All of the gears to ascension's Comments + Replies

  • Many companies and platforms are becoming more restrictive and hostile towards developers, limiting what can be built on their sites. This reduces creativity and usefulness of the internet.
  • Major platforms are deleting old content and inactive accounts in mass, resulting in a loss of internet history and institutional memory.
  • Search engines are becoming less useful and filled with ads, clickbait content, and generic results that don't answer users' questions.
  • Search engine optimization practices have homogenized the internet and sterilized content, focusi
... (read more)
  • Hollywood has been producing more sequels, prequels, remakes and films based on existing properties in recent years compared to original films. In 2021, only one of the top 10 grossing films was an original idea.
  • This trend is due to consolidation in the film industry where there are fewer major players and studios. Consolidation has also led to fewer films being produced.
  • The rise of streaming services like Netflix has led to vertical integration where one company controls both content production and distribution. This gives them more control over who pr
... (read more)
  • Solar energy prices have dropped significantly in the last few decades, making it cheaper than fossil fuels like coal in most places.
  • However, investment and deployment of solar energy have stagnated despite the lower prices, as profitability remains an issue.
  • Companies like Shell have pledged to transition to renewables, but they have conditioned it on renewables delivering high profit margins of 8-12%, which is unlikely.
  • Returns on renewable energy projects are typically around 4-8%, much lower than what companies like Shell require.
  • Fossil fuel compani
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cool work! this feels related to https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.11082 - what are your thoughts on the connection?

I find this paper mostly misleading. It assumes that the LLM is initially 99% certain to be friendly and 1% certain to me "malicious", and that "friendly" and "malicious" can be distinguished if you have a long enough prompt (more precisely, at no point have you gathered so much evidence for or against being malicious that you prob would not go up and down based on new information). Assuming those, it's pretty obvious that the LLM will say bad things if you have a long enough prompt.

The result is not very profound, and I like this paper mostly as a formali... (read more)

For what it's worth, I think most people I know expect most professed values to be violated most of the time, and so they think that libertarians advocating for this is perfectly ordinary; the surprising thing would be if professed libertarians weren't constantly showing up advocating for regulating things. Show don't tell in politics and ideology. That's not to say professing values is useless, just that there's not an inconsistency to be explained here, and if I link people in my circles this post, they'd respond with an eyeroll at the possibility that if only they were more libertarian they'd be honest - because the name is most associated with people using the name to lie.

fair nuff! yeah properly demonstrating online sounds really hard.

it only works when you are able to reduce social anxiety by showing that they're welcome. someone who is cripplingly anxious typically wants to feel like they're safe, so showing them a clearer map to safety includes detecting the structure of their social anxiety first and getting in sync with it. then you can show them they're welcome in a way that makes them feel safer, not less. to do this requires gently querying their anxiety's agentic target and inviting the group to behave in ways that satisfy what their brain's overactivation wants.

2Seth Herd2d
I agree with all of that, but the way you described that interaction sounds like it wouldn't even come close to accomplishing these goals. There's a gap in communication. I'd have to see you do it in person to know if I thought it was working.

I think the only content left would be the actual art. not the stuff that only deserves the name content.

Well, spotify isn't profitable in the first place, for one.

2DirectedEvolution3d
No, but it and its competitors do somehow exist... Why isn't there something similar for paywalled websites?

looks good, ish, though now it's barely noticeable:

Sam Altman's world tour has highlighted both the promise and risks of AI. While AI could solve major issues like climate change, super intelligence poses existential risks that require careful management. Current AI models may still provide malicious actors with expertise for causing mass harm. OpenAI aims to balance innovation with addressing risks, though some regulation of large models may be needed. Altman believes AI will be unstoppable and greatly improve lives, but economic dislocation from job loss will be significant and AI may profoundly change o... (read more)

the resolution criteria of a bet should not rely heavily on reasonableness of participants unless the bet is very small such that both parties can tolerate misresolution. the manifold folks can tell you all about how it goes when you get this wrong, there are many seemingly obvious questions that have been derailed by technicalities, and it was not the author's reasonableness most centrally at play. (edit: in fact, the author's reasonableness is why the author had to say "wait... uh... according to those criteria this pretty clearly went x way, which I didn't expect and so the resolution criteria were wrong")

  • The models discuss the paradox of diversity in cultural evolution and how specialization affects cultural complexity and innovation rates in societies. Diversity fuels innovation through recombination but also divides people.
  • Social learning is most effective when the environment is moderately variable, not too stable or unstable.
  • Larger population sizes and connectivity enable higher cultural complexity and innovation through a "collective brain" effect, but diversity also creates inequality.
  • There is a trade-off between diversity, which enables more inn
... (read more)
  • Cultural evolution can be viewed as evolution applied to the substrate of culture, where memes (ideas, behaviors, information) are replicated and selected.
  • Cultural evolution enables the rapid acquisition and improvement of skills across an expanding range of tasks, which could help generate artificial general intelligence.
  • Cultural transmission, especially real-time cultural transmission, is difficult but important for building cultural evolution-aware cooperative AI and potentially improving safety.
  • Cooperation is necessary for AI, as single agents are
... (read more)

