Julia Garayo Willemyns is a startup founder and co-director of the think tank UK Day One, which focuses on advancing UK policy for long-term growth and progress. Transcript and links here: https://www.thendobetter.com/investing/2024/10/18/julia-garayo-willemyns-policy-ideas-progress-growth-ai-talent-podcast

Julia shares her thoughts on overlooked policies that could significantly benefit the UK, such as addressing lead poisoning in old housing stocks to improve public health, intelligence, and productivity.

Julia also advocates for prioritizing AI as part of the UK's industrial strategy. She emphasizes the need for strategic investments in AI talent, infrastructure, and safety, noting that while ethics and risk are critical, the nation should also consider AI's potential to enhance economic security and global competitiveness. The conversation explores the nuances of UK policy approaches to sustainability, talent development, and AI.

The narrative explores the dynamics of entrepreneurship across different cultural landscapes, reflecting on factors such as mentorship, venture capital, and societal attitudes towards failure. The conversation delves into the advantages of for-profit versus non-profit models and the philosophical trends shifting towards virtue ethics and human flourishing. Throughout, the discussion is underpinned by personal experiences, pragmatic policy recommendations, and a call for the UK to leverage its strengths for sustained global competitiveness.

We play over rated / under rated on:

Universal Basic Income (UBI), Net Zero, Carbon Taxes, alternative proteins, digital democracy, self-driving cars, nuclear power, museums and capitalism.

Julia encourages listeners to embrace curiosity, adaptability, and a proactive approach to growth.

On AI and economic strategy:

“I don’t think the UK is taking AI seriously enough as a core part of its industrial strategy. We should be focusing not just on AI ethics, but on economic security and national competitiveness. AI has the potential to change everything, and we need to be thinking about the bigger picture.”

On talent misallocation in the UK:

“One of the biggest problems the UK has is a misallocation of talent. I know incredibly intelligent people who end up in banking or consulting instead of tackling fundamental problems that could improve our quality of life. It’s a national issue that we need to address.”

Julian Gough is an award-winning writer and musician. We explore the breadth of his creative journey, from crafting the 'End Poem' in Minecraft to writing children's books and rock band experiences.

Transcript and links here: https://www.thendobetter.com/arts/2024/9/20/julian-gough-minecraft-end-poem-evolution-of-the-universe-being-creative-podcast

We discuss his latest project 'The Egg and the Rock,' which investigates the universe's evolutionary complexity, paralleling biological evolution, and its implications on life, consciousness, and AI.

This conversation extends to a critical reflection on current scientific approaches, the importance of interdisciplinary thinking and writing in public and creative processes.

“…the universe does love us, and we are love, in a way. I think love is a kind of an interface with the universe. You can think of love as our interface with the universe. Love, if you are loving and loved, you're probably living correctly. The way in which you're aligned to the universe is good. It's a feedback mechanism."

Contents:

• The Creation and Impact of Minecraft's End Poem

• Julian's Rock Band Days

• Writing Children's Stories: Rabbit and Bear

• Julian's Writing Process

• The Goat Bubble: A Satirical Play

• Exploring the Universe's Evolution

• Building Complexity from Simplicity

• The Eternal Existence of Matter and Time

• The Fermi Paradox and Alien Life

• Darwinian Evolution of Universes

• The Role of Intelligent Life in the Universe

• Predicting the Early Universe

• Writing in Public and Creative Processes

• The Egg and the Rock: An Evolutionary Analogy

• Advice for Future Thinkers and Creatives

Ruth Chang is a prominent philosopher known for her work in decision theory, practical reason, and moral philosophy. She is currently a professor at the University of Oxford, holding the Chair of Jurisprudence. She is well known for her theory of "hard choices," where she argues that many choices are not determined by objective reasons but instead involve values that are incommensurable.

Transcript and links here: www.thendobetter.com/arts/2024/8/2/ruth-chang-making-hard-choices-philosophy-agency-commitment-derek-parfit-podcast

The podcast discussion delves into the inadequacy of the traditional trichotomous framework—better, worse, or equal—in evaluating values and making decisions. Chang argues for recognizing 'hard choices' as situations where options are qualitatively different yet equally viable, introducing the concept of 'par'. This idea is applied to various scenarios, from career decisions to healthcare dilemmas, and even the design of AI systems. Chang highlights the importance of human agency in making commitments when faced with hard choices, offering a framework to help individuals become the authors of their own lives. Furthermore, Chang shares insights about her current projects aimed at rectifying fundamental misunderstandings about value in AI design, advocating for a more nuanced and human-aligned approach to machine learning. The episode also touches on the philosophical influences of Derek Parfit and explores concepts like effective altruism, transformative experiences, and the value of commitment in living a meaningful life.

• Understanding Hard Choices
• Applying Hard Choices to Careers
• Rational Agency and Commitment
• AI and Hard Choices
• Philosophical Influences and Effective Altruism
• Current Projects and Life Advice

"To become the author of your life, ascertain what matters, understand how alternatives relate to what matters, tally up pros and cons, and then open yourself up to the possibility of commitment. Realize yourself by making new reasons for your choice."