THUNK

Many of those who are 100% convinced by Nick Bostrom’s arguments about the potential for a runaway superintelligence tend to share certain beliefs about the world - is it possible that his case hits much differently depending on one’s starting assumptions?

Video: http://youtu.be/ZWPsmQxrGY8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/05/15/224.-Superintelligence-Assumptions.html

What walks on 4 legs in the morning, 2 legs at noon, & 3 legs at night? A very peculiar dog! …wait, was that not the answer? Why is it that puzzles are so different from real-life problems?

Video: http://youtu.be/Ky0Ji7AryZs

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/04/18/223.-Puzzles-vs.-Problems.html

Could certain FORMS of media, the details of how their textual CONTENT is instantiated, reliably affect the MEANING of the messages they convey? Put another way: is PowerPoint making us stupid?

Video: http://youtu.be/_e6BS7wSLpg

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/03/28/222.-Powerpoint-Form-and-Content.html

Sometimes, it feels like the best way forward on a project is to throw everything out and start over from scratch, but Joel Spolsky is adamant that this is a terrible idea, and theres decent evidence that hes right.

Video: http://youtu.be/3iUySuDkly8

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/03/14/221.-Spolsky's-Maxim-and-Starting-from-Scratch.html

Charles Peirce’s ideas were revolutionary, kicking off an entire philosophical movement now called “pragmatism,” but one might argue that his ideas bear little resemblance to the path pragmatism ultimately took…he certainly thought as much.

Video: http://youtu.be/aWrEPmoox_I

Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2022/02/21/220.-Peirce's-Pragmatism.html