PODCAST · society
Fluidity
by Matt Arnold
After the collapse of the 20th-century systematic mode of social organization, how can we move from our internet-enabled atomized mode, toward a fluid mode? We take problems of meaning-making, typically considered spiritual, and turn them into practical problems, which are more tractable."Meaningness" begins with this episode: https://fluidity.libsyn.com/an-appetizer-purpose"Meaningness And Time" begins with this episode: https://fluidity.libsyn.com/meaningness-and-time-how-meaning-fell-apart'In The Cells Of The Eggplant" begins with this episode: https://fluidity.libsyn.com/intro-to-metarationalityYou can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooksIf you like the show, consider buying me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattarnoldThis is a nonfiction audiobook narrated by Matt Arnold with the permission of the author, David Chapman. Full text at: https://meaningness.comPlease email me at fluidi
Episodes
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A Better Future, Without Backprop
This concludes "Gradient Dissent", the companion document to "Better Without AI". Thank you so much for listening! You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooks If you like the show, consider buying me a coffee:...
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Better Text Generation With Science And Engineering
Current text generators, such as ChatGPT, are highly unreliable, difficult to use effectively, unable to do many things we might want them to, and extremely expensive to develop and run. These defects are inherent in their underlying technology. Quite different methods could plausibly remedy all...
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Classifying Images: Massive Parallelism And Surface Features
Analysis of image classifiers demonstrates that it is possible to understand backprop networks at the task-relevant run-time algorithmic level. In these systems, at least, networks gain their power from deploying massive parallelism to check for the presence of a vast number of simple, shallow...
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Do AI As Engineering Instead
Current AI practice is not engineering, even when it aims for practical applications, because it is not based on scientific understanding. Enforcing engineering norms on the field could lead to considerably safer systems. https://betterwithout.ai/AI-as-engineering This episode has a lot of links!...
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Do AI As Science Instead
Few AI experiments constitute meaningful tests of hypotheses. As a branch of machine learning research, AI science has concentrated on black box investigation of training time phenomena. The best of this work is has been scientifically excellent. However, the hypotheses tested are mainly…
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Do AI As Science And Engineering Instead
Do AI As Science And Engineering Instead - We've seen that current AI practice leads to technologies that are expensive, difficult to apply in real-world situations, and inherently unsafe. Neglected scientific and engineering investigations can bring better understanding of the risks of current…
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Backpropaganda: Anti-Rational Neuro-Mythology
Current AI results from experimental variation of mechanisms, unguided by theoretical principles. That has produced systems that can do amazing things. On the other hand, they are extremely error-prone and therefore unsafe. Backpropaganda, a collection of misleading ways of talking about "neural...
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Artificial Neurons Considered Harmful, Part 2
The conclusion of this chapter. So-called "neural networks" are extremely expensive, poorly understood, unfixably unreliable, deceptive, data hungry, and inherently limited in capabilities. In short: they are bad. https://betterwithout.ai/artificial-neurons-considered-harmful Sayash Kapoor and...
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Gradient Dissent- Artificial Neurons Considered Harmful, Part 1
This begins "Gradient Dissent", the companion material to "Better Without AI". The neural network and GPT technologies that power current artificial intelligence are exceptionally error prone, deceptive, poorly understood, and dangerous. They are widely used without adequate safeguards in...
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Futurism, Politics, and Responsibility
The five short chapters in this episode are the conclusion of the main body of Better Without AI. Next, we'll begin the book's appendix, Gradient Dissent. Cozy Futurism - If we knew we'd never get flying cars, most people wouldn't care. What do we care about?…
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A Future We Would Like
A Future We Would Like - The most important questions are not about technology but about us. What sorts of future would we like? What role could AI play in getting us there, and also in that world? What is your own role in helping that happen? https://betterwithout.ai/a-future-we-would-like How…
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Scientific Progress Without AI
Stop obstructing scientific progress! We already know how to dramatically accelerate science: by getting out of the way. https://betterwithout.ai/stop-obstructing-science How to science better. What do exceptional scientists do differently from mediocre ones? Can we train currently-mediocre ones…
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Limits To Experimental Induction
Progress requires experimentation. Suggested ways AI could speed progress by automating experiments appear mistaken. https://betterwithout.ai/limits-to-induction You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooks If…
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Bonus Episode 8: Going Down On The Phenomenon
Forgive the sound quality on this episode; I recorded it live in front of an audience on a platform floating in a lake during the 2024 solar eclipse. This is a standalone essay by David Chapman on metarationaity.com. How scientific research is like cunnilingus: a phenomenology of epistemology....
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The Role Of Intelligence In Science
What Is The Role Of Intelligence In Science? Actually, what are "science" and "intelligence"? Precise, explicit definitions aren't necessary, but discussions of Transformative AI seem to depend implicitly on particular models of both. It matters if those models are wrong....
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Radical Progress Without Scary AI
Radical Progress Without Scary AI: Technological progress, in medicine for example, provides an altruistic motivation for developing more powerful AIs. I suggest that AI may be unnecessary, or even irrelevant, for that. We may be able to get the benefits without the risks....
