On finding middle grounds in short-/long-termism, building ML products, on-the-ground work in AI alignment and policy, and a little bit of quantum consciousness.
This interview is such a wild ride. The inflationary/ expansionary analogy off the top is a fascinating way to think about the relationship between expectations and fields of study. I am wondering if it applies to my field of rhetoric and narrative studies. Yes, in fact it does. While listening to Harris work through his safety concerns, I as an educator was scrolling through a kaleidoscopic array of different pedagogical theories about motivation, learning, purpose, and power. It is very cool how these new technologies give us the opportunity to reengage with old debates from new vantage points. It strikes me that Harris is more optimistic than some of your other guests about the imminent emergence of consciousness and with it the potential adversarial propensities in LLMs in the very near future. I am guessing that that optimism might be less a fixed position about what will happen but rather more a state of readiness in keeping with the role that he has assigned for himself as the guardian at the gate. Thanks again for another mind blazing experience. Nick
Thanks, Daniel. Know that I really respect the work you are doing. You are at once developing an incredibly wide net of knowledge for yourselves and for your growing audience. Very good stuff. I will check out the article. I love out-of-the box takes on theory-building. Part of me wishes I could begin my academic career over again. Such an exciting time to have a brain.
This interview is such a wild ride. The inflationary/ expansionary analogy off the top is a fascinating way to think about the relationship between expectations and fields of study. I am wondering if it applies to my field of rhetoric and narrative studies. Yes, in fact it does. While listening to Harris work through his safety concerns, I as an educator was scrolling through a kaleidoscopic array of different pedagogical theories about motivation, learning, purpose, and power. It is very cool how these new technologies give us the opportunity to reengage with old debates from new vantage points. It strikes me that Harris is more optimistic than some of your other guests about the imminent emergence of consciousness and with it the potential adversarial propensities in LLMs in the very near future. I am guessing that that optimism might be less a fixed position about what will happen but rather more a state of readiness in keeping with the role that he has assigned for himself as the guardian at the gate. Thanks again for another mind blazing experience. Nick
I appreciate the thoughtful note! On re-engaging with old debates, Ted Underwood (who I also interviewed ) has a great recent article called “The Empirical Triumph of Theory”—you might like it! https://critinq.wordpress.com/2023/06/29/the-empirical-triumph-of-theory/
Thanks, Daniel. Know that I really respect the work you are doing. You are at once developing an incredibly wide net of knowledge for yourselves and for your growing audience. Very good stuff. I will check out the article. I love out-of-the box takes on theory-building. Part of me wishes I could begin my academic career over again. Such an exciting time to have a brain.