess, Love, and Ruining Everything] (https://www.amazon.com/All-Wrong-Moves-Ruining-Everything/dp/0385545177) . Learn more about him at his website, [sashachapin.com] (https://www.sashachapin.com/) , or follow him on Twitter / X at [@sashachapin] (https://twitter.com/sashachapin) . Further reading: --- [Cate Hall's Clearer Thinking episode] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/113/cate-hall-are-we-all-the-heroes-of-our-own-stories/) --- [Loch Kelly's Clearer Thinking episode] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/093/loch-kelly-accessing-pure-consciousness-at-any-moment/) --- [Mind's Eye Development eCourse] (https://rcdc-courses.teachable.com/p/aphantasia-to-mental-imagery) — the course that helped Sasha overcome aphantasia --- [Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life, by Byron Katie] (https://www.amazon.com/Loving-What-Four-Questions-Change/dp/1400045371) --- [Expanding Awareness, by Michael Ashcroft] (https://expandingawareness.org/) --- [Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen] (https://www.amazon.com/Difficult-Conversations-Discuss-What-Matters/dp/0143118447) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/215/sasha-chapin-raising-our-happiness-baseline) ] ... Read more

19 Jun 2024

1 HR 21 MINS

1:21:13

19 Jun 2024

#214

Worldviews, altruism, and embracing variance (with Emmett Shear)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/214/#transcript) How does Emmett's worldview differ from the standard Silicon Valley worldview? What's the difference between an ideology and a worldview? What's middle management useful for? How might democracy be improved? How important is optimism? Why do people seem to get less done each day than they expect to get done? When is high variance beneficial? Does every startup have a point where it seems like they're going to fail? What's the best and worst startup advice out there? What's the right way to learn from users / customers? When should companies follow trends? How should we think about the different types of AI risks? Emmett Shear is an entrepreneur and investor. He was part of the first class at Y Combinator in 2005. He co-founded Justin.tv in 2006 and its spin-off company Twitch in 2011. In the same year, he also became a part-time partner at Y Combinator, a role in which he continues to advise new startups. He very briefly (for 2.5 days) acted as interim CEO at OpenAI in November 2023. Follow him on Twitter / X at [@eshear] (https://twitter.com/eshear) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/214/emmett-shear-worldviews-altruism-and-embracing-variance) ] ... Read more

12 Jun 2024

1 HR 20 MINS

1:20:10

12 Jun 2024

#213

Two things shape the course of your life: luck and your decisions (with Annie Duke)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/213/#transcript) Should people spend more time becoming better decision-makers? What are the main things that determine how our lives turn out? What's wrong with pro / con lists? When should we deviate from making decisions based on expected value calculations? What kinds of uncertainty might we encounter in the decision-making process? Are explicit decision calculations self-defeating? How similar is intuitive decision-making to decision-making that's based on calculations? How useful are heuristics? How can we know which decisions are significant enough to warrant calculations? What makes a decision hard? What's the omission / commission bias? What lessons can we learn from monkeys and pedestals? Should decision-making strategies be taught in primary and secondary schools? Annie Duke is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Her latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker, has won a World Series of Poker bracelet, and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. Connect with her on [Facebook] (https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDukeAuthor) , [Twitter] (https://twitter.com/AnnieDuke) , [YouTube] (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClDhEz5b55RH1ZfEZd7Y3hA) , [LinkedIn] (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/annie-duke/5/b2b/30a) or via her website, [AnnieDuke.com] (https://annieduke.com) ; or subscribe to her newsletter on [Substack] (https://annieduke.substack.com/) . Further reading: --- [Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts, by Annie Duke] (https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-in-Bets-Annie-Duke-audiobook/dp/B078SBSBW3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ANL7NGV8W0OU&keywords=annie+duke&qid=1702853892&sprefix=annie+du%2Caps%2C551&sr=8-1) --- [Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, by Annie Duke] (https://www.amazon.com/Quit-Power-Knowing-When-Walk/dp/B09PVR6YK5/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ANL7NGV8W0OU&keywords=annie+duke&qid=1702853903&sprefix=annie+du%2Caps%2C551&sr=8-2) --- [How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices, by Annie Duke] (https://www.amazon.com/How-Decide-Simple-Making-Choices/dp/B088P4XLVB/ref=sr_1_3?crid=ANL7NGV8W0OU&keywords=annie+duke&qid=1702853903&sprefix=annie+du%2Caps%2C551&sr=8-3) --- [The Alliance for Decision Education] (https://alliancefordecisioneducation.org/) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/213/annie-duke-two-things-shape-the-course-of-your-life-luck-and-your-decisions) ] ... Read more