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AI Is Net Harmful, and, A Negative Public Image For AI
Recognize that AI is probably net harmful: Actually-existing and near-future AIs are net harmful—never mind their longer-term risks. We should shut them down, not pussyfoot around hoping they can somehow be made safe. https://betterwithout.ai/AI-is-harmful Create a negative public image for AI:...
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Spurn Artificial Ideology
"Apocalypse now" identified the corrosive influence of new viral ideologies, created unintentionally by recommender systems, as a major AI risk. These may cause social collapse if not tackled head-on. You can resist. https://betterwithout.ai/spurn-artificial-ideology Announcement tweet for the...
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Fight DOOM AI with SCIENCE! and ENGINEERING!!
Current AI practices produce technologies that are expensive, difficult to apply in real-world situations, and inherently unsafe. Neglected scientific and engineering investigations can bring better understanding of specific risks of current AI technology, and can lead to safer technologies....
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Mistrust Machine Learning
The technologies underlying current AI systems are inherently, unfixably unreliable. They should be deprecated, avoided, regulated, and replaced. https://betterwithout.ai/mistrust-machine-learning You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon:...
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Develop And Mandate Intrinsic Cybersecurity
Gaining unauthorized access to computer systems is a key source of power in many AI doom scenarios. That is easy now, because there are scant incentives for serious cybersecurity; so nearly all systems are radically insecure. Technical and political initiatives must mitigate this problem....
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Practical Actions You Can Take Against AI Risks, and, End Digital Surveillance
Practical Actions You Can Take Against AI Risks: We can and should protect against current and likely future harmful AI effects. This chapter recommends practical, near-term risk reduction measures. I suggest actions for the general public, computer professionals, AI ethics and safety...
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Social Collapse: Apocalyptic Incoherence
This concludes the "Apocalypse Now" section of Better Without AI. AI systems may cause near-term disasters through their proven ability to shatter societies and cultures. These might potentially cause human extinction, but are more likely to scale up to the level of the twentieth century...
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Who Is In control Of AI? What An AI Apocalypse May Look Like
Who is in control of AI? - It may already be too late to shut down the existing AI systems that could destroy civilization. https://betterwithout.ai/AI-is-out-of-control What an AI apocalypse may look like - Scenarios in which artificial intelligence systems degrade critical institutions to the...
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Apocalypse Now - At War With The Machines
"In this audiobook... A LARGE BOLD FONT IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS SOUNDS LIKE THIS." Apocalypse now - Current AI systems are already harmful. They pose apocalyptic risks even without further technology development. This chapter explains why; explores a possible path for near-term human extinction…
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Fear Power, Not Intelligence
Superintelligence should scare us only insofar as it grants superpowers. Protecting against specific harms of specific plausible powers may be our best strategy for preventing catastrophes. https://betterwithout.ai/fear-AI-power For much of the AI safety community, the central question has been...
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Artificial General Intelligence And Transformative AI
Many people call the future threat "artificial general intelligence," but all three words there are misleading when trying to understand risks. https://betterwithout.ai/artificial-general-intelligence AI may radically accelerate technology development. That might be extremely good or extremely…
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Motivation, Morals, and Monsters
Thanks for your patience while I ran Fluidity Forum. We now resume "Better Without AI" by David Chapman. Speculations about autonomous AI assume simplistic theories of motivation. They also mistakenly confuse those with ethical theories. Building AI systems on these ideas would produce monsters....
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Diverse Forms Of Agency
It's a mistake to think that human-like agency is the only dangerous kind. That risks overlooking AIs causing agent-like harms in inhuman ways. https://betterwithout.ai/diverse-agency#fn_meme_critics You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon:...
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Autonomous AI Agents
Most apocalyptic scenarios involve an AI acting as an autonomous agent, pursuing goals that conflict with human ones. Many people reject AI risk, saying that machines can't have real goals or intentions. However, agency seems nebulous; and subtracting "real" agency from the scenario doesn't seem…
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Mind-Like AI
We have a powerful intuition that some special mental feature, such as self-awareness, is a prerequisite to intelligence. This causes confusion because we don't have a coherent understanding of what the special feature is, nor what role it plays in intelligent action. It may be best to treat…
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Scary AI, and, Superintelligence
Scary AI: Apocalyptic AI scenarios usually involve some qualitatively different future form of artificial intelligence. No one can explain clearly what would make that exceptionally dangerous in a way current AI isn't. This confusion draws attention away from risks of existing and near-future...
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Only You Can Stop An AI Apocalypse
We now begin narrating the book Better Without AI, by David Chapman. https://betterwithout.ai/only-you-can-stop-an-AI-apocalypse You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooks If you like the show, consider buying...
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A Fully Metarational Workplace
A meta-rational organization may appear chaotic (although productive and innovative), until you notice how smoothly routine rational work gets done. https://metarationality.com/meta-rational-workplace This is one of several standalone essays by David Chapman I'm incorporating into the unwritten...
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Doing Being Rational
Fine-grained analysis of a molecular biology how-to video reveals significant features of rationality in practice. https://metarationality.com/rational-pcr This is one of several standalone essays by David Chapman I'm incorporating into the unwritten sections of In The Cells Of The Eggplant, for...
