The discovery problem solved once and for all
Podcast episodes that contain a heated discussion on AI consciousness, the best advice show, the future of chips, loving your chatbot, and more.
Welcome to Hurt Your Brain #181, the place to get podcasts and links that will make you think.
Radiolab has maybe the most intriguing title of an episode this year, called Corpse Demon (really interesting too). Short Wave said goodbye to a producer (NPR’s layoffs) by playing his favorite episode, Worm Blobs In The Bowels Of The Earth. I hadn’t heard it and it’s really good.
On to some wonderful, brain hurting (in the best way of course) recommendations.
PODCAST RECOMMENDATIONS
The AI consciousness argument on The Skeptics Guide to The Universe #925
The Big Idea: Listen starting right at 40 minutes for an interview with Blake Lemoine, the guy fired from Google who said their AI was sentient.
This turns into a friendly but sometimes heated debate between an AI expert, a neurologist, and a psychologist around the nature of consciousness and the ability of AI to have it.
The Big Idea: I forgot how much I love this show. Fans send questions looking for advice from brothers Hank and John Green and their answers are equally informative and entertaining.
I was sent back down the rabbit hole initially when Roman Mars replaced Hank for an episode. It played in the 99 Percent Invisible feed as Dear John and Roman.
I then listened to the recent episodes of Sharkface Unicycle Boy, and Some Guy Died in This House, and I’m now fully back into this show. It’s wonderful.
After so many episodes, it’s as entertaining as ever. One of the first things I wrote on the internet was about the Green brothers and their internet empire has only expanded in the meantime.
Hard Fork Presents: The Most Amazing — And Dangerous —Technology In The World
The Big Idea: This is an episode of The Ezra Klein Show that features an interview with an expert on the worldwide chip market (computer, not potato, although I would listen to that too).
You could listen in the feed of The Ezra Klein Show, but I enjoyed the setup provided by Hard Fork.
It sounds like a boring topic, but it is incredibly interesting and a little scary to think the tremendous amount riding on this supply chain staying healthy.
The Closer: The Deal That Made The World’s Biggest Airline
The Big Idea: Come for the intrigue within the mega merger between American Airlines and US Airways, and stay for the amazing story of the woman who guided the negotiations by focusing on labor relations.
This ultimately acts as a lesson in labor within business and how important unions are.
Hi-Phi Nation: Love in the Time of Replika
The Big Idea: A thorough and satisfying examination from a philosophical viewpoint of how and why people would want to date an AI.
This is my second recommendation of Hi-Phi Nation’s newest season, so maybe go ahead and listen to all of them!
From the Hurt Your Brain Archives, and speaking of John Green [from edition #74]:
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Pennies and Piggly Wiggly (21 min). My idea of supermarket dominance and loyalty is defined by Wegmans (at least for the Northeast). But there are only 98 stores in the U.S. Apparently, that’s nothing. In 1932, at the height of Piggly Wiggly’s dominance, there were 2500 stores across the U.S., and today there are still 600. Also, the man who created the chain was a business genius and apparently a bit of an asshole.
PODCAST LINKS
The Podcast Discovery Problem Solved Once and For All. With five minutes work you’ll be set for life with an endless podcast queue. An update on one of my favorite things to write, a list of all the podcast recommendation newsletters. Industry and creator newsletter lists are forthcoming.
Can You Solve These 14 Podcast Riddles? Put your podcast knowledge to the test now that all these riddles are in one spot.
OTHER LINKS TO MAKE YOU THINK
Free soloing with Alex Honnold [The guy from the movie Free Solo]. If you feel like getting very nervous and sweaty watching two people climb (even when you know they make it), this video is for you. Magnus Midtbo is Norway’s best climber and I find his YouTube channel super interesting because of his chill attitude while doing extreme things.
How NASA Reinvented The Wheel. For real, it’s a pretty cool design.
The Two Buckets of Non-Fiction Books. Do you want to learn for pleasure, or do you want to take action? Something short I wrote.
FOR FUN
I’m not a cat. Look, I know what the video is, you know what the video is, but it’s time for a rewatch. Still as hilarious.
This answer to “what is the most successful lie in history?”
Alright that’s all for today. It’s my birthday and Succession is starting (or has started rather, this always takes me longer than expected!). See you next time.
Erik! Thank you so much for including Sounds Like Impact in your Medium write-up! I enjoy your newsletter and hope that I can convince you to guest curate one of these days. Take care!