podcast – The Methods of Rationality Podcast

Kindness to Kin, by Eliezer Yudkowsky Original text here  

A short story by Ben Pace. Original can be found here. Donate to the fundraiser here! Harry sings karaoke here. Happy New Year. :)

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about the season one finale of Pluribus. Rest assured that we can’t harm you without your consent (though we can look for loopholes to force you to join our club). Remember, your choices are your own. Thanks for listening, everyone. Brian and I plan to do more stuff between now and season 2 so stay tuned. :)

A short story by Prerat. Original can be found here. Merry Xmas!

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about episode 8 of Pluribus. You’re welcome to join us in our giant cuddle puddle. Don’t worry, it’s way less sexy than it sounds. Remember, your choices are your own.

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about episode 7 of Pluribus. Please don’t walk through 100 kilometers of deadly jungle – we’re happy to give you a ride. Remember, your choices are your own. This episode had some scheduling issues around recording and a nicely timed tech problem. It’s not our best work. If somehow this happens to be your first episode, I encourage you to try another one. ;)

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about episode 6 of Pluribus. You’re welcome to consume human-derived protein, but we don’t think that’s likely. Remember, your choices are your own.

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about episode 5 of Pluribus. We hope you enjoy this exploration of the complexities of handling the unassimilated. Remember, your choices are your own.

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about episode 4 of Pluribus. We hope you enjoy this exploration of the complexities of handling the unassimilated. Remember, your choices are your own.

Welcome back to Unum! We’re so happy you can join us! We’re eager to share this conversation about episode 3 of Pluribus. We hope you enjoy this exploration of the complexities of handling the unassimilated. Remember, your choices are your own.

Welcome back to Unum! Steven and Brian discuss the second episode, gush about their favorite parts, and have fun speculating wildly about what “reasonable” people might do in this situation. The format of this show will be full spoilers for the episode we’re covering and we’ll do an accelerated release schedule to catch up with the show. We hope you have fun!

Welcome to Unum! Steven loved Pluribus so much that he needed to talk about it and Brian was on board to join! The format of this show will be full spoilers for the episode we’re covering and we’ll do an accelerated release schedule to catch up with the show. We hope you have fun!

Join Brian and Steven as we wrap up our journey through the awesome and thought provoking world of Blindsight. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. The starting quote for this episode is: “You cannot prevent and prepare for war at the same time.” —Einstein The end quote for this episode is… Nothing. Thanks for listening and thank you to Peter Watts for writing this wonderful mind fuck of a story!

Join Brian and Steven as the scramblers and the vampire demon challenge the value of the very essence of of what makes us us. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. The starting quote for this episode is: “If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t.” —Emerson M. Pugh This episode’s discussion ends at the quote:“You cannot prevent and prepare for war at the same time.” —Einstein The last quote in the book is: Species used to go extinct. Now they go on hiatus.” —Deborah MacLennan, Tables of our Reconstruction But we’ll be reading the notes and references too.

Brian and Steven continue their journey into space madness. Buckle up – this one gets nuts! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “If I can but make the words awake the feeling” —Ian Anderson, Stand Up This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t.” —Emerson M. Pugh For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “You cannot prevent and prepare for war at the same time.” —Einstein

Join Brian and Steven as we put jumper cables on this roomba to see if it feels pain! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?” —Pierre Troubetzkoy This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “If I can but make the words awake the feeling” —Ian Anderson, Stand Up For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t.” —Emerson M. Pugh

Join Brian and Steven as we wrangle up some aliens of dubious sentience so we can confine them and do some mad science at them! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them” —Einstein This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?” —Pierre Troubetzkoy For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “If I can but make the words awake the feeling” —Ian Anderson, Stand Up

Hold on tight – Brian and Steven throw themselves back into the mysterious alien spacecraft after punching a hole in it with antimatter! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “You have eyes, but you do not see” —Jesus the Nazorean This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them” —Einstein For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?” —Pierre Troubetzkoy

Brian and Steven continue diving into the madness-inducing meat-grinder over and over. Come on and join the party! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “Predators run for their dinner. Prey run for their lives.” —Old Ecologist’s Proverb This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “You have eyes, but you do not see” —Jesus the Nazorean For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them” —Einstein Here are a couple of videos that demonstrate inattentional blindness. I hope you have as much fun getting your world rocked as I did when I first saw these. :)

Join Brian and Steven as they throw caution to the winds, don their Big Daddy costumes, and get ready to rumble with some space ghosts! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.” —Aristotle This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “Predators run for their dinner. Prey run for their lives.” —Old Ecologist’s Proverb For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “You have eyes, but you do not see” —Jesus the Nazorean

Join Brian and Steven, who are maybe trapped inside of a Chinese Room. Or maybe banging on it from the outside. Who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “They know the music but not the words.” — Hare, Without Conscience This episode’s discussion ends at the quote: “Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.” —Aristotle For next week, stop reading when you get to the quote: “Predators run for their dinner. Prey run for their lives.” —Old Ecologist’s Proverb

Join Brian and Steven as we talk with some maybe-super-smart aliens in our discussion of part 3 of Blindsight! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “They know the music but not the words.” — Hare, Without Conscience And the stop quote for this episode is: “Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.” —Aristotle

Join Brian and Steven on their expedition to the edge of the solar system with part 2 of Blindsight! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. (I read the wrong quote at the top of the episode. Whoopsie!) Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them.” —Robert Jarvik And the stop quote for this episode is: “They know the music but not the words.” — Hare, Without Conscience

Steven and Brian take their first real dive into the strange world of Blindsight. I hope you are having as much as we are. :) The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. Check out the awesome companion website sxp made! The starting quote for this episode is: “Try to touch the past. Try to deal with the past. It’s not real. It’s just a dream.” —Ted Bundy And the stop quote for this episode is: “Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them.” —Robert Jarvik

Steven and Brian announce their latest reading project – Blindsight by Peter Watts! The book doesn’t have chapters in the traditional sense, but it does have natural stopping points separated by quotes. The first week we’ll be reading up until: “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. — Emerson” Everyone should buy a copy and check it out!

