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Seeing Clearly: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Christian Gonzalez
Exploring different philosophical frames for understanding what is and what we ought to do. Hosted by Christian Gonzalez.
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- 4 weeks ago1h 7m
The Gulf Oasis Hypothesis with Archeologist Dr. Jeffrey Rose
Watch the full episode now: https://cxgonzalez.substack.com/p/the-gulf-oasis-hypothesis-with-archeologistWhen I wrote We Found Eden, arguing that we know the time and place that inspired the Garden of Eden myth, I didn’t anticipate such a positive reaction. I recieved an outpouring of support in the form of dozens of paid subscribers due to that article, so for that I am grateful.But what the people who (understandably) didn’t click through the ~70 footnotes in that piece might not know is that a core backbone of that piece came from a 2010 paper New Light on Human Prehistory in the Arabo-Persian Gulf Oasis by Dr. Jeffrey Rose. Dr. Rose argues for the Gulf Oasis Hypothesis, the thesis that we have good reason to think that the Persian Gulf, during much of the Pleistocene, provided a much needed oasis for the hunter gatherers of the Arabian Peninsula. At this time sea levels were much lower, and the Gulf, which is today only covered by around 40m of water, was completely exposed. This paper was, in my estimation, a tour de force of evidence consolidation and extrapolation. It is for this reason that I flew from San Francisco to Faro, Portugal to speak to Dr. Rose directly to talk about the Gulf Oasis Hypothesis. This is that conversation.If you want to go even deeper, consider reading Dr. Rose’s Book free book on the topic: An Introduction to Human Prehistory in Arabia: The Lost World of the Southern Crescent Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- Sep 4, 20262h 1m
Michael Johnson: “We SHOULD Make AI Conscious”
Michael Edward Johnson is a co-founder of the Qualia Research Institute and an independent researcher in the fields of consciousness, neuroscience and philosophy. Michael is, in my view, one of the most under appreciated thinkers around, so it brings me great pleasure to present this survey of his ideas to you all.We talk about mathematical theories of consciousness (dual-aspect monism), the symmetry theory of valence, panpsychism and super organism consciousness, vasocomputation, Buddhism, moral realism through valence realism, AI consciousness and AI alignment.If you found this podcast valuable, consider becoming a patron. My patrons help keep this show sustainable and ensure I can keep bringing you the most interesting thinkers in the highest quality possible.0:00 — Highlights0:51 — Intro2:30 — Are the big labs incentivized to play down consciousness?7:09 — What is consciousness?10:03 — Dual-aspect monism18:14 — Symmetry theory of valence24:00 — Wait so panpsychism?30:18 — The binding problem34:08 — Is a corporation conscious?42:51 — Vasocomputation, embodied bayesian priors, and trauma49:50 — The self50:57 — Why do latches stay closed?54:29 — Cancer55:27 — “The hand of the mind is the vascular system”56:52 — Vasocomp. and predictive processing59:04 — Tanha1:02:50 — The multiple paths to Vasocomp.1:04:46 — What is Enlightenment?1:10:54 — How to open latches1:18:00 — Empirical validation?1:18:57 — Moral realism grounding in valence1:32:38 — Objections to valence utilitarianism1:40:32 — Is AI conscious?1:49:58 — Is AI consciousness good for alignment?1:57:38 — Michael’s longterm visionReferencesQualia Research Institute: https://qri.org/Michael’s book Principia Qualia: https://opentheory.net/PrincipiaQualia.pdfIntegrated Information Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_information_theorySymmetry Theory of Valence: https://opentheory.net/2021/07/a-primer-on-the-symmetry-theory-of-valence/Noether’s Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noether’s_theoremRomeo Stevens’ X: https://x.com/RomeoStevens76Nick Cammarata’s X: https://x.com/nickcammarataMichael (plus3happiness)’s X: https://x.com/Plus3HappinessThe Feeling of Value: Moral Realism Grounded in Phenomenal Consciousness: https://amzn.to/4qQTo88Reasons and Persons: https://amzn.to/4haQUhyMichael’s SocialsMichael’s Blog: https://opentheory.net/Michael Johnson’s X: https://x.com/johnsonmxeA beautiful overview of Michael’s core ideas: https://hyperspace.opentheory.net/My Socials:X: http://x.com/cxgonzalez/Substack: https://substack.com/@cxgonzalezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.x.gonzalez/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cxgonzalezSpotify: Apple Podcasts: Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- Jul 30, 20261h 7m
Debating MIRI President Nate Soares About AI Doom
In this episode of Seeing Clearly, MIRI President and co-author of If Everyone Builds It, Everyone Dies Nate Soares and I discuss existential risk from artificial super intelligence. We first run through the case for AI doom before I push back on some of his assumptions.Nate Soares is the President of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) and co-author (with Eliezer Yudkowsky) of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone DiesOrder Nate’s Book: https://amzn.to/4wpQXve0:00 — Highlights0:40 — Is super intelligence inevitable?2:07 — The default outcome3:09 — AI Scepticism vs. Takeoff11:01 — What might ASI want?17:37 — Why would ASI kill us all?18:20 — Would ASI change its own goals?23:21 — Would ideal humans values converge?24:53 — The fundamental assumption in Rationalism35:47 — Does moral realism imply alignment?56:42 — p(moral convergence)1:00:35 — Will ASI be an optimizer?1:04:13 — Emotionally dealing with potential apocalypse Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- Jul 15, 20261h 58m
