The Feedback Loop by Singularity

FBL115: Robert Sapolsky - A Determined Future, With No Free Will Oct 16, 2023

This week our guest is Stanford neuroscientist, Robert Sapolsky. You may know Dr. Sapolsky from his incredible 25-part lecture series on Youtube, his triumphant book, Behave, or his guest appearances on the Joe Rogan and Huberman Lab podcasts.

And if you know him from any of these things, you may also know that Sapolsky isn’t a big fan of free will. In fact, he wrote an entire book about it, Determined, which is set to release on Oct 20th. And it is this very book we will explore in this episode, in no small part because understanding how we make choices will drastically alter how we shape our future societies.

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FBL114: David Marx - Status & Culture in the Digital Age Aug 28, 2023

This week our guest is Tokyo-based writer, David Marx, who recently wrote Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change.

In this episode, we explore the ideas at the heart of David’s book as they relate to the modern technological paradigm we find ourselves in. In other words, how has the digital world shaped our cultural behavior and how we compare ourselves with others. This leads to discussing topics around social media status comparisons, how information abundance has undermined expertise as a status symbol, the ways in which cancel culture might reflect a shift in cultural currency, the impacts of rapidly changing trends, and much more.

Follow David at twitter.com/wdavidmarx or find his work at culture.ghost.io

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Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FBL113: Isabel Pedersen - The Adoption of Embodied Computing Aug 21, 2023

Our guest is professor and director of the Digital Life Institute at Ontario Tech University, Isabel Pedersen, who specializes in the study of wearables, embodied computing, and similar technologies.

In this episode, we take a tour through what Isabel calls the continuum of embodiment, starting with the defining characteristics of the field, exploring its many manifestations and advancements over the decades, and even looking into the future when we may see applications such as brain computer interfaces. Along the way we discuss the impacts of embodied technology, including topics like the impacts of rhetoric on design and adoption of technology, the societal impacts, and much much more.

Follow Isabel and her work at ⁠twitter.com/isabel_pedersen⁠
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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FBL112: Chris Ryan - The Modern World vs Evolution Aug 14, 2023

This week our guest is author and podcast, Chris Ryan, who is well known for exploring the evolution of human society and behavior through his books, Sex at Dawn and Civilized to Death.

In this episode, we take a candid tour through the many misconceptions and misunderstandings of early hunter-gatherer lifestyles and how an alternative view could benefit us in modernity. This includes topics such as cooperation vs competition, resource control, capitalism, mental health issues, the current ways technologies like energy production and social media alter our lifestyles, and much more.

Find out more about Chris at ⁠chrisryanphd.com⁠ or follow him at ⁠twitter.com/ThatChrisRyan⁠

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FBL111: Lauren Wagner - Digital Trust & Safety Aug 07, 2023

This week our guest is investor and researcher, Lauren Wagner, who has extensive experience shaping the trust and safety protocols at some of the world’s most influential platforms and institutes.

In this episode, we explore the lessons Lauren has learned from her time at Cornell, Oxford, Meta, and Google, and how that’s shaped her current approach to policy building. This takes us a tour of the impact of free speech, community building, social media’s impact on polarization, governmental regulation, and much, much more. Lauren provides a unique and candid insight into what it’s like working at the crossroads of societal well-being and the tech industry.

Find out more about Lauren and her work via twitter.com/typewriters

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FBL110: Adam Waytz - Ethics & Minds in the Age of AI Jul 31, 2023

This week our guest is psychologist and professor at Northwestern University, Adam Waytz, who specializes in the study of technology, ethics, and how people think about the minds of others.

In this episode, we take a wide tour across many topics as we explore Adam’s different areas of interest and focus. This often centers around how our demonization of technology often blinds us to the real source of our societal struggles: the people using the technology. This leads to discussions around meaning, religion, echo chambers, ethical dilemmas around AI advancement, the differences between in-person and online interactions, and more.

