This episode continues the fascinating-slash-frightening journey I’ve been on with you, to understand what we should prioritise as we face potential existential end times. Today’s guest, Harvard researcher and philanthropist Holden Karnofsky, brings the AI, effective altruism, longtermism and anti-growth debates together with the clarion call: “This is our moment, this century is make-or-break, pay attention people!” It’s not an idle or hysterical call, it’s one that Holden has researched extensively and is backed by global leaders in the space.
As some background: Holden founded Givewell, the charity evaluator that has raised more than $US1billion for charities that have saved more than 150,000 lives (Bill Gates, Sam Harris and the now disgraced billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried use it) and Open Philanthropy investigates more speculative causes. So if this is the most important century, what does it mean for us? What are our responsibilities? What’s going to happen? Buckle up, says Holden, because, “we live in wild times and should be ready for anything to happen”.
Here’s the "most important century" blog post series we talk about.
I also flag Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. As well as this Vice article about how scientists can’t explain how AI works.
You might also want to go back and listen to the episodes with Peter Singer on effective altruism, Will Macaskill on Longtermism and Elise Bohan on misaligned AI and transhumanism.
.....
If you need to know a bit more about me… head to my "about" page.
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter for more such conversation.
Get your copy of my book, This One Wild and Precious Life
Let’s connect on Instagram! It’s where I interact the most.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PICO IYER: The spiritual case for travel
TYSON YUNKAPORTA: Indigenous knowledge can save the world!
WILL STORR: How to play the status game (a fresh way to fix the world!)
TIM WINTON: On wild colonial boys + Big Daddy Gas
INGRID NEWKIRK: The PETA founder challenges my meat eating
GENEVIEVE BELL: Will AI wipe out humanity?
ROY BAUMEISTER: How the female orgasm shapes the world
THOMAS MAYO: The beautifully wild Voice to Parliament, explained
ANGELA SAINI: How men came to rule the world
ETHAN KROSS: How to tame your head chatter
BO SEO: How to fix polarization? By disagreeing…more!
MARCUS BUCKINGHAM: What do the “happiest women in the world” get right? They tilt!
STEPHEN JENKINSON: How to die well
DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF: Navigating the sad “Mindset” of the billionaire tech bros
DR MICHAEL E MANN: There is a new climate war and you need to get armed
MARGARET ATWOOD: The Doyenne of Dystopia turns to creating climate utopias
HELEN LEWIS: On slaying Jordan Peterson + declining Andrew Tate
REBECCA GIBLIN: Chokepoint capitalism is screwing creatives…and you!
NICK RIGGLE: A philosophical case for being awesome
DR SIMON LONGSTAFF: The world needs ethical heroes (here’s how to be one)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Hamish & Andy
The Howie Games
Motley Fool Money
Just the Gist
The Briefing