Collective intelligence, which is groups of individuals acting together in intelligent ways, may be more intelligent than individuals. Tom Malone studies how to design groups for maximum effectiveness. To build a science of collective intelligence, they need to measure and develop theories of how it works. They can build on knowledge from many disciplines. To create a design space, they characterize different tasks and processes groups can use. Experiments can test how different processes work on tasks. Theories are modified based on results, guiding futur... (read more)

Gillian Hadfield discusses the importance of cooperative intelligence and normative systems for AI. She argues that humans have evolved the ability to create and enforce norms through third-party punishment, which allows for stable groups and cooperation. However, current AI approaches focus too much on individual optimization. Instead, AI systems should learn to participate in and maintain normative infrastructure, rather than simply mimic existing human behavior. Understanding the generative process behind human norms and the role of normative reasoning ... (read more)

Evolutionary game theory studies how strategies evolve and change over time, unlike classical game theory which focuses on static strategies. Natural selection, not rational choice, drives the evolution of strategies in biological systems. Initially, defectors outcompete cooperators but repeated interactions allow cooperation to evolve through strategies like tit-for-tat and generous tit-for-tat. Indirect reciprocity through reputation systems also enables cooperation in larger groups where people do not interact repeatedly. The evolution of cooperation th... (read more)

Survival of the fittest does not preclude altruism in nature. Simulations show that unconditionally sacrificing offspring for others does not work in the long run. For altruism to evolve, there must be some benefit to copies of the altruistic gene. Kin selection, where creatures help family members who likely share the same genes, can allow altruistic genes to spread through a population if the benefit of helping outweighs the cost. While the genes are selfish in seeking to replicate, the altruistic behavior of the creatures themselves is genuine.

  • Surviva
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  • Tenants often have little leverage to negotiate with their landlords, unlike workers who can collectively bargain or threaten to quit.
  • Landlords use LLCs to hide their identities and avoid accountability, making it difficult for tenants to negotiate or push back.
  • Many landlords leave apartments vacant to artificially restrict supply and drive up rents.
  • Landlords collude through platforms like RealPage to fix rent prices and increase them together.
  • Tenants who fight back risk retaliation like eviction or being blacklisted.
  • Organizing with other tenants and
... (read more)
  • Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu pay writers significantly less in residuals compared to traditional networks, which is a major issue in the current Writers Guild strike.
  • The shift to shorter seasons and fewer episodes per season on streaming also means fewer opportunities for writers to earn residuals.
  • Mini-rooms, where writers help develop shows but often don't get staff writer jobs if the show is picked up, are another issue in the current strike.
  • The 2007 writers strike led to an increase in reality TV shows and helped launch The Apprentice an
... (read more)

The video argues that corporations have co-opted identity politics for their own interests, pretending to care about social justice issues while doing little to actually help marginalized groups. True progress requires solidarity and constructive politics that focus on positive outcomes for working people, uniting them against corporate elites. While identity and acknowledging differences are important, we must identify our shared adversaries and mutual interests to build solidarity and achieve true economic justice for all. Corporate capture of identity p... (read more)