05 Jun 2024

1 HR 25 MINS

1:25:38

05 Jun 2024

#212

What we know and don't know about nutrition (with Gil Carvalho)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/212/#transcript) How do we know what's true in nutrition? Why aren't nutrition studies seemingly as "definitive" as (e.g.) physics experiments often seem to be? What is the "hierarchy of evidence"? Why is there such a disconnect between the kinds of evidence that actually seem to persuade people and the kinds of evidence that scientists view as valid and meaningful? How can we talk about specific foods in ways that avoid labelling them as always good or always bad? Is the Mediterranean diet good for anyone and everyone? Is it better than all other known dietary patterns? Are there healthy ways to do (e.g.) low-carb, high-carb, low-fat, high-fat, and other similar diet types? What do we know about the effects of ketogenic diets? What do we know about the effects of meat-only diets? Are saturated fats always bad? How should we think about mechanistic evidence given for or against a particular food or diet? How much protein should we consume every day? Should we universally reduce our sugar intake? To what extent is excess body fat bad? Since BMI is much criticized, what are the best measures of health for people with excess body fat? Should we avoid blood sugar spikes throughout the day? What percent of people tend to re-gain lost weight after concluding temporary diets? Is caloric intake really the only factor for weight gain or loss? Is the mistrust of nutritionists justified? Gil Carvalho, MD PhD is a physician, research scientist, science communicator, speaker, and writer. Dr. Carvalho trained as a medical doctor in the University of Lisbon, in his native Portugal, and later obtained a PhD in Biology from the California Institute of Technology. He has published peer-reviewed medical research spanning the fields of genetics, molecular biology, nutrition, behavior, aging, and neuroscience. In parallel with his research career, Dr. Carvalho also has a passion for science communication. He directs and hosts Nutrition Made Simple, which aims to convey fundamental nutrition concepts to a general audience via educational videos. Learn more about him [here] (https://www.truehealthinitiative.org/council_member/4125/) , and follow him on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/c/NutritionMadeSimple) , [Twitter / X] (https://twitter.com/NutritionMadeS3) , and [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/gilcarvalho.md/) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/212/gil-carvalho-what-we-know-and-don-t-know-about-nutrition) ] ... Read more

29 May 2024

1 HR 24 MINS

1:24:32

29 May 2024

#211

Measuring everything that matters (with Doug Hubbard)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/211/#transcript) Can we measure everything that matters to us? When is measuring the correlates of a thing pretty much just as good as measuring the thing itself? Why are some people resistant to measuring certain things? What are some things people should be measuring but aren't? What's the connection between measuring things and assigning probabilities to events? How much do we know about how well human intuition performs against "doing the math"? How inconsistent are we at applying our own principles in decision-making? What kinds of calibration training are effective? What is "value of information"? What is the Rule of 5? What are the top three things we can do to improve our decision-making? Douglas Hubbard is an author, consultant, and recognized expert in decision theory and risk analysis. He has written several books on measurement and measuring risk. His work spans various industries including insurance, finance, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, military, energy, government, tech, and nonprofit organizations. Connect with Doug on [LinkedIn] (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwhubbard/) , email him at [dwhubbard@hubbardresearch.com] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:dwhubbard@hubbardresearch.com) , or learn more about his work at [hubbardresearch.com] (https://hubbardresearch.com/) . Further reading: --- [How to Measure Anything: Finding the Value of Intangibles in Business, by Douglas Hubbard] (https://www.amazon.com/How-Measure-Anything-Intangibles-Business/dp/1118539273) --- [Applied Information Economics Academy] (https://hubbardresearch.com/training/) (Doug's online calibration training) --- [Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences, by John Allen Paulos] (https://www.amazon.com/Innumeracy-Mathematical-Illiteracy-Its-Consequences/dp/0809058405/ref=sr_1_4?crid=I3APCZCI7L8F&keywords=numeracy+paulos&qid=1702738550&s=books&sprefix=numeracy+paulo%2Cstripbooks%2C220&sr=1-4) --- [Clearer Thinking's "Calibrate Your Judgement" tool] (https://programs.clearerthinking.org/calibrate_your_judgment.html) --- [Fatebook] (https://fatebook.io/) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/211/doug-hubbard-measuring-everything-that-matters) ] ... Read more

