Episode 115: Last month, Marc Andreessen published a column he titled the “Techno-Optimist Manifesto.” Andreesen, who was the cofounder of Netscape in the 1990s and later became a wealthy investor in numerous tech companies, argues that civilization was built on technology, and that, "Technology is the glory of human ambition and achievement, the spearhead of progress, and the realization of our potential."

In part, this was written as a response to much of the hand-wringing going on over the quick introduction of artificial intelligence in many parts of our lives. Although some say a slow and steady approach to AI is the correct path, Andreessen says we should have few guard rails because history shows that the benefits of transformative technology far outweigh any possible worries.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss what we have learned from past scientific advancements and whether the AI revolution presents an entirely new challenge.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

The Techno-Optimist Manifesto, by Marc Andreessen

'Frictionless' experiences remove human touch, Richard Kyte

The techno-optimist's fallacy, by Matt Yglesias

The Pessimists Archive

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. His forthcoming book, "Finding Your Third Place," will be published by Fulcrum Books.

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