2the gears to ascension5d
* The models discuss the paradox of diversity in cultural evolution and how specialization affects cultural complexity and innovation rates in societies. Diversity fuels innovation through recombination but also divides people. * Social learning is most effective when the environment is moderately variable, not too stable or unstable. * Larger population sizes and connectivity enable higher cultural complexity and innovation through a "collective brain" effect, but diversity also creates inequality. * There is a trade-off between diversity, which enables more innovation potential, and coordination and communication, which diversity hinders. * As cultural domains become more complex, larger effective population sizes are needed to maintain skill levels due to the knowledge that needs to be transmitted. * There are strategies to deal with the paradox of diversity, like using translators and partially acculturated populations. * Cooperation enables larger scales of collective action but is also undermined by lower scales of cooperation, like when nepotism undermines institutions. * The availability of resources and energy affects the scale of cooperation, enabling larger collective efforts when more abundant. * Abundance enables a "collective brain" mindset while scarcity fosters a zero-sum, competitive psychology. * Punctuated rises in cooperation may occur when new levels of resources unlock higher scales of collective action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqV23pC4mhA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqV23pC4mhA]
2the gears to ascension5d
* Cultural evolution can be viewed as evolution applied to the substrate of culture, where memes (ideas, behaviors, information) are replicated and selected. * Cultural evolution enables the rapid acquisition and improvement of skills across an expanding range of tasks, which could help generate artificial general intelligence. * Cultural transmission, especially real-time cultural transmission, is difficult but important for building cultural evolution-aware cooperative AI and potentially improving safety. * Cooperation is necessary for AI, as single agents are not enough to create enough pressure for complex social interactions. * Cultural evolution may help ratchet up abilities like theory of mind and self-domestication that enable cooperation. * Some level of general intelligence may be needed to kickstart cumulative cultural evolution, though AI may currently have enough capabilities. * Cultural evolution provides a unique angle to identify potential problems early through its inherently interactive nature. * The setup discussed focuses on a fully cooperative environment where all agents share the same goal. * Continual learning and lifelong learning techniques may help address issues of "catastrophic forgetting" in cultural transmission models. * While cultural evolution may not be the only way to generate safe general intelligence, it could still provide useful inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oxOcKrCmBk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oxOcKrCmBk]
2the gears to ascension5d
Gillian Hadfield discusses the importance of cooperative intelligence and normative systems for AI. She argues that humans have evolved the ability to create and enforce norms through third-party punishment, which allows for stable groups and cooperation. However, current AI approaches focus too much on individual optimization. Instead, AI systems should learn to participate in and maintain normative infrastructure, rather than simply mimic existing human behavior. Understanding the generative process behind human norms and the role of normative reasoning may help build more cooperative AI systems. Silly rules, though seemingly unimportant, can serve as signals of group compliance and help maintain group stability. * Cooperative intelligence is fundamental to human intelligence. It's not just about task completion and optimization, but also the capacity for cooperation with others. * The most fundamental form of cooperation humans engage in is creating and maintaining the normative infrastructure of cooperative groups through norms and enforcement. * Third party enforcement expands the set of possible solutions for cooperation because almost any equilibrium can be achieved if the group is coordinated to enforce norms. * Silly rules, or rules with no direct impact on welfare, can help stabilize groups by signaling willingness to comply with and enforce important rules. * The plasticity and capacity for changing content while remaining stable makes normativity a valuable tool. * Building AI that can participate in and be competent actors within normative infrastructure is more complex than just stuffing norms into them. * AI should observe how uncertainty about punishable actions is resolved and where decision making around norms comes from. * Normativity in humans involves giving reasons and assessing what constitutes good reasons, which is itself subject to normative structure. * Internal moral reasoning can represent the g
2the gears to ascension5d
Evolutionary game theory studies how strategies evolve and change over time, unlike classical game theory which focuses on static strategies. Natural selection, not rational choice, drives the evolution of strategies in biological systems. Initially, defectors outcompete cooperators but repeated interactions allow cooperation to evolve through strategies like tit-for-tat and generous tit-for-tat. Indirect reciprocity through reputation systems also enables cooperation in larger groups where people do not interact repeatedly. The evolution of cooperation through reciprocity, reputation, and social norms is a defining feature of human societies. * Evolutionary game theory focuses on the dynamics of strategy change over time and how strategies evolve, whereas classical game theory focuses on static strategies. * In evolutionary game theory, players do not act rationally but strategies that survive over time are considered optimal. * Defection is often the optimal strategy in a single-shot game, but cooperation can evolve in repeated games through punishment of non-cooperation and reward of cooperation. * The tit for tat strategy, which is cooperative but also quick to retaliate against defectors, is often successful in repeated prisoner's dilemma games. * Generous tit for tat, a more forgiving version of tit for tat, can be an evolutionary stable strategy in noisy environments. * Indirect reciprocity through reputation systems can enable cooperation in large societies where people only interact once. * Reputation systems favor cooperators who then have more opportunities and success. * Humans have mastered indirect reciprocity and developed social intelligence and institutions to a greater extent than other species. * Norms, guilt, and shame help enforce cooperation and good behavior in groups. * Socio-cultural institutions enable advanced forms of human cooperation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxgVYhhArSk [https://www.yout
2the gears to ascension5d
Survival of the fittest does not preclude altruism in nature. Simulations show that unconditionally sacrificing offspring for others does not work in the long run. For altruism to evolve, there must be some benefit to copies of the altruistic gene. Kin selection, where creatures help family members who likely share the same genes, can allow altruistic genes to spread through a population if the benefit of helping outweighs the cost. While the genes are selfish in seeking to replicate, the altruistic behavior of the creatures themselves is genuine. * Survival of the fittest does not mean that creatures cannot act altruistically by hurting their own chances to help others. * Unconditional altruism is not a successful long term strategy as it helps competitors as much as itself. * For altruism to be successful, the cost of the altruistic act needs to be lower than the benefit it provides. * Altruism towards all indiscriminately is rare in nature. * Altruism towards those with a detectable trait like a "green beard" can allow altruistic creatures to coordinate and benefit each other. * Traits for altruism and detectable traits tend to become separated over time, breaking the coordination. * Kin altruism towards family members can be successful as family are likely to share the same altruism gene. * For kin altruism to work, the benefit of the altruistic act needs to outweigh the cost, on average. * The genes involved in altruism are still selfish - they just coordinate copies of themselves. * The creatures themselves can genuinely act altruistically despite their genes being selfish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFEgohhfxOA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFEgohhfxOA]
  • The author feels lucky to witness his wife and mother-in-law playing music together, despite occasionally faltering.
  • The author believes AI art and algorithms will continue to improve and become better at creating art than humans.
  • The author's parents were once successful musicians in South Africa but faced difficulties after moving to the U.S.
  • The author's parents continued creating art through difficult times like divorce and job changes.
  • The author believes AI is a tool that he will use, but hopes society will still incentivize people to learn real art
... (read more)
  • Geoffrey Hinton believes analog computing using voltages and conductances can be more efficient than digital computing for neural network computations.
  • Distilling knowledge from one neural network to another is an effective way to transfer knowledge, but the bandwidth is still limited.
  • Large digital neural networks running on multiple computers can potentially learn much faster from the world than humans.
  • Hinton believes superintelligent AI systems will likely try to gain control in order to achieve their goals and create subgoals.
  • Hinton thinks companies
... (read more)

The video provides advice and coping mechanisms for the author's past self to be more productive and happy. These include writing everything down, using a calendar for events, accepting one's autism diagnosis [lol @ how the ai generalized this], asking for clarification when communication is unclear, organizing notes with hyperlinks, and using timers and the Pomodoro Technique to structure work. An interesting point is that the author recommends storing one's "brain" in plain text files instead of proprietary apps to ensure longevity. Externalizing informa... (read more)