Michael Huemer explains his full argument for objective morality
In this episode of Seeing Clearly, professor Michael Huemer and I run through his argument for moral realism: the thesis that there are objective moral facts knowable via intuition. We cover every other metaethical theory and show why each of them fails and how moral realism responds to the most popular objections against the view. I did my best to pressure Professor Huemer by steel manning anti-realism every step of the way.Link to buy Michael Huemer’s book Ethical Intuitionism: https://amzn.to/4wDCTOl 1:01 — What is metaethics?2:52 — The 5 metaethical theories10:58 — Why are philosophers, and not linguists, talking about semantics?13:36 — Why non-cognitivism (emotivism, prescriptivism) is wrong19:11 — Why quasi-realism is wrong24:09 — Why naturalism is wrong27:49 — The Open Question argument and can we just deny it?29:34 — Is the is/ought gap real?33:11 — If normative facts depend entirely on descriptive facts, are they really different?37:16 — Why subjectivism is wrong54:04 — The Principle of Phenomenal Conservatism56:41 — Why nihilism is wrong58:11 — Isn’t it more intuitive to be a nihilist given a modern scientific worldview?1:10:09 — What if someone just doesn’t have realist intuitions?1:18:44 — Does evolution debunk morality?1:25:42 — How could we possibly know “non-natural” moral facts? Can meditation help?1:36:25 — If you’re wrong about morality, does anything bad actually happen?1:39:16 — What are moral statements true *about*?1:46:19 — Does the Form of the Good = a value attractor state?1:48:48 — Do souls exist? Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- May 26, 202644 min
This is the Worst Thing Humanity Does | Seeing Clearly Episode 7
Factory farming is humanity’s greatest sin. In this episode I speak with Itsi Weinstock, an animal welfare advocate at Senterra Funders. We talk about what’s really going on in factory farming, why it matters, and what you can do to help.2:14 — Moral realism4:41 — Itsi’s work6:20 — Factory farming12:07 — Value lock in from AGI13:09 — How feasible is fighting economic forces?14:18 — Legal challenges15:14 — Moral progress18:15 — The Christian argument for animal welfare21:25 — Empathy isn’t what matters22:57 — Strongest arguments against animal welfare25:32 — What you can do to help30:48 — Pascal Mugging by insects33:32 — Recent wins for animal welfare35:40 — Moonshots39:05 — Working with the machine instead of against40:58 — In 50 years, what went right/wrong?43:29 — Call to actionDonate: https://www.farmkind.giving/Calculate cost to offset your diet: https://www.farmkind.giving/compassion-calculatorWant to help with your time or money? Get in contact with Itsi directly itsi (at) senterrafunders.orgSocials Substack (long form philosophy + memes): https://substack.com/@cxgonzalezX: https://x.com/cxgonzalez/ Instagram (short form philosophy): https://www.instagram.com/c.x.gonzalez/TikTok (short form philosophy): https://www.tiktok.com/@cxgonzalez Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- Apr 24, 20261h 48m
The Brain is a Reducing Valve | Seeing Clearly Episode 6
Watch UNRAVELING THE DREAM: Jake’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FrameProblemsJake’s X: https://x.com/jakeorthwein1:08 — Origin of the film4:00 — Bayesian brain, predictive processing, free energy principle13:53 — Direct experience vs. symbolic thinking25:46 — Buddhism and identity30:38 — Emptiness vs metaphysics39:17 — Is suffering all that matters? Meaning and Buddhist utilitarianism1:01:38 — Valence realism vs. emptiness. What could make moral facts true?1:11:57 — Jung and predictive processing1:20:54 — Moving from rationalism to post-rationalism1:32:07 — The grammar of wisdom traditions1:40:17 — Fractal hierarchies Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- Mar 30, 20261h 41m
Has consciousness already been solved?
Dr. Ogi Ogas is a mathematical neuroscientist and, in his own words, a prophet. This is our conversation on God and consciousness.1:44 — Who or what is God?17:06 — Mind vs. matter, purpose vs. physics27:05 — What does God want?29:15 — Darwinism applied to super organism31:06 — Fractal reality, hyper minds 36:40 — Moral intuition and psychological/spiritual development48:56 — The ladder of purpose, utility function coupling through love1:05:27 — The emergence of the first cities and the “I”1:07:30 — What is consciousness?1:16:49: — The hard problem of consciousness isn’t hard1:36:46 — Purpose Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
- Mar 13, 20261h 4m
[Podcast] Moral realism, Kantian ethics and veganism
In this episode we talk with Moral Law Within about God, secular morality, moral realism, reasons, intuitions, Kantian ethics, and more. Florence Bacus is a PhD student at Harvard studying Kantian ethics. 1:49 — God and religion5:39 — What is truth?8:15 — Morality without God10:39 — Obligation11:50 — Reasons20:05 — Morality grounded in consciousness (Valence realism)27:33 — Morality without God cont.30:00 — Kantian ethics36:44 — Why universalize?42:18 — Kantian Contractualism43:10 — 4 categories of moral theories46:36 — Logic as bedrock47:25 — Is everything intuition?50:44 — What is philosophy?52:53 — Are there objective moral facts?56:29 — The Kantian argument for veganism1:02:53 — Applying to grad school Get full access to Seeing Clearly at cxgonzalez.substack.com/subscribe
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Exploring different philosophical frames for understanding what is and what we ought to do. Hosted by Christian Gonzalez.
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