Early detection of cancer seems like a very good idea. But it’s a lot more complicated than it seems. Oncologist and epidemiologist Vinay Prasad of the University of California, San Francisco talks to EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about why many tests to detect cancer do little or nothing to extend lifespan. The post Vinay Prasad on Cancer Screening appeared first on Econlib.
Historian and author Walter Russell Mead of Bard College and the Hudson Institute talks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about how innovation and religion can help us make sense of the current state of the world. The post Walter Russell Mead on Innovation, Religion, and the State of the World appeared first on Econlib.
Psychologist and writer Adam Mastroianni says our minds are like the keep of a castle protecting our deepest held values and beliefs from even the most skilled attacks. The only problem with this design for self-preservation is that it also can keep out wisdom that might be both useful and true. Mastroianni’s summary of the problem […] The post Adam Mastroianni on the Brain, the Ears, and How We Learn appeared first on Econlib.
The future of AI keeps Zvi Mowshowitz up at night. He also wonders why so many smart people seem to think that AI is more likely to save humanity than destroy it. Listen as Mowshowitz talks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about the current state of AI, the pace of AI’s development, and where–unless we take serious […] The post Zvi Mowshowitz on AI and the Dial of Progress appeared first on Econlib.
Economist and author Daron Acemoglu of MIT discusses his book Power and Progress with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Acemoglu argues that the productivity and prosperity that results from innovation is not always shared widely across the population. He makes the case for the importance of regulating new technologies to ensure that the benefits of innovation are distributed equitably. The post Daron Acemoglu on Innovation and Shared Prosperity appeared first on Econlib.
Neuroscientist and author Erik Hoel talks about his book, The World Behind the World, with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts. Is it possible to reconcile the seemingly subjective inner world of human experience with the seemingly objective outer world of observation, measurement, and science? Despite the promise of neuroscience, Hoel argues that this reconciliation is surprisingly difficult. […] The post Erik Hoel on Consciousness, Free Will, and the Limits of Science appeared first on Econlib.
Physician and author Lydia Dugdale wants to teach us a better way to die. She argues that this will help us find a better way to live. Listen as she discusses her book, The Lost Art of Dying, with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts. The post Lydia Dugdale on the Lost Art of Dying appeared first on Econlib.
Marc Andreessen thinks AI will make everything better–if only we get out of the way. He argues that in every aspect of human activity, our ability to understand, synthesize, and generate knowledge results in better outcomes. Listen as the entrepreneur and venture capitalist speaks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about AI’s potential to improve the world and […] The post Marc Andreessen on Why AI Will Save the World appeared first on Econlib.
James Rebanks‘s family has raised sheep in the same small English village for at least four centuries. There are records of people with his same last name going back a few hundred more. Even his sheep are rooted in place: their DNA is from Viking times. It’s enough to make anyone feel insignificant–and according to […] The post James Rebanks on the Shepherd’s Life appeared first on Econlib.
In the early 1900s, the philosopher Henry Adams expressed concern about the rapid rate of social change ushered in by new technologies, from the railways to the telegraph and ultimately airplanes. If we transpose Adams’s concerns onto the power of artificial intelligence–a power whose rate of acceleration would have exceeded his wildest dreams–you might feel […] The post Jacob Howland on the Hidden Human Costs of AI appeared first on Econlib.