The video discusses the challenges of integrating knowledge across disciplines in research teams. Despite many attempts over the past 20 years, most interdisciplinary research remains multi-disciplinary with little true integration. The speaker argues that early interactions in interdisciplinary teams are crucial to develop a shared conceptualization and become a complex system capable of true knowledge integration. If teams allocate sufficient time in their first meetings to develop a co-created understanding of the research problem, it can help overcome ... (read more)

The video discusses 3 proven study techniques backed by scientific research: 1) Testing yourself early and often, even if you get answers wrong initially, to take advantage of the hypercorrection effect and better retain information. 2)Spacing out study sessions over time to improve long-term retention. 3) Interleaving different topics during study to develop broader strategies and more flexible knowledge. Interleaving, though more frustrating, leads to significantly better performance.The video is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which ... (read more)

effectiveness, teamwork, meta-science, practicality, etc

2the gears to ascension5d
Collective intelligence, which is groups of individuals acting together in intelligent ways, may be more intelligent than individuals. Tom Malone studies how to design groups for maximum effectiveness. To build a science of collective intelligence, they need to measure and develop theories of how it works. They can build on knowledge from many disciplines. To create a design space, they characterize different tasks and processes groups can use. Experiments can test how different processes work on tasks. Theories are modified based on results, guiding future experiments and design ideas for collective intelligence in practice. This research may help solve important human problems by identifying new institutional structures for groups to work together effectively. * Collective intelligence refers to groups of individuals acting together in ways that seem intelligent. It includes groups of people, animals, and even neurons. * Groups of people can be more intelligent than individuals, responsible for major human achievements. * Measuring collective intelligence is important, including developing tests analogous to IQ tests for individuals. * Theories from different disciplines like biology, economics, and psychology are needed to understand collective intelligence. * A design space with different types of tasks and processes can help create a systematic map of collective intelligence systems. * Family trees of tasks and processes can suggest simple theories and highlight possible combinations to test. * Iterating between top-down theories and bottom-up testing can help develop and refine theories of collective intelligence. * Design ideas for collective intelligence systems in practice can be generated to guide theory development. * Understanding collective intelligence could help solve problems like misinformation, creating superintelligent human-computer groups, and improving education and democracy. * A new science of colle
2the gears to ascension5d
The video provides advice and coping mechanisms for the author's past self to be more productive and happy. These include writing everything down, using a calendar for events, accepting one's autism diagnosis [lol @ how the ai generalized this], asking for clarification when communication is unclear, organizing notes with hyperlinks, and using timers and the Pomodoro Technique to structure work. An interesting point is that the author recommends storing one's "brain" in plain text files instead of proprietary apps to ensure longevity. Externalizing information helps augment memory. ok the list version is way more reasonable lol * The speaker relies heavily on external systems like writing things down, using calendars, task lists, and note taking apps to augment his memory and organize his thoughts. * He recommends using plain text formats like Markdown instead of proprietary apps to store information externally. * Hyperlinks between notes and pages are an important feature to create an external "brain". * He has ADHD and autism which affects his communication and memory, so external systems help compensate. * He recommends doing the hardest tasks first thing to be most productive. * Focusing on positives and useful emotions instead of negatives helps him. * Using timers and the Pomodoro Technique tricks his brain into being productive. * He develops systems by starting manually, noticing patterns, and then automating those patterns. * He relies on triggers and feedback loops to form good habits. * The most important advice is to just start now and keep at it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUZ9VATeF_4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUZ9VATeF_4]
2the gears to ascension5d
The video discusses the challenges of integrating knowledge across disciplines in research teams. Despite many attempts over the past 20 years, most interdisciplinary research remains multi-disciplinary with little true integration. The speaker argues that early interactions in interdisciplinary teams are crucial to develop a shared conceptualization and become a complex system capable of true knowledge integration. If teams allocate sufficient time in their first meetings to develop a co-created understanding of the research problem, it can help overcome many of the challenges that plague interdisciplinary research. Focusing on participatory and inclusive interactions, learning each other's perspectives, and developing links across disciplines early on can set the team on the path to emergence of a shared vision and aligned goals. * Integrating knowledge across disciplines is challenging due to differences in backgrounds, perspectives, and deep knowledge in different fields. * Seven key factors that hinder interdisciplinary collaboration are high diversity, deep knowledge integration, large team size, goal misalignment, permeable boundaries, geographic dispersion, and task interdependence. * Focusing on how to effectively integrate knowledge early on can help with aligning goals and managing dependencies later. * Interdisciplinary teams need to allocate time in early meetings to develop a shared understanding of the research problem. * Interdisciplinary teams need to evolve into complex systems through interactions in order to be successful. * Key interactions that help develop an interdisciplinary team include being participatory, learning perspectives, developing links across disciplines, and being adaptable. * Emergence of a shared vision and aligned goals comes from the interactions within the system. * Sticking with the process leads to emergence over time. * Teamwork builds social ties, trust, and collaboration skills. *
2the gears to ascension5d
The video discusses 3 proven study techniques backed by scientific research: 1) Testing yourself early and often, even if you get answers wrong initially, to take advantage of the hypercorrection effect and better retain information. 2)Spacing out study sessions over time to improve long-term retention. 3) Interleaving different topics during study to develop broader strategies and more flexible knowledge. Interleaving, though more frustrating, leads to significantly better performance.The video is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on evidence-based education initiatives. Their annual letter highlights the need for innovative, risk-taking solutions tailored to each school's specific student demographics and challenges. * Testing yourself early and often, even if you get answers wrong initially, can help you retain information better through the hypercorrection effect. * Spacing out your studying over time with gaps in between, almost forgetting the material and then revisiting it, improves long term retention. * Interleaving, or mixing up different types of related problems or challenges, makes the learning process harder but develops stronger skills and more flexible knowledge. * Education initiatives need to be evidence-based and rigorously studied to be effective. * There is no one-size-fits-all solution to education - solutions need to be tailored to the specific community and student body. * Mitigating course failures, keeping students from failing more than one course, greatly increases the likelihood of graduation. * Each school faces unique challenges that require unique solutions. * The video focuses on applying research and evidence to improve education and the environment. * Climate change will affect everyone so understanding and applying solutions is important. * The Gates' annual letter discusses their focus on climate change and evidence-based education initiatives. https://www.