22 May 2024

1 HR 12 MINS

1:12:41

22 May 2024

#210

What happens when you follow 100 self-help books to the letter? (with Kristen Meinzer)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/210/#transcript) Why does it seem that many people read self-help books with no intention of actually doing what the books prescribe? Why are self-help books often less clear than it seems they ought to be? What are self-help books actually designed to do? Why do self-help authors continue to write as though their ideas will help everyone when it seems fairly obvious that no single self-help book has ever been a global panacea? Should self-help advice differ based on the gender of the receiver? How does life coaching differ from self-help? How does therapy differ both from life coaching and from self-help? Should therapists fire their clients once the clients' problems have been solved? Should therapists give homework? What are the best and worst ideas commonly found in self-help books? Kristen Meinzer is a culture critic, podcaster, and author. She cohosts the podcast How To Be Fine ( [Apple Podcasts] (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-be-fine/id1217948628) , [Instagram] (https://instagram.com/howtobefinepod) ), formerly called By The Book, which looks at the good and the bad of the wellness industry. She also cohosts the podcast The Daily Fail, which does comedic close readings of the tabloids. Additionally, Kristen is a frequent contributor on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. Further reading: --- [How to Be Fine: What We Learned from Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books, by Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer] (https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Fine-Learned-Self-Help/dp/0062957198) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/210/kristen-meinzer-what-happens-when-you-follow-100-self-help-books-to-the-letter) ] ... Read more

15 May 2024

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:43

15 May 2024

#209

Aligning society with our deepest values and sources of meaning (with Joe Edelman)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/209/#transcript) What are the best ways to define "values" and "meaning"? How can democratic processes harness people's intrinsic values and sources of meaning to increase their agency, cooperation, participation, equality, etc.? To what extent do political rivals — or even the bitterest of political enemies — actually value many of the same things? Might we be able to use AIs as "neutral" third-party mediators to help reduce political polarization, especially on an interpersonal level? How can we transform our personal values and sources of meaning into positive, shared visions for society? Are markets inherently antisocial? Or are they just easily made to be so? Companies frequently invoke our deepest needs and values as a bait-and-switch to sell us their goods and services; but since there must actually be demand to have those deep needs met and those deep values realized, why do companies so rarely attempt to supply goods and services that address those things directly? Assuming there actually is a lot of overlap in intrinsic values and sources of meaning across individuals and across groups, why do we still have such a hard time developing shared visions for society? Joe Edelman is a philosopher, sociologist, and entrepreneur. He invented the meaning-based metrics used at CouchSurfing, Facebook, and Apple, and co-founded the Center for Humane Technology and the Meaning Alignment Institute. His biggest contribution is a definition of "human values" that's precise enough to create product metrics, aligned ML models, and values-based democratic structures. Follow him on Twitter / X at [@edelwax] (https://twitter.com/edelwax) , email him at [hello@meaningalignment.org] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:hello@meaningalignment.org) , or learn more about him and the [Meaning Alignment Institute] (https://meaningalignment.org/) ( [@meaningaligned] (https://twitter.com/meaningaligned) on Twitter / X). Further reading: --- ["OpenAI x DFT: The First Moral Graph" by Joe Edelman and Oliver Klingefjord] (https://meaningalignment.substack.com/p/the-first-moral-graph) — "Beyond Constitutional AI; Our first trial with 500 Americans; How democratic processes can generate an LLM we can trust." --- ["Replica Theory" by Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/2021/10/simulacrum-theory/) --- [Joe's GPT bots for exploring your personal values] (https://humsys.notion.site/GPTs-eb6d89729a87421ab5822f0ad6d36fef?pvs=4) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/209/joe-edelman-aligning-society-with-our-deepest-values-and-sources-of-meaning) ] ... Read more

