Into the Rabbit Hole We Go...Cautionary Tales of Philosophical Fiction
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
EF34 is an Ask Me Anything about Episode EF11 (When the Lights Go Out: The Blinding Light of an Artificial Future). For the first time, humanity can feel someone breathing on its neck in the neverending evolution race. As AI develops, we can be sure it will give us a real run for our money. So will humanity see this as a challenge to further evolve, or will we get overwhelmed by the unprecedented capability of a machine? Do we stand a chance when for everything humanity took centuries to perfect, AI can master in days or weeks? Can our ape-like brains even comprehend what might be around the next curve of this Next Evolution?
The post (EF34) AMA-EF11: On Perfection the AI Alignment Problem and Possibility of Quantum Leaps of Creativity Ask Me Anything for Episode EF11 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Oct 01, 2019
Tuesday Oct 01, 2019
EF33 is a Behind The Podcast about Episode EF11 (When the Lights Go Out: The Blinding Light of an Artificial Future). The driving question of this episode is ... Can machines think, be creative or fall in love? It's obvious we're witnessing the dawn of artificial intelligence (AI). As the generation living through and directing this big change, we have to feel both excited and nervous. What will the next step be? Will machines become a new race with their own rights to live, love and create? How might the change — potentially a quantum leap — affect humanity?
The post (EF33) BTP-EF11: The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Creativity Behind the Podcast of Episode EF11 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
EF32 is an Ask Me Anything about Episode EF10 ((The Road to Happiness is Inked in Suffering). The driving question of this episode (and this BTP) for you to think through is ... Does happiness define the good? The eighth episode of the first season of the Evolve Faster Podcast Episode is driven by the big question Does happiness define the good. We want to be happy, yet there are only a few people who can honestly claim that. So are we hardwired to sadness or simply bad at our job?
The post (EF32) AMA-EF10: Mind Control Through a Well Chosen Tattoo and the Unlikely Case of Being Happy Enough Ask Me Anything for Episode EF3 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
EF31 is a Behind The Podcast about Episode EF10 (The Road to Happiness is Inked in Suffering). The driving question of this episode (and this BTP) for you to think through is ... Does happiness define the good? We need to be happy to feel good. Even a 4-year-old child knows this somewhere in the chaos of their still-evolving mind. Thus, it seems logical the closer we are to becoming happy 24/7, the better. But when was the last time you met someone who achieved this? And have you ever thought through the practicalities of such a scenario?
The post (EF31) BTP-EF10: Dharma Modifying Negative Thinking and the Never Ending Pursuit of Happiness by Embracing Suffering Behind the Podcast of Episode EF10 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
EF30 is an Ask Me Anything about Episode EF9 (I Feel, Therefore I am: Capsized on the River Emotion). The driving question of this episode (and this AMA) for you to think through is ... Can rationality and emotions coexist? We wish we don’t feel pain, sorrow or sadness. But what if somehow we managed to remove every single emotion. Could we really exist? The seventh episode of the first season of the Evolve Faster Podcast Episode is driven by the big question Can rationality and emotions coexist. We wish we don’t feel pain, sorrow or sadness. But what if somehow we managed to remove every single emotion. Could we really exist?
The post (EF30) AMA-EF9: Emotional Manipulation Tribalism and Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Think Before you Feel Ask Me Anything for Episode EF9 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
EF29 is a Behind The Podcast about Episode EF9 (I Feel, Therefore I am: Capsized on the River Emotion). The driving question of this episode (and this AMA) for you to think through is ... Can rationality and emotions coexist? We tend to put people (and ourselves) into two groups: people who are rational, and people who are emotional. So what should you strive being? A rational or emotional person? Rationality is usually more encouraged as too many emotions can blur your mind. But is it that simple?
The post (EF29) BTP-EF9: Waging War Between Reason and Emotions and the Importance of Leaving Things Unresolved Behind the Podcast of Episode EF9 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Aug 27, 2019
Tuesday Aug 27, 2019
EF28 is an Ask Me Anything about Episode EF8 (Without a Compass: All Who Sail the Seas of Identity Are Not Lost). The sixth episode of the first season of the Evolve Faster Podcast Episode is driven by the big question Who Am I? Many people use drugs to make quick “fixes” to their identity. But if there was a drug that could instantly change you once and for all, would you take it?
The post (EF28) AMA-EF8: Drugs, Consciousness Manipulation and Cheating Your Way To a Better You Ask Me Anything for Episode EF8 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
EF27 is a Behind The Podcast of Episode EF8 (Without a Compass: All Who Sail the Seas of Identity Are Not Lost). The driving question of this episode is ... Can you change your identity? Or the shorter philosophical classic, who are you? Although you know your name, vital statistics, and other necessary information — you likely still ask yourself from time to time 'who am I?' What do we mean when we ask this seemingly simple, but infinitely deep, question? And is it possible that the answer could change over time, implying that your identity can evolve?