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Upgrade Your Cargo Cult For The Win
Part V of In The Cells Of The Eggplant: Taking Rational Work Seriously Putting meta-rationality to work, in statistics, experimental science, software development, and entrepreneurship. https://metarationality.com/applications Richard Feynman derided "cargo cult science" that sticks to fixed...
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What They Don't Teach You At STEM School
The syllabus for a curriculum teaching meta-rational skills: how to evaluate, combine, modify, discover, and create effective systems. https://metarationality.com/meta-rationality-curriculum This is one of several standalone essays by David Chapman I'm incorporating into the unwritten sections of...
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Ignorant, Irrelevant, And Inscrutable
Distinguishing irrational, anti-rational, and meta-rational critiques of rationalism helps reply effectively. https://metarationality.com/rationalism-critiques This is one of several standalone essays by David Chapman I'm incorporating into the unwritten sections of In The Cells Of The Eggplant,...
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Judging Whether A System Applies
Just as in the last episode, this is one of several standalone essays by David Chapman I'm incorporating into the unwritten sections of In The Cells Of The Eggplant, for the audiobook version. It fits well into Part 4: Taking Meta-Rationality Seriously. Rationality requires judging whether a…
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Part 4: Taking Meta-Rationality Seriously
The heart of the meta-rationality book: what meta-rationality is, why it matters, and how to do it. https://metarationality.com/meta-rationality A first lesson in meta-rationality, or stage 5 cognition, using Bongard problems as a laboratory. This is an essay from metarationality.com edited and...
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Ontological Remodeling
Reconfiguring categories, properties, and relationships is a meta-rational skill—key in scientific revolutions. https://metarationality.com/remodeling Be advised, this episode is an hour long. You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon:...
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The Parable Of The Pebbles
Even counting, the simplest rational method, works only with the aid of non-rational support. https://metarationality.com/pebbles You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooks If you like the show, consider…
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Taking Rationality Seriously
A pragmatic understanding of how systematic rationality works in practice can help you level up your technical work. https://metarationality.com/rationality You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooks If you…
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Reasonable Ontology
Reasonableness works with nebulous, tacit, interactive, accountable, purposeful ontologies, which enable everyday routine activity. https://metarationality.com/reasonable-ontology You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon:...
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Instructed Activity
Using instructions requires figuring out what they mean in the context of your activity, and relative to your purposes. https://metarationality.com/reasonable-ontology You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon…
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Reasonable Believings
This episode is more than an hour long. The epistemological categories—truth, belief, inference—are richer, more complex, diverse, and nebulous than rationalism supposes. https://metarationality.com/reasonable-epistemology You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting…
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The Purpose Of Meaning
Peculiar features of language make sense as tools to enable collaboration, rather than to express objective truths. https://metarationality.com/purpose-of-meaning You can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooks If...
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Meaningful Perception
We actively work to perceive aspects of the world as meaningful, in terms of our purposes, in context. https://metarationality.com/perception Here are the images mentioned in this episode: In this episode is a mention of a perception test of tracking basketball players passing a ball:...
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Accountability And Routine
You are accountable for reasonableness: Accountability is the key concept in understanding mere reasonableness, as contrasted with systematic rationality. https://metarationality.com/accountability Reasonableness is routine: Routine activity usually goes smoothly overall, despite frequent minor...
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Aspects Of Reasonableness - and - Reasonableness Is Meaningful Activity
Aspects of reasonableness: A summary explanation of everyday reasonable activity, with a tabular guide and a concrete example. https://metarationality.com/reasonableness-aspects Reasonableness is meaningful activity: Understanding concrete, purposeful activity is a prerequisite to understanding…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
After the collapse of the 20th-century systematic mode of social organization, how can we move from our internet-enabled atomized mode, toward a fluid mode? We take problems of meaning-making, typically considered spiritual, and turn them into practical problems, which are more tractable."Meaningness" begins with this episode: https://fluidity.libsyn.com/an-appetizer-purpose"Meaningness And Time" begins with this episode: https://fluidity.libsyn.com/meaningness-and-time-how-meaning-fell-apart'In The Cells Of The Eggplant" begins with this episode: https://fluidity.libsyn.com/intro-to-metarationalityYou can support the podcast and get episodes a week early, by supporting the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/m/fluidityaudiobooksIf you like the show, consider buying me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattarnoldThis is a nonfiction audiobook narrated by Matt Arnold with the permission of the author, David Chapman. Full text at: https://meaningness.comPlease email me at fluidi
HOSTED BY
Matt Arnold
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fluidity have?
Fluidity currently has 160 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fluidity about?
After the collapse of the 20th-century systematic mode of social organization, how can we move from our internet-enabled atomized mode, toward a fluid mode? We take problems of meaning-making, typically considered spiritual, and turn them into practical problems, which are more...
How often does Fluidity release new episodes?
Fluidity publishes regularly with 160 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Fluidity?
You can listen to Fluidity on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fluidity?
Fluidity is created and hosted by Matt Arnold.
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