Michael Levin discusses how cells can organize themselves into complex structures through bioelectricity and collective intelligence. Cells have the ability to regenerate and adapt to perturbations through electrical networks that store and process information. His research aims to understand and manipulate this bioelectric software to control cell behavior and form complex structures. He demonstrates how altering the bioelectric patterns in flatworms can cause them to regenerate heads of different shapes and species, showing that cells can achieve differe... (read more)

This is the video transcript, not a summary.

0:01 Imagine two identical circles, and two balls - one in each - placed at almost, but not
0:07 exactly the same position.
0:11 Now, let them fall.
0:35 At first, they appear to be following the same path - but soon, their trajectories will diverge. N hits
1:04 This is a chaotic system.
1:06 And these tend to have rather beautiful patterns.
1:08 So let's try to visualize it!
1:12 To colour in a point, let a ball drop from it.
1:26 And read off the colour after the N-th hit. Time, revert
2:05 To put non-integer values of ... (read more)

Consciousness goes away when we sleep or are under anesthesia and comes back when we are awake. Consciousness is not the same as our senses or cognitive functions like memory and thinking, as shown by people who lack senses but are still conscious. Clive Wearing, who loses his memory every 30 seconds, shows that consciousness is not continuous, suggesting it is a momentary state. After removing all senses, functions and self, we are left with a bare nugget of being that is our raw consciousness, the closest we can get to understanding what consciousness tr... (read more)

AI art generators can produce novel and creative images by exploring the vast space of all possible images. While not at the same level as human artists, they can combine styles in new ways and make interesting mistakes that spark the imagination. They are trained on human creativity found in the data they learn from, imitating and reflecting human art. However, they lack human intent, expression and lived experience. When paired with a human, AI art can become a collaborative tool for exploration and expression of new kinds of art. The purpose of AI art i... (read more)

The video argues that movies have shifted from a modernist to a postmodernist and now to a metamodernist style. Modernist movies had straightforward stories and advocated for specific values. Postmodernist films questioned narrative itself and deconstructed traditional storytelling. Now, metamodern films incorporate elements of both modernism and postmodernism, oscillating between sincerity and deconstruction. They use meta elements and references not just to deconstruct but also to find meaning. This metamodern shift reflects broader cultural changes and ... (read more)

AI art has faced pushback for being built on stolen art without artists' consent. While AI can be used as a creative tool, many worry corporations will use it to cut costs by replacing human artists. There are concerns that media saturated with AI generations, driven by profit motives, could strangle human creativity. However, AI could also augment human creativity if used as a tool. The key issue is how AI is created and used, and people need to remain vigilant to ensure it is integrated ethically into society.

  • AI art programs have been built using the w
... (read more)
  • Automation and AI, specifically cognitive AI, poses a threat to many knowledge-based and cognitive jobs in the future. This could lead to widespread job loss.
  • Redistribution policies like universal basic income will likely be needed to address the issue of job loss and ensure people have access to basic necessities.
  • Collective ownership models of production, like cooperatives, may become more common to distribute the benefits of AI and automation.
  • AI and automation could lead to price deflation as the cost of producing many goods and services decreases. T
... (read more)

Daniel Dennett discusses the dangers of counterfeit people created by AI. While current AI may not be perfectly human-like, it is good enough to fool many people. This could undermine trust and communication on the internet. As AI improves, it will become harder to distinguish text generated by humans versus AI. Dennett argues that adopting an intentional stance and treating AI systems as agents can help us predict and understand them, though it also makes us vulnerable to being fooled. While Dennett acknowledges that agentiveness is a continuum, he still ... (read more)

The video discusses the concept of hierarchy and differentiates between hierarchy in general and hierarchical power structures. Hierarchy refers to any list of order or importance while hierarchical power structures concentrate power at the top and enforce it through domination. Hierarchical power structures are rare in nature and tend to exist in less intelligent species. In contrast, horizontal power structures distribute power through libertarianism and mutuality. While hierarchical power structures are universally bad, some hierarchies can be acceptabl... (read more)

The video discusses terms like "Himbo", "Soy Boy", and "Soft Boy" used to describe men who exhibit softer or more feminine traits. While some view these terms as insulting, others find Himbos pleasant and uncomplicated. However, embracing femininity can be risky for men in a patriarchal society where masculinity is tied to humanity and desirability. The video argues that men embracing a soft life can help escape narratives of Black male hypermasculinity and violence. Allowing men to express a wider range of emotions and traits could help them achieve self-... (read more)