Find out more about Adam and his work at adamwaytz.com

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FBL109: Gabriella Rosen Kellerman: Tomorrowmind & the Future of Work Jul 17, 2023

This week our guest is Harvard-train physician and Chief Innovation Officer at Betterup Labs, Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, who co-authored the recently released book Tomorrowmind: Thriving at Work with Resilience, Creativity, and Connection―Now and in an Uncertain Future.

In this episode, we take a tour of the many behavioral traits and characteristics that are becoming increasingly necessary as the structures of our work lives change in response to technological innovation. Along the way, Gabriella provides an incredible amount of actionable insights and tips on how to improve one’s work circumstances, making this one of the more pragmatic conversations on our show.

Find out more and Gabriella and get her book at gabriellarosenkellerman.com, and explore options for coaching via her work at betterup.com

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FBL108: Tobias Rose-Stockwell - The Outrage Machine Jul 10, 2023

This week our guest is writer and technology researcher, Tobias Rose-Stockwell, who has just published a brand new book: The Outrage Machine: How Tech Amplifies Discontent, Disrupts Democracy―And What We Can Do About It.

In this episode, we explore Tobias’ book, which takes us on a journey through topics such as the power of virality for better or worse, algorithmic manipulation, the features of technology that lead to outrage, legislation, digital IDs, and the broader consequences for government and democracy.

Find out more about Tobias and his work at tobias.cc/ or follow him at twitter.com/tobiasrose

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL107: Nicholas Kardaras - Navigating Digital Addiction Jul 03, 2023

This week my guest is psychologist Nicholas Kardaras, a leading expert in the study of addiction, especially as it relates to digital technologies. In addition to running recovery centers in both Maui and Austin, he’s also the author of Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction is Hijacking Our Kids and How to Break the Trance, as well as his recently published, Digital Madness: How Social Media is Driving Our Mental Health Crisis–and How to Restore Our Sanity.

In this episode, we begin with a short history of Nicholas’ own experiences with addiction and how that shaped his understanding of the situation we currently find ourselves in. From there, we explore the deeper details and impacts of digital addiction as well as the ways in which we might be able to lessen its impact and treat this growing pathology.

Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL106: Adam Gazzaley - Digital Medicine for Distracted Minds Jun 26, 2023

This week my guest is neuroscientist and entrepreneur, Adam Gazzaley, who co-authored the 2016 book The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, and whose company Akili Interactive has developed the world's first video game approved by the FDA for the medical treatment of ADHD.

Adam and I start the conversation with a robust exploration of attention from a neuroscientific perspective, investigating the modern impacts of distraction and technological stimuli. From there, we delve into how technology can also be used to improve our cognitive functioning, including through unexpected avenues like video games.

Find out more about Adam and his work at gazzaley.com or follow him at twitter.com/adamgazz

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL105: Gerd Leonhard - Empowering Humanity Towards a Good Future Jun 19, 2023

This week our guest is futurist and speaker, Gerd Leonhard, who authored the 2016 book Technology vs Humanity: The Coming Clash Between Man and Machine.

In this episode, we explore the ideas Gerd puts forth in his book, with a heavy emphasis on how the humanities are a necessary part of what he calls a "Good Future.” This takes us on a tour of the failings of transhumanism, the need to update our regulatory systems, questions around our economic models, the impact of culture and storytelling on how we shape our future, and much more.

Find out more about Gerd and his impressive work at futuristgerd.com

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL104- David Auerbach: Humanity is Shaped by Meganets We Don’t Control Jun 12, 2023

This week our guest is author David Auerbach, who was a software engineer at Microsoft and Google during their rise to become the dominant companies they are today.

In this episode, David and I discuss his latest publication, Meganets: How Digital Forces Beyond Our Control Commandeer Our Daily Lives and Inner Realities. David explains how, despite what many tend to think, the realm of digital technology we all occupy is beyond the control of any of us, even the major companies who are creating the technology. He suggests that, similar to the weather, it’s become a complex system that is difficult if not impossible to predict and control. This takes on us on tour of the many consequences and benefits this paradigm, including the loss of individuality, the impacts of chatGPT, the loss of a shared reality, regulatory possibilities, and more.