08 May 2024

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:48

08 May 2024

#208

Separating quantum computing hype from reality (with Scott Aaronson)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/208/#transcript) What exactly is quantum computing? How much should we worry about the possibility that quantum computing will break existing cryptography tools? When will a quantum computer with enough horsepower to crack RSA likely appear? On what kinds of tasks will quantum computers likely perform better than classical computers? How legitimate are companies that are currently selling quantum computing solutions? How can scientists help to fight misinformation and misunderstandings about quantum computing? To what extent should the state of the art be exaggerated with the aim of getting people excited about the possibilities the technology might afford and encouraging them to invest in research or begin a career in the field? Is now a good time to go into the field (especially compared to other similar options, like going into the booming AI field)? Scott Aaronson is Schlumberger Chair of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin and founding director of its Quantum Information Center, currently on leave at OpenAI to work on theoretical foundations of AI safety. He received his bachelor's from Cornell University and his PhD from UC Berkeley. Before coming to UT Austin, he spent nine years as a professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. Aaronson's research in theoretical computer science has focused mainly on the capabilities and limits of quantum computers. His first book, Quantum Computing Since Democritus, was published in 2013 by Cambridge University Press. He received the National Science Foundation's Alan T. Waterman Award, the United States PECASE Award, the Tomassoni-Chisesi Prize in Physics, and the ACM Prize in Computing; and he is a Fellow of the ACM and the AAAS. Find out more about him at [scottaaronson.blog] (https://scottaaronson.blog/) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/208/scott-aaronson-separating-quantum-computing-hype-from-reality) ] ... Read more

01 May 2024

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:55

01 May 2024

#207

Should we pause AI development until we're sure we can do it safely? (with Joep Meindertsma)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/207/#transcript) Should we pause AI development? What might it mean for an AI system to be "provably" safe? Are our current AI systems provably unsafe? What makes AI especially dangerous relative to other modern technologies? Or are the risks from AI overblown? What are the arguments in favor of not pausing — or perhaps even accelerating — AI progress? What is the public perception of AI risks? What steps have governments taken to migitate AI risks? If thoughtful, prudent, cautious actors pause their AI development, won't bad actors still keep going? To what extent are people emotionally invested in this topic? What should we think of AI researchers who agree that AI poses very great risks and yet continue to work on building and improving AI technologies? Should we attempt to centralize AI development? Joep Meindertsma is a database engineer and tech entrepreneur from the Netherlands. He co-founded the open source e-democracy platform [Argu] (https://argu.co/) , which aimed to get people involved in decision-making. Currently, he is the CEO of [Ontola.io] (https://ontola.io) , a software development firm from the Netherlands that aims to give people more control over their data; and he is also working on a specification and implementation for modeling and exchanging data called [Atomic Data] (https://docs.atomicdata.dev/) . In 2023, after spending several years reading about AI safety and deciding to dedicate most of his time towards preventing AI catastrophe, he founded [PauseAI] (https://pauseai.info/) and began actively lobbying for slowing down AI development. He's now trying to grow PauseAI and get more people in action. Learn more about him on [his GitHub page] (https://github.com/joepio) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/207/joep-meindertsma-should-we-pause-ai-development-until-we-re-sure-we-can-do-it-safely) ] ... Read more

24 Apr 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:28

24 Apr 2024

#206

What should the Effective Altruism movement learn from the SBF / FTX scandal? (with Will MacAskill)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/206/#transcript) What are the facts around Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX about which all parties agree? What was the nature of Will's relationship with SBF? What things, in retrospect, should've been red flags about Sam or FTX? Was Sam's personality problematic? Did he ever really believe in EA principles? Does he lack empathy? Or was he on the autism spectrum? Was he naive in his application of utilitarianism? Did EA intentionally install SBF as a spokesperson, or did he put himself in that position of his own accord? What lessons should EA leaders learn from this? What steps should be taken to prevent it from happening again? What should EA leadership look like moving forward? What are some of the dangers around AI that are not related to alignment? Should AI become the central (or even the sole) focus of the EA movement? William MacAskill is an associate professor in philosophy at the University of Oxford. At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest associate professor of philosophy in the world. He also cofounded the nonprofits Giving What We Can, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and 80,000 Hours, which together have moved over $300 million to effective charities. He's the author of [What We Owe The Future] (https://www.williammacaskill.com/what-we-owe-the-future) , [Doing Good Better] (https://www.williammacaskill.com/book) , and [Moral Uncertainty] (https://www.williammacaskill.com/info-moral-uncertainty) . Further reading: --- [Episode 133: The FTX catastrophe (with Byrne Hobart, Vipul Naik, Maomao Hu, Marcus Abramovich, and Ozzie Gooen)] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/133/byrne-hobart-vipul-naik-maomao-hu-marcus-abramovich-and-ozzie-gooen-the-ftx-catastrophe/) — Our previous podcast episode about what happened in the FTX disaster --- ["Who is Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) really, and how could he have done what he did? – three theories and a lot of evidence"] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/2023/11/who-is-sam-bankman-fried-sbf-really-and-how-could-he-have-done-what-he-did-three-theories-and-a-lot-of-evidence/) — Spencer's essay about SBF's personality --- [Why They Do It: Inside the Mind of the White-Collar Criminal by Eugene Soltes] (https://bookshop.org/p/books/why-they-do-it-inside-the-mind-of-the-white-collar-criminal-eugene-soltes/11453706) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/206/will-macaskill-what-should-the-effective-altruism-movement-learn-from-the-sbf-ftx-scandal) ] ... Read more

