Claim OwnershipRobert Wright's Nonzero
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© Nonzero
Description
Conversations with a series of people who have nothing in common except that program host Robert Wright is curious about what they’re thinking.
nonzero.substack.com
nonzero.substack.com
378 Episodes
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0:28 Is Mickey all-in on Trump? 4:26 The “garbage” wars and their aftermath 7:54 Kamala’s path(s) to victory 10:29 Mickey explains the logic of voting for Trump 19:44 Why Trump sucks, why Kamala sucks 26:05 Bob doles out (p)recriminations 35:37 Will Israel-Iran escalate? 45:00 How Kamala could win Mickey’s vote 49:23 Why did Kamala go negative? 55:27 Mickey plays pundit defender 1:10:02 Which swing state looks worst for Kamala?1:15:55 How Biden made war in Taiwan more likely 1:21:24 Four Dem sex “scandals”1:30:53 Bob trashes Trump’s tariffs 1:41:55 Bob looks for a silver-lining to a second Trump term 1:47:31 Elon Musk, the oligarch’s oligarchRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Mickey Kaus (kausfiles, The End of Equality). Recorded October 30, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nonzero.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Peter’s new book, Other Rivers: A Chinese Education 3:24 Have Chinese people become less hostile to America? 13:12 What Americans get wrong about China 17:38 Why Peter thinks Covid didn’t come from a lab 20:59 China’s transformative recent decades 31:10 Respect for authority in Chinese culture 40:26 Change in China between Peter’s two teaching stints there 54:41 Why the Chinese political system may change dramaticallyRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Peter Hessler (River Town, Other Rivers). Recorded September 17, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.comAndrew Day, Connor Echols, and a SPECIAL MYSTERY GUEST discuss items from this week’s Earthling. Read it here: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/are-we-inching-toward-world-war-iii
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Bob: The oligarchy has arrived 8:24 What do the odd 2024 betting markets mean for the race? 17:51 Trump on Palmer’s manhood: a closer look 25:24 The Elon empathy enigma 34:51 Coates’s controversial cognitive-empathizing 43:06 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded October 22, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.comRobert Wright, Andrew Day, and Connor Echols discuss items from this week’s Earthling. Read it here: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/why-israel-wont-take-the-winRecorded October 18, 2024.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 What is the chip war intended to accomplish? 11:44 How China sees the chip war 19:02 Is Huawei a threat to US national security? 30:21 Paul: The chip restrictions on China are unprecedented 39:39 How Biden boosted China’s chip industry 52:40 Clear costs and unclear benefits of the chip warRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Triolo (Albright Stonebridge Group). Recorded October 02, 2024.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.comAndrew Day and Connor Echols discuss items from this week’s Earthling. Read it here: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/israel-assassination-backfires-andRecorded October 11, 2024.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:00 The time Ron helped un-cancel Jimmy Carter 3:36 How has 10/7 affected American Jews? 15:38 Israel’s place in US politics post-10/7 21:59 What a second Trump term could mean for Israel-Palestine 28:31 Could the current trauma in the Middle East eventually revive the two-state solution? 39:05 Making sense of Israel’s military strategy 45:39 Criticism of Israel, left vs right 50:58 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Ron Kampeas (Jewish Telegraphic Agency).Recorded October 09, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Elon takes the stage with Trump 5:025 The logic behind Elon’s Trump gamble 11:21 Who won the Vance-Walz vibe war? 14:56 A few kind words about Elon from Paul 27:50 Bob and Paul debate the CBS Coates controversy 48:06 Paul gets philosophical about Mission: Impossible 51:54 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded October 08, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.comRobert Wright, Andrew Day, and Connor Echols discuss items from this week’s Earthling. Read it here: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/bibis-plan-for-peace-through-widerRecorded October 04, 2024.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Arvind’s book and newsletter: AI Snake Oil 3:02 A taxonomy of AI observers 7:41 The impact of generative AI 20:21 Why predictive AI sometimes fails 25:03 Uses and misuses of AI in law and healthcare 41:22 Can social media be saved? 52:25 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Arvind Narayanan (Princeton University, AI Snake Oil). Recorded September 11, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
1This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.comRobert Wright and Connor Echols discuss items from this week’s Earthling. Read it here: https://nonzero.substack.com/p/biden-and-blinken-israels-lawyersRecorded September 27, 2024.https://twitter.com/NonzeroNewshttps://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