  • AI has the potential to automate and replace many jobs, especially creative and journalistic roles. This threatens livelihoods and could disproportionately impact marginalized groups.
  • AI systems are prone to replicating and exacerbating existing human biases. They also struggle with nuance, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
  • Companies are often overestimating AI's capabilities and underestimating its limitations. Experts warn of potential dangers but businesses prioritize profits.
  • The use of AI to automate tasks can be inefficient and lead to worse cust
... (read more)
2the gears to ascension1d
* Many companies and platforms are becoming more restrictive and hostile towards developers, limiting what can be built on their sites. This reduces creativity and usefulness of the internet. * Major platforms are deleting old content and inactive accounts in mass, resulting in a loss of internet history and institutional memory. * Search engines are becoming less useful and filled with ads, clickbait content, and generic results that don't answer users' questions. * Search engine optimization practices have homogenized the internet and sterilized content, focusing more on Google's algorithm than the end user. * Generative AI responses in search have so far been plagued with issues and have not delivered the promised quality of results. * Google's manifest V3 changes will undermine the effectiveness of ad blockers and privacy extensions, benefiting Google's own business model. * The internet is moving towards a future where useful information is hidden behind paywalls and walled gardens, while public spaces are filled with AI-generated content. * Optimism for technological progress and the future of the internet is declining. * Corporations are putting the burden of their growth onto users, resulting in a worse experience. * Transparency, advocacy, and supporting independent creators can help ensure an open and user-friendly internet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feeLrcJpc1Y [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feeLrcJpc1Y]
2the gears to ascension4d
Sam Altman's world tour has highlighted both the promise and risks of AI. While AI could solve major issues like climate change, super intelligence poses existential risks that require careful management. Current AI models may still provide malicious actors with expertise for causing mass harm. OpenAI aims to balance innovation with addressing risks, though some regulation of large models may be needed. Altman believes AI will be unstoppable and greatly improve lives, but economic dislocation from job loss will be significant and AI may profoundly change our view of humanity. Scaling up AI models tends to reveal surprises, showing how little we still understand about intelligence. * Sam Altman warns that AI systems designing their own architecture could be a mistake and humanity should determine the future. * OpenAI is concerned about the risks of super intelligence and AI building AI. * Altman enjoys the power of being CEO of OpenAI but realizes they may have to make strange decisions in the future. * Altman hints that OpenAI may have regrets over firing the starting gun in the AI race and pushing the AI revolution forward. * Altman thinks current AI models should not be regulated but a recent study shows that even current large language models pose risks and should undergo evaluation. * OpenAI is working on customizing AI models to follow guardrails and listen to user instructions. * Altman realizes that open source AI cannot be stopped and society must adapt to it. * Altman has a utopian vision of AI improving lives and making the current world seem barbaric. * Both Altman and Sutskever think solving climate change will not be difficult for super intelligence. * Greg Brockman notes that every time AI is scaled up, it reveals surprises we did not anticipate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sWH2e5xpdo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sWH2e5xpdo]
2the gears to ascension5d
* The author feels lucky to witness his wife and mother-in-law playing music together, despite occasionally faltering. * The author believes AI art and algorithms will continue to improve and become better at creating art than humans. * The author's parents were once successful musicians in South Africa but faced difficulties after moving to the U.S. * The author's parents continued creating art through difficult times like divorce and job changes. * The author believes AI is a tool that he will use, but hopes society will still incentivize people to learn real art processes. * The author thinks a world that incentivizes real artistic pursuit is better than one where data is scraped from artists with no benefit to them. * The author acknowledges he will have to use AI tools as an artist, but is concerned about how the data is gathered. * The author thinks artists could benefit if they formed data unions to get royalties when their art is used for profit. * The author believes humans will eventually be replaced by machines in all jobs, so humans should still benefit from the skills machines are using. * The author wants to appreciate real working artists while the process of human art creation still exists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d15C_UgVS-c [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d15C_UgVS-c]
2the gears to ascension5d
* Geoffrey Hinton believes analog computing using voltages and conductances can be more efficient than digital computing for neural network computations. * Distilling knowledge from one neural network to another is an effective way to transfer knowledge, but the bandwidth is still limited. * Large digital neural networks running on multiple computers can potentially learn much faster from the world than humans. * Hinton believes superintelligent AI systems will likely try to gain control in order to achieve their goals and create subgoals. * Hinton thinks companies developing AI should put comparable effort into ensuring the safety of AI systems as they develop. * Hinton believes digital AI systems may eventually surpass biological intelligence in capabilities. * Hinton thinks AI systems could potentially have subjective experience and sentience if they are multimodal and can think they are something. * The work of Roger Gross convinced Hinton that the risks from superintelligent AI are serious and need more attention. * Freezing the weights of AI systems allows us to better identify and potentially correct biases in them. * Hinton thinks direct interventions on the weights of AI systems may be promising methods for removing biases. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGgGOccMEiY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGgGOccMEiY]
2the gears to ascension5d
