Awakening Siddhartha (podcast interview)

 

Really fun conversation! 

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction 

02:21 Steve's Encounter with Richard Feynman 

03:31 Discussion on Genetics and Human Improvement 

11:08 The Role of Genetics in Disease Prediction 

18:10 Understanding the Influence of Genetics on Behaviour 

21:37 The Future of Genetic Selection in Embryos 

39:24 The Role of Genetics in Addiction 

41:53 The Importance of Individual Differences and Success 

46:36 The Value of STEM in Indian Culture 

48:02 The Importance of Non-Academic Skills for Success 

49:01 Exploring the World of Embryo Modification 

51:30 The Quest for Immortality: Brian Johnson's Story 

57:20 The Role of Genetics in Aging 

01:01:19 The Power and Potential of Gene Editing 

01:11:37 The Impact of Genetics on Society and Policy 

01:16:36 Understanding the Rise of China in the Global Stage 

01:53:14 The Future of AI and the Impact on Jobs 

01:58:46 The Future of Human and Machine Intelligence 

02:01:54 The Possibility of Living in a Simulation 

Short excerpts below :-)

Ray McGovern: CIA, JFK, Deep State, and Ukraine Crisis — Manifold #54

 

Raymond McGovern is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst, serving from 1963 to 1990. 

His CIA career began under President John F. Kennedy and lasted through the presidency of George H. W. Bush. McGovern advised Henry Kissinger during the Richard Nixon administration, and during the Ronald Reagan administration he chaired National Intelligence Estimates and prepared the President's Daily Brief. 

He received the Intelligence Commendation Medal at his retirement but returned it in 2006 to protest the CIA's involvement in torture. 

Steve and Ray discuss: 

0:00 Introduction 

01:25 Ray McGovern's assessment of the JFK assassination 

26:10 Hunter Biden's laptop 

30:50 Ukraine and the U.S. intelligence services' role in the deep state 

55:20 Strategic implications of the Ukraine war for the U.S. 

01:03:38 Are things worse today, versus 1963? 

Books referenced in this episode: 

JFK and the Unspeakable 

https://www.amazon.com/JFK-Unspeakable-Why-Died-Matters/dp/1439193886 

Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy

https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Mosaic-Conspiracy-Kennedy-Pinchot/dp/1510708928/

Lecture: Fermi Paradox, AI, Simulation Question — Manifold #53

 

This lecture covers DNA and the origin of life on Earth, the Fermi Paradox (is there alien life?), AI and its implications for the Simulation Question: Could our universe be a simulation? Are we machines, but don't know it? 

Slides: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CrWLiKYhLbDLG8yTOBySrsKrzAUbV-FES1toeJL-UWE/edit?usp=sharing 

Further discussion of the Simulation Question in light of AGI, and a refinement from quantum mechanics: The Quantum Simulation Question

 

https://infoproc.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-quantum-simulation-hypothesis-do-we.html 

 

CORRECTION: 31:25 The size of our galaxy is not 100 million light years. I should have said ~100 THOUSAND = 100k light years instead!!!

Superhumans and the Race for AI Supremacy - Hidden Forces podcast Episode 351

 

I've been listening to Hidden Forces with Demetri Kofinas for years now. He's an excellent interviewer with interests in finance, geopolitics, technology and more.

Audio-only version.
 

In Episode 351 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Stephen Hsu, a Professor of Theoretical Physics and Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Stephen is also the co-founder of multiple companies, including Genomic Prediction, which provides preimplantation genetic screening services for human embryos, and SuperFocus.ai, which builds large language models for narrow enterprise use cases. 

This is a conversation about some of the most important advancements and trends in genomic science and artificial intelligence, including the social and ethical dilemmas arising from implementing these technologies at scale. Stephen and I discuss the competitive landscapes in both industries, how America’s geostrategic competition with China is driving tradeoffs between innovation and safety, the risks and opportunities that these revolutionary technologies pose, and how the world’s largest companies, economies, and military powers can work together to reap the benefits of this revolution while averting some of their most disastrous potential consequences.