In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, Ed Finn, founding director of ASU’s Center for Science and the Imagination, explores the impact of storytelling on our ability to envision and create better futures—and why we urgently need more hopeful narratives.

Ed shares his journey from a generalist interested in how technology shapes culture to co-creating initiatives like "Project Hieroglyph" with celebrated sci-fi author Neal Stephenson. He argues that our collective imagination is often stuck in dystopian loops or unable to escape the status quo, hindering our capacity for large-scale, positive change. By bringing together storytellers, scientists, and artists, we can craft "technically grounded, hopeful stories about futures we might actually want to live in."

In this conversation, we explore:

• The fundamental role of imagination and narrative in how we understand the world, make decisions, and even perceive reality.
• Why science fiction can be a powerful tool for foresight, societal deliberation, and inspiring innovation (the "hieroglyph" concept).
• The importance of moving beyond easy apocalypses to explore "protopian" futures where things are actively getting better, and the challenge of crafting compelling narratives of social change.
• How reflecting on classic tales like Frankenstein can inform our approach to scientific creativity, responsibility, and the societal implications of new technologies like AI.
• The potential resurgence of the humanities in an AI-driven world and why critical thinking and a rich self-imagination are crucial for collaborating with new technologies.

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, Niklas Berild Lundblad, a philosopher, researcher, and former policy lead at Google DeepMind, Google, and Stripe, explores the interplay between progress, complexity, and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.

Niklas discusses why asking the right questions is crucial for navigating our future, especially as AI challenges our self-perception and introduces new forms of complexity. He discusses the "soft narcissism" in AI development, the distinction between AI and AGI, and why we should view current AI not as a mirror, but as a strange, exotic artifact whose full capabilities we are still underestimating.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The critical relationship between progress and complexity, and why managing this dynamic is essential for societal growth (including the "Red Queen effect").
• Why current AI developments feel different from past tech hypes.
• The potential for AI to revolutionize scientific discovery.
• How AI could accelerate its own diffusion.
• The need for curious regulators, mechanisms for change, the challenges of agentic AI, and how cultural biases might affect our approaches to regulation.
• The Solow Paradox and the Gartner Hype Cycle as frameworks for understanding technology adoption.

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, Nobel Laureate David Baker reveals how scientists are now inventing entirely new proteins—life's fundamental building blocks—to tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges.

David shares his journey and his vision for a future where custom-built "molecular machines," an idea once explored by thinkers like Eric Drexler, could repair our bodies, clean up pollution, and create sustainable materials. He explains how breakthroughs in AI are supercharging this field, but also why human ingenuity and collaborative science are still essential to unlocking these revolutionary possibilities.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The incredible power of designing brand-new proteins for groundbreaking medicines, environmental cleanup, and creating novel materials.
• The exciting prospect of "molecular machines": tiny engines built from proteins to perform complex tasks, inspired by early visions of nanotechnology.
• How AI is accelerating scientific discovery, and what it takes to translate these digital designs into real-world solutions.
• David’s "communal brain" philosophy for fostering innovation and his advice for anyone wanting to solve big, meaningful problems.

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, physicist and author David Deutsch joins us to explore the deeper principles behind knowledge, progress, and the future of humanity.

David is known for founding the field of quantum computation and, alongside Richard Jozsa, creating the first quantum algorithm that solves problems exponentially faster than classical methods. He’s also the originator of constructor theory—a bold framework aiming to redefine the foundations of physics.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why beauty and explanatory power are central to scientific progress—and how they guide us toward better theories.
• The challenges and promise of aligning AI with human values, and how critical thinking plays a key role.
• How education systems could be redesigned to foster creativity, curiosity, and deeper understanding.
• The case for optimism—not as wishful thinking, but as a rational stance grounded in our capacity for error correction and improvement.

This episode was originally published in April 2023.

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, philosopher and transhumanist David Pearce joins us to explore a bold vision of the future—one where suffering is abolished, aging is optional, and human potential is radically expanded.

David is best known for The Hedonistic Imperative, a manifesto arguing that biotechnology can—and should—be used to eliminate all forms of suffering in sentient life. As a leading voice in transhumanism and bioethics, he challenges us to think beyond what we’ve accepted as “natural.”

In this conversation, we explore:

• The scientific and ethical case for ending suffering—across humans and non-human animals.
• How cognitive enhancement could reshape consciousness, creativity, and compassion.
• Whether radical life extension is a moral imperative—and what it means for future generations.
• The role of technology in creating a future that’s not just free from harm, but full of flourishing.

If you’ve ever questioned the limits of the human condition—or wondered what a truly compassionate future could look like—this episode will stretch your thinking in surprising ways.

Full transcript, list of resources, and art piece: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker explores why, despite massive gains in human progress, many people remain pessimistic about the future—and why that matters for shaping what comes next.

Steven argues that while progress isn’t automatic, it is real. By tracking long-term trends in violence, poverty, democracy, and innovation, we can see how human effort—driven by reason, science, and cooperation—has repeatedly pushed civilization forward. Yet, media narratives and cognitive biases often make us blind to these achievements, reinforcing a sense of stagnation or decline.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The hidden progress shaping our world today—from rising literacy rates to declining poverty, and why these trends rarely make the news.
• Why pessimism can be self-defeating—and how a more accurate understanding of history can help us build a better future.
• The role of AI, biotech, and clean energy—and why they might unlock transformative improvements, if used wisely.
• How to communicate ideas that inspire hope—including Steven’s advice on cutting through jargon and tribalism to make ideas stick.

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

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We’re excited to share that the Existential Hope Podcast now has its own dedicated feed—and we’re kicking things off with a wave of new episodes.

This podcast is for anyone curious about how powerful technologies—AI, biotech, neurotech, nanotech, and more—can help create futures that are not just survivable, but radically better than today.

You’ll hear in-depth, idea-rich conversations with the people shaping those futures.

Follow now—new episodes dropping soon.

On the Existential Hope Podcast hosts Allison Duettmann and Beatrice Erkers from the Foresight Institute invite scientists, founders, and philosophers for in-depth conversations on positive, high-tech futures.

Full transcript, listed resources, and more: https://www.existentialhope.com/podcasts

Follow on X.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.