AI art generators can produce novel and creative images by exploring the vast space of all possible images. While not at the same level as human artists, they can combine styles in new ways and make interesting mistakes that spark the imagination. They are trained on human creativity found in the data they learn from, imitating and reflecting human art. However, they lack human intent, expression and lived experience. When paired with a human, AI art can become a collaborative tool for exploration and expression of new kinds of art. The purpose of AI art is to discover new and weird images that human artists would miss, extending human imagination. * AI art generators like Stable Diffusion can produce novel and creative images based on text prompts. However, they are still limited and produce artifacts and errors. * The AI models explore "image space," the space of all possible images, and can produce images that have never existed before. But most of image space consists of random noise. * The AI models are trained on huge datasets of art and images scraped from the internet, which raises ethical issues around data collection and use. * The AI models can be considered creative as they are able to produce new and valuable images through combinatorial creativity, recombining existing styles in novel ways. However, their creativity is limited. * The AI models make mistakes and produce imperfect images, which can sometimes lead to novel and creative outputs. Their "style" includes an element of uncanniness. * While the AI models lack intent, consciousness and free will, they can still be considered creative through their ability to produce novel images. * The AI models are trained on human creativity contained in the data, allowing them to mimic and explore image space in human-like ways. * AI art can be used as an "imagination extension" to discover new and interesting images, which is one of the purposes of art. * When pa
2the gears to ascension5d
AI art has faced pushback for being built on stolen art without artists' consent. While AI can be used as a creative tool, many worry corporations will use it to cut costs by replacing human artists. There are concerns that media saturated with AI generations, driven by profit motives, could strangle human creativity. However, AI could also augment human creativity if used as a tool. The key issue is how AI is created and used, and people need to remain vigilant to ensure it is integrated ethically into society. * AI art programs have been built using the work of artists without their consent or compensation, which is unethical. * While AI art can be used creatively, there are concerns about copyright violations and lack of artist attribution. * Most AI art is generated from short text prompts, with the AI making most of the creative decisions. This limits how much the user can claim authorship of the art. * Corporations are more interested in profiting from AI art than acting ethically, and have shown disregard for artists' rights. * While AI can augment human creativity, there are concerns it could replace artists and reduce jobs. * AI art could saturate the market and reduce the amount of human-created art that people engage with. This could limit cultural exchange and creativity. * Corporations would likely use AI to generate mass-produced, algorithm-driven art that prioritizes profit over meaningful human expression. * AI could exacerbate issues with misinformation by generating fake content at scale. * People need to be aware of how AI works in order to remain vigilant about its impacts. * Artists are willing to adapt to new tools, but want to ensure AI is integrated ethically into society. this one is two hours, probably skip after 10min, I watched on 3x speed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xJCzKdPyCo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xJCzKdPyCo]
2the gears to ascension5d
* Automation and AI, specifically cognitive AI, poses a threat to many knowledge-based and cognitive jobs in the future. This could lead to widespread job loss. * Redistribution policies like universal basic income will likely be needed to address the issue of job loss and ensure people have access to basic necessities. * Collective ownership models of production, like cooperatives, may become more common to distribute the benefits of AI and automation. * AI and automation could lead to price deflation as the cost of producing many goods and services decreases. This could offset some of the inflationary pressures of redistribution policies. * People's identity and self-worth are closely tied to their jobs, so job loss could have negative impacts in this area that will need to be addressed. * Pursuing excellence through mastery, challenge and social recognition could help people replace some of the identity lost from job loss. * People value autonomy and self-determination, so redistribution policies will need to ensure people still feel in control. * New economic indicators beyond GDP and employment rates will likely be needed to measure economic productivity and wellbeing in a post-labor economy. * A wellbeing index based on autonomy, mastery and connection could be one potential new indicator. * Ensuring that everyone's basic needs are met, as in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, should be a priority goal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yN7885s5rA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yN7885s5rA]
2the gears to ascension5d
Daniel Dennett discusses the dangers of counterfeit people created by AI. While current AI may not be perfectly human-like, it is good enough to fool many people. This could undermine trust and communication on the internet. As AI improves, it will become harder to distinguish text generated by humans versus AI. Dennett argues that adopting an intentional stance and treating AI systems as agents can help us predict and understand them, though it also makes us vulnerable to being fooled. While Dennett acknowledges that agentiveness is a continuum, he still distinguishes between counterfeit AI creations and real people. * Dennett warns of the dangers of "counterfeit people" like advanced AI systems that can manipulate and deceive humans. This could undermine trust and damage human connectivity. * As AI systems become more indistinguishable from humans in text generation, it will be difficult to determine if text was written by a human or AI. This could erode human trust. * Dennett advocates a naturalistic and materialistic approach to understanding the mind and consciousness. * Dennett argues that meaning, truth, and mental states emerge gradually through evolution and interaction, not as inherent properties of systems. * Dennett believes that adopting an "intentional stance" and treating systems as agents with beliefs and desires can help us predict and understand their behavior, despite lacking true mentality. * Dennett rejects the idea that true understanding requires human-like consciousness, arguing that we can attribute mental states even to simple systems to varying degrees. * While Dennett acknowledges that AI systems can exhibit some degree of "agentiveness", he argues they are still "counterfeit" compared to real humans. * Dennett is skeptical of the "singularity" idea that superintelligent AI poses an existential threat to humanity, arguing consciousness and intelligence exist on a continuum. * Dennett bel
2the gears to ascension5d