Find out more about David at davidauerba.ch or follow him at twitter.com/AuerbachKeller

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL103 - Edward A. Lee: How Humans and Machines Co-Evolve Jun 05, 2023

This week our guest is distinguished professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley, Edward A. Lee, who has written extensively about the relationship between humans and technology in books such as Plato and the Nerd and The Coevolution.

In this episode, Edward lays out his argument against the status quo of "digital creationism," which states that humans are the gods shaping technology, and proposes an alternative narrative where humans and technology are symbiotic entities navigating a very Darwinian relationship. This takes on a tour of the many different facets of this relationship, including the pros and cons, the philosophical implications, the regulatory ramifications, and much more.

Find out more about Edward's work at his Berkeley website, or follow him at twitter.com/LeeEdwardA

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL102: Nita Farahany – Thinking Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology May 22, 2023

This week our guest is Nita Farahany, a Distinguished Professor at Duke University where she heads the Science, Law, and Policy Lab. The research she conducts in her lab specifically focuses on the implications of emerging neuroscience, genomics, and artificial intelligence; and, as a testament to her expertise, there is a long, long list of awards and influential positions she can lay claim to, including an appointment by Obama to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

In this episode, we explore Nita’s recent publication, provocatively entitled, The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. This takes us on our tour of the current neurotechnology that exists, the upcoming ways in which this tech will be integrated into our daily products, how it will shape our decision making, the profound list of ethical considerations surrounding cognitive liberty, and much more.

See more about Nita at nitafarahany.com or follow her at twitter.com/NitaFarahany

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL101: Anne Scherer - How AI is Shaping You and Your Life May 15, 2023

This week my guest Anne Scherer, a professor of marketing at the University of Zurich who specializes in the psychological and societal impacts that result from the increased automation and digitization of the consumer-company relationship.

In this episode we focus on the details Anne covers in, You and AI, a book she co-authored with Cindry Candrian to bring an accessible understanding of the ways in which AI is shaping our lives. This takes on a tour of topics such as our symbiotic relationship with AI, manipulation, regulation, the proposed 6 month pause on AI development, the business advantages of better data policies around AI, the difference between artificial intelligence and human intelligence, and more.

Find out more about Anne and her book at annescherer.me

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL100: Peter Diamandis - Unraveling the Future - AI, Biotech, Quantum and the Singularity May 08, 2023

To celebrate our 100th episode, we welcome one of the co-founders of Singularity himself, Peter Diamandis.

And although his educational background at MIT and Harvard Medical school is impressive enough, Peter has also built and invested in many successful companies and organizations dedicated to shaping a better world, including his famous X-Prize Foundation and of course the home of this podcast, Singularity.

In this episode, Peter and I attempt to update the ideas around the singularity–questions like what predictions have come true, what’s changed, what’s been surprising, and what can we expect? More specifically though, we focus on artificial intelligence, its sudden exponential leap into mainstream culture via large language models like GPT, and what future we can expect from upcoming AI advancements. Along the way we discuss gene editing, biotech, quantum computers, and other important facets of technological convergence that will assist AI in reshaping society.

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL99: Karl Friston - How Free Energy Shapes the Future of AI May 01, 2023

This week my guest is professor of neuroscience at University College London, Karl Friston. Viewed by many as one of the world’s most influential neuroscientists, Friston rose to prominence when he pioneered one of the key techniques that allows neuroscientists to analyze brain activity. And as if that wasn’t enough, he has since developed the Free Energy Principle, which some see as monumental to the field as Darwin’s theory of evolution was for biology and genetics.

It’s this work on the Free Energy principle that will be the bulk of our conversation in this episode, and I warn you that this is probably one of the most intellectually challenging conversations we’ve had on the show. To help you navigate this, I want to offer just a quick overview that may aid in understanding the ideas. In essence, Friston’s work roughly states that entities that exist must track information from the world around them, create an internal model of that information, and then use that model to navigate the world in a way that reduces the difference (the error) between what was actually experienced and what one’s model predicted.