A movie that somehow did it all. You can find Matt at his regular media-analysis podcast at Doof Media.

Narrative about meta-narrative. Eneasz and Steven talk about the rest of Cowboy Grak 5, a Worth The Candle fanfic.

Listen to the entirety of Cowboy Grak 5 over at https://askwhocastsai.substack.com/p/cowboy-grak-5-yet-another-fistful

Not everything is a reference! Eneasz and Steven talk about half of Cowboy Grak 5, a Worth The Candle fanfic.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven wrap up their adventures in the mind of Philip K Dick. We’re gonna keep this going with Blindsight! Come back in a week or two for … part of Blindsight. We’ll figure this out later. Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Want to run an HPMOR Anniversary Party, or get notified if one’s happening near you? Fill this out!

No new episode this week, y’all. We’ll be back to wrap up the show as soon as we can. In the mean time, check out some other awesome content like AskWho’s AI audiobooks and essays. Stay awesome and we look forward to chatting about the end of our PKD adventures. Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven chew on the Chew-Z madness. The next episode will be delayed by a week, so come back in two weeks for the final three chapters, 11, 12, and 13! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven discuss Barney’s trip down depression lane. Come back next week for chapters 9 and 10! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue their exploration the layers of madness that is the mind of Philip K. Dick. Come back next week for chapters 7 and 8! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue their exploration of the real and surreal while enjoying some psychedelic plants. Come back next week for chapters 5 and 6! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven dive deep into the Earth’s surface to survive the first two chapters of The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch! Come back next week for chapters 3 and 4. Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven wrap up their reading of Man in the High Castle with the last 3 chapters. Things get exciting, then surreal, then weird, then even weirder, and everyone lives happily ever after. Come back in a week (or two) for the first two chapters of The Three Stigmata of of Palmer Eldritch! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue their reading of Man in the High Castle, chapters 11 and 12. Stuff is getting real, people are getting shot, the Nazis are coming! Come back next week for the last 3 chapters! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue their reading of Man in the High Castle. Tensions continue to rise, super secrets are hinted at, and Julianna is planning to visit the guy who’s name is the the name of the thing (she wants to visit the Man in the High Castle). Come back next week for chapters 11 and 12! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue their reading of Man in the High Castle. Couple of not too exciting chapters, but tension seem to be rising. Couple back next week for chapters 9 and 10! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue our reading of Man in the High Castle. We get the name of the thing in this one and everyone loses their mind when the German Chancellor dies. Come back next week for chapters 7 and 8! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

AskWho is bringing Significant Digits into audio format via AI narration. The first episode is live today, and he’ll be doing one a week until completion. He’s using an AI-clone of my (Eneasz’s) voice for the bulk of it, which caused me some small amount of existential panic you can read about here. But it’s done with my permission and I’m very happy for it to be out there. Check it out – https://askwhocastsai.substack.com/s/significant-digits-audiobook

No new episode this week, sorry folks. Come back next week for chapters 5 and 6! Link to the John Stewart clip Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven continue our reading of Man in the High Castle. Lot’s of fun plot lines get started in these chapters. Come back next week for chapters 5 and 6! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD! Brian and Steven kick off our second book, Man in the High Castle! So far it’s lots of fun, even if the world is a complete nightmare. Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD, the show where Brian and Steven dive into the weird world and weirder mind of Phillip K. Dick! In this episode, we wrap up Ubik and talk about some of the cool, mind-bending stuff it makes you think about. Come back next week for the first two chapters of Man in the High Castle! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD, the show where Brian and Steven dive into the weird world and weirder mind of Phillip K. Dick! In this episode, the weirdness keeps on coming! Come back next week for the last 4 chapters! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD, the show where Brian and Steven dive into the weird world and weirder mind of Phillip K. Dick! In this episode, things are getting super weird. Are they dead? Is everyone dead? Come back next week for chapters 11, 12, and 13! Note: I’m giving myself a pass for being less coherent than usual. I didn’t check until after recording, but I had a fever of 103. This feels appropriately disorienting given how confused we’re all supposed to be. Also, my internet went out about 12 minutes in and I apparently didn’t get back on the right mic for the second recording – my bad, folks. But through the foresight of redundant recordings, I was able to switch back to the not-shitty mic after a couple of minutes. Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.

Welcome back to PKD, the show where Brian and Steven dive into the weird world and weirder mind of Phillip K. Dick! In this episode, the crew gets to the moon and shit goes sideways right away. Come back next week for chapters 8, 9, and 10! Also, did you happen across this looking for HPMoR stuff? Find it here.