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Preference Falsification and Postmodernism with Michael Vassar

Preference Falsification and Postmodernism with Michael Vassar

FromClearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg


Preference Falsification and Postmodernism with Michael Vassar

FromClearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

ratings:
Length:
93 minutes
Released:
Feb 17, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

How much preference falsification is occurring in society? What's the difference between conflict theory and mistake theory? Why is postmodernism useful to understand?Michael Vassar was the President of the Singularity Institute from 2009 to 2012. Subsequently, he has worked in business consulting, especially in association with cutting edge science, although these days he primarily invests his own assets. You can contact him at michael.vassar@gmail.com.Further reading:My IRB Nightmare — the Slate Star Codex codex account of trying to do a study in a hospital that we discuss in the episodeGPT-3 — the A.I. language model discussed in the episode that was released by OpenAIPreference falsificationConflict theory vs. Mistake theory and people's views on societyThe "postmodern" analysis / article that Michael brought up
Released:
Feb 17, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Clearer Thinking is a podcast about ideas that truly matter. Join Spencer Greenberg each week as he has fun, in-depth conversations with brilliant people, exploring useful ideas related to psychology, society, behavior change, philosophy, science, artificial intelligence, math, economics, self-help, mental health, and technology. 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! Because this is the podcast about "ideas that matter," we prioritize ideas that can be applied right now to make life better and that can help you better understand yourself and the world. In other words, we want to highlight the very best 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, and 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 is good and what is bad about 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?