While this concept may seem simple on the surface, the actual science behind it is detailed, complex, and holds immense influence for how we develop artificial intelligence.

Learn more about Friston and his work at fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/~karl/

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL98: Jean Twenge - How Generations Are Shaped By Technology Apr 24, 2023

This week my guest is Jean Twenge, a renowned psychologist, professor, and author who has been one of the world’s leading researchers investigating generational differences and the impacts of technology. This includes her books The Narcissism Epidemic, Generation Me, and my personal favorite iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.

In this episode we explore Jean’s wonderful collection of work through the lens of her newest book, Generations, where we investigate how Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have been shaped by technology and the implications this holds for the future. This takes us on a tour of discussions around the animosity between generations, mental health, personality traits like narcissism, regulations for social media platforms, and more.

ollow her at twitter.com/jean_twenge

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL97: Nessa Carey - Epigenetics & Gene Editing Apr 17, 2023

This week our guest is British biologist, Nessa Carey, who has researched and written extensively about the latest trends in molecular biology and biotechnology for several decades now. This includes her 2011 book, the Epigenetics Revolution, and her more recent 2019 book, Hacking the Code of Life.

In this episode, we lay some biological groundwork by first discussing the often misunderstood field of epigenetics, a process wherein our DNA changes how it's expressed throughout our lives. From there we dive deeply into gene editing and CRISPR, discussing the current state of the art, what’s possible and what isn’t, how to use gene editing to heal disease and address ecological issues, the existential threats gene editing poses for our species and planet, regulation, and much more.

Find out more about Nessa and her work at nessacarey.co.uk
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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ /⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL96: Mikes Berners-Lee - Understanding Climate Change Apr 03, 2023

This week my guest is professor and fellow of the Institute for Social Futures at Lancaster University, Mike Berners-Lee.

With a brother who is often referred to as the inventor of the internet, Mike Berners-Lee carries on his family’s legacy of scientific brilliance through the domain of climate change. Specifically, Mike is considered one of the leading experts studying carbon footprints, and has written extensively on the subject in books such as The Carbon Footprint of Everything and There Is No Planet B. In this episode we discuss Mike’s work more broadly, focusing on some of the big questions and criticisms facing climate science. For example, what are the common misconceptions around climate change? Is it man-made? Can we fix it? And what role will technology play?

Find out more about Mike and his work at Small World Consulting or follow him at twitter.com/MikeBernersLee

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠⁠su.org⁠⁠

Host:⁠⁠ Steven Parton⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ /⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL95: Sander van der Linden - Foolproof in the Age of Misinformation Mar 24, 2023

This week my guest is Sander Van Der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge where he has also directed the Social Decision-Making Lab since 2016.

In this episode we explore Sander’s latest publication, Foolproof, in which he details the many ways in which humans fall prey to misinformation and ways in which we can resist such persuasion. This primarily takes us on a tour of his work around “pre-bunking,” an experience that gives one an increased resistance to misinformation almost by acting as a mental vaccine.

Find out more about Sander and his work at twitter.com/Sander_vdLinden or at sandervanderlinden.com

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Learn more about Singularity: ⁠su.org⁠

Host:⁠ Steven Parton⁠ - ⁠LinkedIn⁠ /⁠ Twitter⁠

Music by: Amine el Filali

FBL94: Max Borders - Decentralizing the Social Singularity Mar 20, 2023

This week our guest is philosopher and author, Max Borders, who founded the non-profit Social Evolution in order to solve social problems through innovation, and who has also authored three books deeply exploring humanity’s movement to a society of decentralized governance.

In this episode, we explore some of the finer details of decentralization, including how it manifests itself in the digital and physical worlds, how bad actors are kept in check in a society without a central authority, the types of technologies that will help mediate the transition to such a world, and the many flaws and opportunities that exist in such a paradigm.

Find out more about at social-evolution.com or follow Max at twitter.com/socialevol

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