15 Apr 2024

2 HR 01 MINS

2:01:52

15 Apr 2024

#205

Why are so many people experiencing homelessness in big cities in the U.S., and what can be done to ...

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/205/#transcript) How big of a problem is homelessness in the US? How many people in large cities like New York City or Los Angeles are unhoused? What's the best language to use when discussing this issue? How is "homelessness" defined? We usually don't label people without food or water as "foodless" or "waterless"; so why do we label people without homes as "homeless"? Why do we so often look away from the problem, both literally and figuratively? What are the most common events or circumstances that cause people to lose their housing options? What does research show about how unhoused people actually spend their money? What percentage of an average city's unhoused population is represented by the "visible" portion, the people we see on street corners or in tent camps? What percent of unhoused people struggle with mental health problems or substance abuse? What's the average life expectancy of an unhoused person? How much do governments (local, state, and/or federal) spend on homelessness annually? What's the best predictor of whether or not a person will suffer from chronic homelessness? What help — from government institutions, religious organizations, nonprofits, etc. — is available to unhoused people? How hard is it to meet your basic needs when you don't have a place to live? What should we do about unhoused people who refuse help or treatment for mental illnesses or substance abuse? Which nonprofits are working on homelessness? And what kinds of impacts have they made? What interventions are actually effective at solving homelessness on a large scale? What mistakes have the political left and right (in the US) made as they've tried to address homelessness? Demographically speaking, what kinds of people tend to make up unhoused populations in the US? Kevin F. Adler is a social entrepreneur, sociologist, and author who never learned the word "stranger", and tries to live accordingly. Currently, he is the Founder-In-Residence and Chairman of the Board of [Miracle Messages] (https://miraclemessages.org/) , a nonprofit organization that helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild their social support systems and financial security through family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and the first basic income pilot for unhoused individuals in the US. He is also the bestselling author of [When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America] (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/730751/when-we-walk-by-by-kevin-f-adler-and-donald-w-burnes-with-amanda-banh-and-andrijana-bilbija/) , which Publishers Weekly called "a must-read for anyone interested in solving the problem of homelessness." Kevin's pioneering work on homelessness and "relational poverty" as an overlooked form of poverty has been featured in the [New York Times] (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/24/well/family/a-video-project-reconnects-homeless-people-with-families.html) , [Washington Post] (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/san-francisco-rich-and-poor-turns-to-simple-street-solutions-that-underscore-the-citys-complexities/2018/09/03/d6cf321a-ad4d-11e8-8a0c-70b618c98d3c_story.html?utm_term=.71c2c9a3f574) , [PBS NewsHour] (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/miracle-money-how-a-guaranteed-income-fund-is-helping-san-franciscos-homeless) , [The Guardian] (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/30/friends-homeless-nonprofit-miracle-messages-phone-buddy-san-francisco) , [LA Times] (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-08/volunteers-connect-with-homeless-people-by-phone-and-sometimes-cash#nt=00000187-fb6b-dd9b-afff-fb7bdc3a0002-showMedia-1col-7030col1-main) , and in his [TED Talk] (https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_f_adler_don_t_be_a_stranger#t-142730) . Motivated by his late mother's work teaching at underserved adult schools and nursing homes, and his late uncle's 30 years living on the streets, Kevin believes in a future where everyone is seen as invaluable and interconnected. Learn more about Kevin and his work at his website, [kevinfadler.com] (https://www.kevinfadler.com/) , follow him on Instagram at [@kevinfadler] (https://instagram.com/kevinfadler) , or email him at [kevin@miraclemessages.org] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:kevin@miraclemessages.org) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/205/kevin-adler-why-are-so-many-people-experiencing-homelessness-in-big-cities-in-the-u-s-and-what-can-be-done-to-help) ] ... Read more