The post (EF27) BTP-EF8: Who are You and is it Possible to Upgrage Your Identity as an Adult Behind the Podcast of Episode EF8 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
Tuesday Aug 13, 2019
EF26 is an Ask Me Anything about Episode EF7 (Sleight of Mind: The Black Magic of Rhetoric). The driving question of this episode (and this AMA) for you to think through is ... can we trust reason? In an online world now overcome with fake news, reason and rational thinking would seem to be an obvious bet for an antidote. But how many times did you find yourself in a situation where your reasoning was unreasonable to somebody else? Does this mean it’s not a consistent tool we can trust in all situations? Or are there other skills you need to develop in your critical thinking toolbelt in order to fight fire with rhetorical fire?
The post (EF26) AMA-EF7: The Impossibility of Honest Politicians and Protecting Our Kids from The Most Insidious Fake News Ask Me Anything for Episode EF3 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
EF25 is a Behind The Podcast (BTP) looking back at Episode EF7 (Sleight of Mind: The Black Magic of Rhetoric). The driving question of this episode is ... can we trust reason? Since perfected by the ancient Greeks, rhetoric has slowly devolved from a respected art into a manipulative tool used in marketing, politics and any other walk of life where mental and verbal coercion pays. Rhetoric, propaganda and the strategic use of logical fallacies are mental and verbal manipulations similar to the dark arts of black magic, in that they create smoke and mirrors to change minds to believe mistruths. And unlike a magician who deceives to entertain, these dark wizards act maliciously in pursuit of profit and power over others.
The post (EF25) BTP-EF7: The Power of Propaganda and Rhetoric to Divide Us and the Quest for a Better World Behind the Podcast of Episode EF7 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
This is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) about Episode EF6 (Information Mainlining and the Folly of Modern Wisdom). The driving question of this episode is ... is wisdom necessary for leading a satisfying life? It certainly seems useful, but what exactly do you get from it? And does prudence require you to know more than the basic math back from elementary school? Or maybe, wisdom trumps traditional knowledge and a person can be wise no matter the number of books read?
The post (EF24) AMA-EF6: Is Less Really More When it Comes to the Pursuit of Wisdom or is Ignorance Bliss Ask Me Anything of Episode EF6 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
The big question driving Episode EF23 is ... How do you acquire wisdom? This is a Behind The Podcast (BTP) of Episode EF6, which was Season 1, Episode 4 of the Evolve Faster Podcast titled Information Mainlining and the Folly of Modern Wisdom. The driving question of this episode (and this BTP) for you to think through is ... what is wisdom? You start school and gather even more knowledge that hopefully will become useful later in life. But what about wisdom? Is it possible to learn to be wise? Or maybe wisdom only comes with age. But that would imply every old person is wise?
The post (EF23) BTP-EF6: Scaling Mount Wisdom Without Suffocating Under an Avalanche of Ego Behind The Podcast of Episode EF6 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Jul 16, 2019
Tuesday Jul 16, 2019
This is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) looking back at Episode EF5, which was Season 1, Episode 3 of the Evolve Faster Podcast titled The Truth is Clay in the Hands of a Sculptor. The driving question of this episode (and this AMA) for you to think through is ... what is the truth? Without knowing the truth, what can we do? Somewhere deep in our DNA, there's a code that says we always need to seek honesty, we need to fight for trustworthiness.
The post (EF22) AMA-EF5: Defeating Fake News and Critical Thinking as the Superpower the World Needs Most Ask Me Anything of Episode EF5 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Jul 09, 2019
Tuesday Jul 09, 2019
This is a Behind The Podcast (BTP) of Episode EF5, which was Season 1, Episode 3 of the Evolve Faster Podcast titled The Truth is Clay in the Hands of a Sculptor. The driving question of this episode (and this BTP) for you to think through is … what is the truth?! Without knowing the truth, what can we do? Somewhere deep in our DNA, there's a code that says we always need to seek honesty, we need to fight for trustworthiness. So we do our best to seek justice we all believe to be the same. When we attack someone for telling a supposed “lie”, we don’t do it because we want to hurt the person. Instead, we’re doing it because we want him or her to be “right” as well. Because, if there’s a single correct path and you are already on that path, then it’s logical you must help anyone who isn’t.
The post (EF21) BTP-EF5: Should Lying be Made Illegal and the Importance of Figuring Out Why You Believe What you Believe --Behind the Podcast of Episode EF5 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
The big question driving Episode EF20 is… How can you know anything? People rarely think about the origins of knowledge. From where does everything we know come from? It does sound a bit stupid to ask until you realize that knowledge rarely changes. Yes, there is the knowledge that's set in stone like that if you have two apples and add another two, you'll have four. You’re about to listen to a Ask Me Anything (AMA) of Episode EF4, which was Season 1, Episode 2 of the Evolve Faster Podcast titled The Decapitation of Reason: A Skeptic’s Guide. The driving question of this episode (and this AMA) for you to think through is … How can you know anything? It’s a fascinating question that actually has surprisingly little research or philosophical investigation.
The post (EF20) AMA-EF4: The Declining Value of Information and Taking Risks to Determine What is the Truth Ask Me Anything of Episode EF4 appeared first on Evolve Faster with Scott Ely.