0:28 Bob crestfallen over Mickey’s hat switcheroo 2:41 Mickey blames DEI for Kamala tic he finds annoying 8:20 Who’s less impressive, Kamala or Trump? 15:27 Why Bob prefers Kamala’s foreign policy team to Biden’s 29:46 The Vance dossier, revealed at last 34:08 More arguments about Kamala 48:08 Preliminary election analysis 59:05 Trump, Vance, and Springfield’s cats and dogs 1:09:52 Mickey’s Eric Adams conspiracy theory 1:12:02 Biden diplomacy? What Biden diplomacy? 1:23:16 Is cancel culture impotent? 1:29:02 Election predictions 1:33:28 Deeper election analysisRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Mickey Kaus (kausfiles, The End of Equality). Recorded September 26, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nonzero.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Deep insights about coffee and sleep from Paul 5:11 Mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy 7:58 Oligarchy + paranoid billionaires = disaster 14:38 Ackman and Thiel join Elon in billionaire la la land 22:02 Is Trump anti-Semitic or just really pro-Israel? 36:37 If you don’t feel alienated you should seek counseling 41:26 Heading to overtimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded September 24, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Would a different US president have made a difference for Gaza? 14:32 Saudi-Israel normalization takes a step back 19:36 Is all hope lost for a two-state solution? 26:51 Making sense of Israel’s pager attacks in Lebanon 35:28 Heading to Overtime—and an AP PSARobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True), Derek Davison (Foreign Exchanges, American Prestige, Discontents), and Daniel Bessner (American Prestige, University of Washington). Recorded September 19, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Why didn’t OpenAI call its new o1 AI GPT? 12:27 Tim’s first impressions of o1 16:30 What’s the secret to o1’s better reasoning? 27:21 Inspecting AI introspection 30:31 Does o1’s capability for deception bring us closer to doom? 35:59 AI doomers’ Hollywood problem 41:03 Elon’s self-driving speed bumps 47:03 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Timothy B. Lee (Full Stack Economics, Understanding AI). Recorded September 17, 2024.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.comRobert Wright and Andrew Day discuss items from this week’s Earthling.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:28 Tragedy strikes the Wright household 4:20 Breaking down the big Trump-Kamala debate 22:44 Are debates actually valuable? 26:16 Kamala’s worst debate moment (according to Bob) 33:39 Elon vs Taylor Swift, Brazil, and himself 37:19 Bob and Paul argue about free speech 45:18 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded September 11, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nonzero.substack.com0:00 Is Ukraine’s Kursk invasion failing? 6:05 Why Russia may outlast the West in Ukraine 14:20 Zelensky’s cabinet shakeup 16:50 Prospects for a peace deal 26:25 Russian elites’ views on the war 36:44 How the Global South can help end the conflict 42:40 Heading to OvertimeRobert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Anatol Lieven (The Quincy Institute). Recorded September 05, 2024.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods
(Description from Tripp Fuller’s Homebrewed Christianity podcast.)In this episode, I am joined by one of my favorite scholars in the public square, Robert Wright, the editor of the Nonzero Newsletter. This is a captivating discussion about artificial intelligence, consciousness, and the future of humanity. We explore Wright's extensive work, including 'Nonzero,' 'The Evolution of God,' and 'Why Buddhism is True,' while delving into the intersections of science, religion, and philosophy. Discover the implications of AI for humanity, the critical role of international cooperation in technology governance, and the moral and spiritual dimensions needed to navigate rapid technological changes. The conversation also addresses the complexities of sentience, cognitive empathy, and the evolutionary drives in AI, with insights from philosophers like Teilhard de Chardin and Alfred North Whitehead.Tripp’s Substack: https://processthis.substack.com/Originally published August 19, 2024 by Homebrewed Christianity .Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nonzero.substack.com/subscribe
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what an ass of an interviewer this guy is.
the greatest show on earth
A comment for Josh. You tell about looking for the driver of the wandering to see how it rests in one of the 5 hindrances. But here's a thought I've been meditating on. When we look for a "cause" or a driver, we're always telling ourselves a story as to what that cause is. It's a narrative that we've essentially invented. That narrative doesn't have to be "true." In fact, I think that attributing the cause to a hinderence is a projection, a way of trying to externalize the driver. Because when we were forming our identity as a child, there was some external force, or dysfunction, that impinged on our true perfect self. Let's say we developed a sense of jealous desire because our family of origin gave us the (incorrect) message that we weren't good enough. So we developed a desire or need to be better than we were. The narrative behind the hinderence is arbitrary. Suppose you keep looking to find that what underlies that "hinderence" narrative is actually a strength - a perfect self,
The most underrated podcast. The content is absolutely superb.
The following is what Silver has been saying for days, and Wright says that 538 shows it is tightening. I mean I get PTSD, but that's just inexcusable sloppy > "There just hasn’t been any real sign that the race is tightening. If anything, Joe Biden’s margins are expanding slightly in the Upper Midwest." Bob - stop coasting and do some prep. What's up with a Buddhist just steaming money like this? You've been consistently spouting stuff a out the polling that is just wrong. For example, there's no actual evidence to support a" shy Trump voter¥ effect. It's not true that 538 relies only on polling, etc.
Robert needs to stop interrupting his guests.
awesome
Thank you for doing this show Robert! Huge fan of your writing and I'm finding more authors through listening to this podcast. So many of the topics you touch are ideas that prior have been left ruminating in my head so it's incredible to hear someone else going in depth on them. Keep this up, I'll be listening.