19 March 2024
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MeaningofLife.tv videos
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Nov 1, 2019 — Robert Wright & Preston Greene
Why many intelligent people think we’re living in a simulation
The philosophical argument that you’re probably not real
How cosmic rays might (and might not) reveal that reality is fake
Preston’s dire warning against trying to determine if we’re in a simulation
Is the simulation hypothesis non-falsifiable?
Is “the simulation” just religion for atheists?
TAGS
atheism
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cosmology
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death
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history
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philosophy
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physics
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religion
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science
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technology
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the future
Apr 30, 2019 — Robert Wright & Luke Kemp
Are we on the road to civilizational collapse?
Why we need global governance, not global government
The double-edged sword of civilizational complexity
The apocalyptic scenario Bob fears most
Luke: Not every problem has a technical solution
Bob: Slower technological change would be a blessing
TAGS
climate change
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cosmology
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death
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history
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meditation
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science
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technology
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the future
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violence
Dec 24, 2018 — John Horgan & Christof Koch
Footprints of consciousness in the brain
Information and consciousness
The “Jennifer Aniston neuron”
Integrated Information Theory and panpsychism
John and Christof disagree about the limits of science
A paradigm explosion in the science of consciousness
Implanting brain chips to compete with AI
TAGS
cognitive science
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consciousness
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human nature
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mind-body problem
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technology
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the future
Nov 10, 2018 — Colin Pugh & Daniel Pinchbeck
Daniel’s book,
How Soon Is Now?
An example of a modern myth: the GDP
Can society be reborn into new myths?
Daniel: We need to devote most of our efforts to sustaining the health of the planet
Why Daniel calls his beliefs “post-New Age”
What is “neo-Shamanism”?
TAGS
climate change
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consciousness
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drugs
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history
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human nature
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meditation
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mysticism
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psychology
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science
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spirituality
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the future
Jun 11, 2018 — Robert Wright & Adam Frank
Adam’s new book,
Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth
Adam: Climate change is a civilizational inevitability
How many planets are in our galaxy? Guess again. It’s more than that.
How pessimists about the existence of extraterrestrial life became optimists
Why haven’t we heard from any aliens?
Does fighting climate change require spiritual change?
Why the Gaia hypothesis isn’t new-age hooey
The theoretical archaeology of exo-civilizations
TAGS
biology
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climate change
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science
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technology
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the future
Jan 29, 2018 — Robert Wright & Michael Shermer
The time Michael thought he was being abducted by aliens
Michael’s new book,
Heavens on Earth
Deepak Chopra’s afterlife
Why uploading your brain to achieve immortality makes no sense
Is radical life extension just bunk?
The Second Coming, presented by Ray Kurzweil
What consolation can the atheist offer to the dying?
The spookiest thing that’s ever happened to Michael
TAGS
aging
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atheism
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Buddhism
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consciousness
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death
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Hinduism
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mind-body problem
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New Atheists
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religion
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the future
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transhumanism
Sep 1, 2017 — Robert Wright & Phil Torres
Nick Bostrom: there’s a 25% chance of ‘existential catastrophe’ by 2100
Reasons to fear superintelligent machines…
…and the growing accessibility of biotechnology
Why space colonization probably won’t save us
Did climate change nurture ISIS?
Technological progress as a bug, not a feature
TAGS
climate change
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foreign policy
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Islam
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science
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technology
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terrorism
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the future
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war
Aug 10, 2017 — Robert Wright & Ted Chiang
How Ted’s
Story of Your Life
became
Arrival
Experiential and theoretical grounds for determinism
If the future is set… Why bother?
The Predictor—an imagined device that will freak you out
Wormholes and time travel
Are free will and determinism compatible?
TAGS
free will
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literature
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philosophy
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physics
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science
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technology
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the future
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time
Jul 13, 2017 — James Hughes & Regina Rini
How to raise a good robot
The moral development of machines
The trouble with robots who can reason
Will AI have feelings?
Is it wrong to hurt a zombie?
How AI could shape human morality
TAGS
consciousness
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ethics
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human nature
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philosophy
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science
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technology
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the future
Apr 7, 2017 — Robert Wright & Wendell Wallach
When technology takes people’s jobs
Asking your iPhone for medical advice
Killer robots!
Letting machines decide whether to push the nuclear button
The growing threat of bioterrorism
How to stop bioterrorists
Is it all happening too fast?
TAGS
biology
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economics
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ethics
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science
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technology
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terrorism
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the future
Mar 20, 2017 — Robert Wright & S. Matthew Liao
Changing the human genome to combat climate change
Will new technologies stratify society genetically?
Military and civilian uses of memory-changing technology
The army’s plans for deep brain simulation
Matthew’s book
The Right to Be Loved
TAGS
biology
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climate change
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cognitive science
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drugs
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ethics
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genetics
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love
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memory
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mental health
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science
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technology
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the future
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war
Feb 22, 2017 — Robert Wright & Micah Redding
Transhumanism and the singularity
Teilhard de Chardin’s “Omega Point”
The (theoretical) physics of immortality and resurrection
The theism of the simulation theory
Any word on transhumanist Islam or Judaism?
Christianity and globalization
TAGS
Christianity
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death
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human nature
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Islam
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Judaism
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love
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religion
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technology
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the future
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transhumanism
Dec 20, 2016 — Robert Wright & Giulio Prisco
What is transhumanism?
Is immortality possible?
Using wormholes to resurrect the dead
Could you rewind the universe?
