Economist Tyler Cowen of George Mason University talks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about the benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence. Cowen argues that the worriers–those who think that artificial intelligence will destroy mankind–need to make a more convincing case for their concerns. He also believes that the worriers are too willing to reduce freedom and empower […] The post Tyler Cowen on the Risks and Impact of Artificial Intelligence appeared first on Econlib.

Eliezer Yudkowsky insists that once artificial intelligence becomes smarter than people, everyone on earth will die. Listen as Yudkokwsky speaks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts on why we should be very, very afraid and why we’re not prepared or able to manage the terrifying risks of AI. The post Eliezer Yudkowsky on the Dangers of AI appeared first on Econlib.

While operating on a 16-year-old girl who suffered from severe seizures, neurosurgeon Itzhak Fried stumbled on the region of the brain that makes us laugh. To neuroscientist Patrick House, Fried’s ability to produce laughter surgically raises deep and disconcerting questions about how the brain works. Join Fried, House, and EconTalk’s Russ Roberts for a live broadcast […] The post Patrick House and Itzhak Fried on the Brain’s Mysteries appeared first on Econlib.

Is the perfect really the enemy of the good? Or is it the other way around? In 2008, Duke University economist Michael Munger ran for governor and proposed increasing school choice through vouchers for the state’s poorest counties. But some lovers of liberty argued that it’s better to fight for eliminating public schools instead of […] The post Michael Munger on the Perfect vs. the Good appeared first on Econlib.

When he was a child, poet Dana Gioia’s mother would come home from a long day of work and recite poems while she cleaned. It was a way, he realized later, for her to express the feelings she didn’t want to describe directly, and to vent her sorrows without burdening her son. This, he believes, […] The post Dana Gioia on Poetry, Death and Mortality appeared first on Econlib.

As Israel turns 75, has it fulfilled the promise of its founders? Daniel Gordis of Shalem College talks about his book, Impossible Takes Longer, with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts looking at the successes and failures of Israel. Topics discussed include the history of Zionism, the plight of the Palestinians, the Jewishness of the Jewish state, and […] The post Daniel Gordis on Israel and Impossible Takes Longer appeared first on Econlib.

They operate according to rules we can never fully understand. They can be unreliable, uncontrollable, and misaligned with human values. They’re fast becoming as intelligent as humans–and they’re exclusively in the hands of profit-seeking tech companies. “They,” of course, are the latest versions of AI, which herald, according to neuroscientist and writer Erik Hoel, a species-level […] The post Erik Hoel on the Threat to Humanity from AI appeared first on Econlib.

Photographer, author, and visionary Kevin Kelly talks about his book Excellent Advice for Living with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts. His advice includes how to have a deep conversation, why it’s better to control time than money–and whether, in the end, we should give advice in the first place. Other topics of discussion include the right object of our […] The post Kevin Kelly on Advice, AI, and Technology appeared first on Econlib.

When physician Walter Freeman died in 1972, he still believed that lobotomies were the best treatment for mental illness. A pioneer in the method, he was a deeply confident and charismatic man who eagerly spread the technique in America, long after the rise of alternative treatments that were less destructive. Listen as journalist Megan McArdle and EconTalk’s […] The post Megan McArdle on the Oedipus Trap appeared first on Econlib.

Tolkien read it as a tale about mortality. The poet David Whyte said it was a metaphor for the psychological demons deep in our minds. And that, insists the cartoonist and writer Zach Weinersmith, is precisely Beowulf’s appeal: Its richness opens the door to endless interpretation. Listen as the author of Bea Wolf, a graphic […] The post Zach Weinersmith on Beowulf and Bea Wolf appeared first on Econlib.