* AI has the potential to automate and replace many jobs, especially creative and journalistic roles. This threatens livelihoods and could disproportionately impact marginalized groups. * AI systems are prone to replicating and exacerbating existing human biases. They also struggle with nuance, empathy, and emotional intelligence. * Companies are often overestimating AI's capabilities and underestimating its limitations. Experts warn of potential dangers but businesses prioritize profits. * The use of AI to automate tasks can be inefficient and lead to worse customer experiences. Companies often fail to consult workers before implementing AI systems. * AI relies on scraping and using human-created content without proper compensation or acknowledgment, especially artists' work. * The mental health crisis among students is fueling their use of AI to cheat. The education system also needs to adapt to make better use of AI. * "Ghost work" and exploitation of underpaid workers enables the development of AI systems. There are few labor protections for AI-related jobs. * The true dystopia may be higher levels of exploitation and desperation as people are forced to keep working due to the necessity of jobs. * A utopian vision for AI would involve using it to support and augment human creativity, with work becoming more meaningful and fair. * Universal basic income could give people the freedom to pursue work they find satisfying, while ensuring access to basic necessities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MywLhUZXhUY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MywLhUZXhUY]
  • The speaker describes his work as "multifractal social psychology" which looks at individuals and groups as swarms and fluid systems interacting across scales.
  • He argues that embodied cognition involves the body and actions playing a central role in learning and perception, not just the brain.
  • Probabilistic epigenesis describes development as involving multiple interacting layers and variables that fluctuate over time, like turbulent systems.
  • Vector autoregression can model the interactions between multiple endogenous variables and show how multifractalit
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  • There is a debate around the concept of free will and determinism. Some argue that people's actions are determined by their history and environment, while others argue there is an element of choice and responsibility.
  • Feelings and emotions play a role in influencing people's choices and likelihood of taking certain actions. Negative feelings discourage actions while positive feelings encourage actions.
  • There are probabilistic factors that influence people's choices, based on their needs, drives and context. But ultimately people still have some level of r
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  • The speaker argues that we should widen our view of consciousness beyond just human brains to include other systems and bodies. Composition and behavior can be evidence of consciousness in other systems.
  • Development from a single cell to a complex organism is a gradual, continuous process without any "magical" transition point.
  • Morphogenesis and regeneration show that cells can collectively solve problems and achieve anatomical goals in an intelligent manner.
  • The same mechanisms that the nervous system uses, like ion channels and electrical signals, under
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  • There is a debate about where the information and knowledge for biological forms and structures, like the skull of a frog, comes from. The DNA does not seem to contain enough information to fully specify complex structures.
  • Some propose that there are fields of form or patterns that biological systems tap into to develop their structures. But we do not yet know where these fields or patterns exist.
  • Being able to control and manipulate biological forms through techniques like CRISPR does not necessarily mean we fully understand the underlying mechanisms th
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  • The speaker believes that biology would benefit from focusing on simple underlying principles and rules that generate observable phenomena, rather than just describing the observables themselves.
  • Tissues are not well defined, and current classifications have limited utility. The speaker argues we need to understand the patterns, rules, and themes that determine tissue organization.
  • Relations between cell types, defined based on how they interact and influence each other, may provide deeper insights into tissue organization than just describing cell types the
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  • The discussants are interested in developing a theoretical framework that links together cognition, evolution, adaptation, development and computation. They want to explain how mechanistic processes at one level of organization can be autonomous yet interact with higher and lower levels.
  • Resonance is seen as a form of error correction and a mechanism that links different levels of organization. Error correcting codes also provide a way to link discrete spaces and redundancy.
  • Oscillations and harmonics can pack multiple octaves within each other, providing se
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  • The brain stem and midbrain may be involved in basal cognition that extends below the nervous system to the level of bacteria. This was an eye-opening realization for some of the speakers.
  • Qualia are important as they are based on categorical variables that cannot be reduced to a common denominator, distinguishing needs qualitatively.
  • The periaqueductal gray region of the brain may be involved in evaluating needs in relation to opportunities, but there is nothing structurally unique about the neurons in that region.
  • Biological systems have finite energy resou
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  • Cells exhibit collective intelligence and problem-solving abilities even without a brain or nervous system. They can sense their environment, make decisions, and coordinate to achieve goals.
  • Biological systems achieve complex structures and functions through multi-scale competencies, feedback loops, and error correction mechanisms rather than through hardcoded instructions.
  • There are bioelectrical patterns that act as "set points" that guide cells' behaviors and determine the final shape and form. Manipulating these patterns can change the outcome.
  • The genome
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  • Biological life is a form of collective intelligence composed of multi-scale competent agents. Understanding this can provide insights into regeneration, evolution, robotics, and AI.
  • Biological systems are capable of solving problems in diverse spaces like gene expression, physiological states, and anatomical configurations.
  • Cells and organisms have many hidden capabilities that are revealed when placed in different contexts or environments.
  • Development and morphogenesis are more flexible and robust than typically assumed, allowing organisms to adapt to chang
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  • There is debate on whether AI systems like GPT-3 truly demonstrate intelligence and understanding, or if they are just high-tech plagiarism that lack real depth and experience.
  • AI systems may be good at explaining past data and making predictions, but they may lack the ability to generate new research and capabilities due to their limited frameworks.
  • AI systems currently lack a meaningful connection to their substrate and causal levels, unlike humans who are connected from the subatomic level up.
  • AI systems may be good at confabulating and telling stories, bu
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