Transhumanism as a religion
Why Giulio calls himself a theist
TAGS
consciousness
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death
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physics
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religion
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spirituality
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technology
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the future
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transhumanism
Dec 18, 2016 — Nikita Petrov & George Young
Does Russian thought have anything to contribute to the world?
Nikolay Fedorov, an eccentric thinker who influenced Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky
Fedorov’s plan: Immortality for everyone
“Kinship” as a fundamental property of all matter
A mass movement for the spiritual unity of humankind
Vladimir Solovyov’s
The Meaning of Love
: Sexuality as a path to a Christian utopia
Christ as the ultimate role model
TAGS
Christianity
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consciousness
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death
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evolution
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history
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human nature
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literature
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mysticism
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occult
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philosophy
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politics
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religion
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science
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spirituality
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technology
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the future
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transhumanism
Dec 4, 2016 — Brendan Foht & George Church
George’s project to synthesize the human genome
Fighting climate change by resurrecting the mammoth
Applying gene editing to human reproduction
Can gene tech make up for stagnation in pharmaceutical research?
The role of chance in genetic engineering breakthroughs
TAGS
ethics
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evolution
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human nature
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science
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technology
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the future
Nov 4, 2016 — Robert Wright & Christof Koch
The search for non-human consciousness
Consciousness in the organic and inorganic worlds
Measuring consciousness
Lucky us: The universe breeds consciousness
How scientific and spiritual worldviews can enrich each other
Artificial intelligence is not (necessarily) artificial consciousness
The Allen Institute for Brain Science and its mission
TAGS
Buddhism
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cognitive science
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consciousness
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ethics
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evolution
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panpsychism
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physics
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science
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spirituality
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technology
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the future
Oct 24, 2016 — Robert Wright & Louis Crane
Louis’s “meduso-anthropic” theory and the meaning of life
Creating new universes (literally)
Using black holes to power starships
How black-hole starships could unite humanity
Reality as a simulation and the wise alien scenario
TAGS
human nature
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peace
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physics
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science
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technology
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the future
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war
Oct 17, 2016 — Robert Wright & Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly’s new book
The Inevitable
Technology as an extension of evolution
Will Google monopolize AI?
How to foster an ethical AI
People of the screen
The importance of seeing the glass as half-full
TAGS
consciousness
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evolution
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technology
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the future
Sep 17, 2016 — Nikita Petrov & George Young
What is Russian cosmism?
The religious side of cosmism
Cosmism as a response to the challenges of the 20th century
Nature as a temporary enemy and eternal friend
Pavel Florensky, the Russian da Vinci
Plant life as a spiritual ideal
The father of the Soviet space program, and his weird spirituality
Cosmism and transhumanism: Compare and contrast
Cosmism as a Russian propaganda project
TAGS
Christianity
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consciousness
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death
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evolution
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history
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human nature
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mysticism
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occult
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philosophy
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politics
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religion
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science
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spirituality
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technology
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the future
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transhumanism
Sep 14, 2016 — Robert Wright & Vincent Horn
Can smartphones help you meditate?
Bringing virtual reality and meditation together
Vincent’s experience teaching meditation online
Circumventing the rational mind via inquiry meditation
Becoming conscious of consciousness
Vincent’s “modular” approach to meditation
Is Vincent enlightened?
TAGS
Buddhism
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consciousness
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meditation
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science
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technology
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the future
Sep 5, 2016 — Robert Wright & Michael Lynch
Michael’s book,
The Internet of Us
, and “neuromedia”
How Google short circuits our critical faculties
Dangers of the “hive mind”
The echo chamber effect and how to combat it
How tech has—and has not—changed the way we learn
Privacy in the age of big data
TAGS
consciousness
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philosophy
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technology
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the future
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transhumanism
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tribalism
Sep 1, 2016 — Robert Wright & Ken Wharton
The future is real, and we could travel there
Reasons to think the future may influence the present
Can retro-causality explain quantum entanglement?
Why our intuitions about time are wrong
Is there a place for free will in a deterministic universe?
The many worlds theory, quantum computers, and events without causes
TAGS
free will
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mathematics
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physics
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science
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technology
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the future
|
time
Aug 8, 2016 — Robert Wright & Susan Schneider
The most intelligent life in outer space may be artificial
Should we be worried about AI?
Shopping for a scientific path to eternal life
“Protomentality,” matter’s (hypothesized) latent sentience
Would your self survive uploading to a computer?
What if we never understand consciousness?
TAGS
cognitive science
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compassion
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consciousness
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death
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free will
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human nature
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identity
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mind-body problem
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philosophy
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physics
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psychology
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science
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technology
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the future
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transhumanism
Apr 5, 2016 — Robert Wright & Krista Tippett
The origins of Krista’s show, On Being
Considering “spiritual” vs. “religious”
Krista’s new book,
Becoming Wise
Faith, fear, and the flesh
The challenge of loving others
A hopeful vision of the future
TAGS
history
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language
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love
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politics
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religion
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science
|
spirituality
|
the future
Dec 15, 2015 — Robert Wright & Francis Fukuyama
Revisiting Frank’s “End of History” thesis
Trump, China, and the threat of illiberal democracy
Frank: The singularity is an “idiotic” idea
Should we fear homemade eugenics?
Why Americans need to improve their moral imaginations
Does religion unite more than it divides?
TAGS
Barack Obama
|
democracy
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Donald Trump
|
foreign policy
|
history
|
politics
|
religion
|
science
|
technology
|
terrorism
|
the future
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