10 Apr 2024

1 HR 56 MINS

1:56:03

10 Apr 2024

#204

Common body language mistakes and how to avoid making them (with Blake Eastman)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/204/#transcript) What are some common techniques for quantifying body language? How hard is it to identify poker "tells"? Are there any facial expressions or body movements that have universal meaning? What can be discerned about group dynamics just from watching a meeting over video call? What are the most common body language mistakes people make when going on dates or trying to make friends? What are the strongest indicators of charisma? How do people signal their social status? What are the most effective ways to deal with trolls? How valid is the concept of micro-expressions? Blake Eastman is the founder of [The Nonverbal Group] (http://www.nonverbalgroup.com/) , a behavioral research and education company. With a focus on teaching high-level people skills, Eastman has coached executives and teams, and his company is building the world's largest database of contextually coded human interactions. He also founded Behavioral Robotics, an AI deep tech startup teaching machines to read human behavior, and he's known for conducting the largest behavioral study on poker players through his Beyond Tells project. Follow him on [Instagram] (https://instagram.com/blake_eastman) , [Twitter / X] (https://twitter.com/blakeeastman) , and [LinkedIn] (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beastman/) ; or email him at [blake@nonverbalgroup.com] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:blake@nonverbalgroup.com) . Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/204/blake-eastman-common-body-language-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-making-them) ] ... Read more

04 Apr 2024

1 HR 30 MINS

1:30:41

04 Apr 2024

#203

True things, useful things, and the differences between them (with Derek Sivers)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/203/#transcript) Is nothing objectively true? What kinds of things are we trying to communicate with the stories we tell? Why do we feel the need to take a side on every issue? Which sorts of issues should be tied to our identities? How can we set the definitions for terms in a conversation, if possible? Should people just believe whatever works for them? Is it better to try to compensate for our biases or to reduce them? Should we strive to have lower confidence in ourselves and our abilities? How should we think about assigning blame when something goes wrong? When should we say yes or no to new opportunities? To what degree should we try to optimize our lives? Derek Sivers is an author of philosophy and entrepreneurship known for his surprising, quotable insights and pithy, succinct writing style. Formerly a musician, programmer, TED speaker, and circus clown, he sold his first company for $22 million and gave all the money to charity. Sivers’ books (How to Live, Hell Yeah or No, Your Music and People, and Anything You Want) and newest projects are at his website: [sive.rs] (https://sive.rs) Further reading: --- [Useful Not True, by Derek Sivers] (https://sive.rs/u) (his forthcoming book) --- [Hamas Covenant 1988: The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement] (https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/203/derek-sivers-true-things-useful-things-and-the-differences-between-them) ] ... Read more

27 Mar 2024

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:15

27 Mar 2024

#202

Should we widen our moral circles to include animals, insects, and AIs? (with Jeff Sebo)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/202/#transcript) How did we end up with factory farming? How many animals do we kill every year in factory farms? When we consider the rights of non-human living things, we tend to focus mainly on the animal kingdom, and in particular on relatively larger, more complex animals; but to what extent should insects, plants, fungi, and even single-celled organisms deserve our moral consideration? Do we know anything about what it's like (or not) to be an AI? To what extent is the perception of time linked to the speed at which one's brain processes information? What's the difference between consciousness and sentience? Should an organism be required to have consciousness and/or sentience before we'll give it our moral consideration? What evidence do we have that various organisms and/or AIs are conscious? What do we know about the evolutionary function of consciousness? What's the "rebugnant conclusion"? What might it mean to "harm" an AI? What can be done by the average person to move the needle on these issues? What should we say to people who think all of this is ridiculous? What is Humean constructivism? What do all of the above considerations imply about abortion? Do we (or any organisms or AIs) have free will? How likely is it that panpsychism is true? [Jeff Sebo] (https://jeffsebo.net/) is Associate Professor of Environmental Studies; Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy, and Law; Director of the Animal Studies M.A. Program; Director of the Mind, Ethics, and Policy Program; and Co-Director of the Wild Animal Welfare Program at New York University. He is the author of [Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves] (https://global.oup.com/academic/product/saving-animals-saving-ourselves-9780190861018?cc=tw&lang=en&) (2022) and co-author of [Chimpanzee Rights] (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780429461071/chimpanzee-rights-kristin-andrews-gary-comstock-crozier-sue-donaldson-andrew-fenton-tyler-john-syd-johnson-robert-jones-kymlicka-letitia-meynell-nathan-nobis-david-pena-guzman-jeff-sebo-lori-gruen-steven-wise) (2018) and [Food, Animals, and the Environment] (https://www.routledge.com/Food-Animals-and-the-Environment-An-Ethical-Approach/Schlottmann-Sebo/p/book/9781138801127) (2018). He is also an executive committee member at the NYU Center for Environmental and Animal Protection, a board member at Minding Animals International, an advisory board member at the Insect Welfare Research Society, a senior research fellow at the Legal Priorities Project, and a mentor at Sentient Media. Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/202/jeff-sebo-should-we-widen-our-moral-circles-to-include-animals-insects-and-ais) ] ... Read more

20 Mar 2024

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:36

20 Mar 2024

#201

How to have a positive impact with your career (with Benjamin Hilton)

[Read the full transcript here.] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/201/#transcript) What's the best way to think about building an impactful career? Should everyone try to work in fields related to existential risks? Should people find work in a problem area even if they can't work on the very "best" solution within that area? What does it mean for a particular job or career path to be a "good fit" for someone? What is "career capital"? To what extent should people focus on developing transferable skills? What are some of the most useful cross-domain skills? To what extent should people allow their passions and interests to influence how they think about potential career paths? Are there formulas that can be used to estimate how impactful a career will be for someone? And if there are, then how might people misuse them? Should everyone aim to build a high-leverage career? When do people update too much on new evidence? Benjamin Hilton is a research analyst at 80,000 Hours, where he's written on a range of topics from career strategy to nuclear war and the risks from artificial intelligence. He recently helped re-write the 80,000 Hours career guide alongside its author and 80,000 Hours co-founder, Ben Todd. Before joining 80,000 Hours, he was a civil servant, working as a policy adviser across the UK government in the Cabinet Office, Treasury, and Department for International Trade. He has master’s degrees in economics and theoretical physics, and has published in the fields of physics, history, and complexity science. Learn more about him on [the 80,000 Hours website] (https://80000hours.org/author/benjamin-hilton/) , or email him at [benjamin.hilton@80000hours.org] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:benjamin.hilton@80000hours.org) . Further reading: --- [80,000 Hours: Career Guide] (https://80000hours.org/career-guide/) Staff --- [Spencer Greenberg] (https://www.spencergreenberg.com/) — Host / Director --- [Josh Castle] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.orgmailto:joshrcastle@gmail.com) — Producer --- [Ryan Kessler] (https://tone.support/) — Audio Engineer --- [Uri Bram] (https://uribram.com/) — Factotum --- [WeAmplify] (https://www.weamplify.info/) — Transcriptionists ---Alexandria D. — Research and Special Projects Assistant Music --- [Broke for Free] (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Something_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Something_EP_-_05_Something_Elated) --- [Josh Woodward] (https://www.joshwoodward.com/song/AlreadyThere) --- [Lee Rosevere] (https://archive.org/details/MusicForPodcasts04/Lee+Rosevere+-+Music+for+Podcasts+4+-+11+Keeping+Stuff+Together.flac) --- [Quiet Music for Tiny Robots] (https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Quiet_Music_for_Tiny_Robots/The_February_Album/05_Tiny_Robot_Armies) --- [wowamusic] (https://gamesounds.xyz/?dir=wowamusic) --- [zapsplat.com] (https://www.zapsplat.com/music/summer-haze-slow-chill-out-house-track-with-a-modern-pop-feel-warm-piano-chords-underpin-the-track-with-warm-pads-and-a-repetitive-synth-arpeggio/) Affiliates --- [Clearer Thinking] (https://www.clearerthinking.org/) --- [GuidedTrack] (https://guidedtrack.com/) --- [Mind Ease] (https://mindease.io/) --- [Positly] (https://positly.com/) --- [UpLift] (https://www.uplift.app/) [ [Read more] (https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/201/benjamin-hilton-how-to-have-a-positive-impact-with-your-career) ] ... Read more

13 Mar 2024

1 HR 26 MINS

1:26:09

13 Mar 2024