In today’s episode, we’re interviewing Muriel Leuenberger who is a postdoctoral researcher in philosophy at the Digital Society Initiative at the University of Zurich. She works on ethics of technology with a focus on generative AI and neuroethics. In those fields, she analyses the impact of different technologies on identity, authenticity and meaning in life.We dive into her latest research paper ‘Should you let AI tell you who you are and what you should do?”. We discuss to what extent AI actually can impact who you are and your process of self-creation. Some questions we address: How do humans form their identify? How could lack of randomness, and bad choices, prevent you from finding out who you are? What could be the implications if we let AI provide recommendations in most aspects of our lives? Where do we draw the line between harmless suggestions and deeper influence over our identity or life choices? What does a future where we get AI right look like? Tune in to listen to the interview!
What if questions could replace our KPIs and companies could legally work like an organism? Companies are one of the most powerful technologies humans have ever invented. But they can no longer maximise profit at the cost of the planet, we need a new approach. This is why Amit Paul, previous member of A-teens and co-founder of Innrwrks, has invented a new legal business form that is inspired to function like nature. By hacking the current system, Amit and his co-founder Nils von Heijne, has found a way to legally register a company new form, called a Regenerative Community Organism, that: Is legally bound towards optimising the best solution towards a certain purpose or question - not shareholder profit Has the autonomy like a business, but the responsibility of a non-profit organisation Just like nature, the company goes through phases of Growth, Maturation, Decay and Death What happens when we incorporated companies in a structure inspired by nature? They come alive. ______ About the guest Amit Paul has had 3 careers in his life. The first entailed selling millions of records and topping the charts starting at the age of 15 as a member of the band A-teens. The second as the CEO of a green chemistry startup aiming to eliminate persistent chemicals in plastics. Currently as a systems dancer and co-founder of a transformation lab with the ambition to transforming business into something that creates a future we want for our kids. This talk draws on his experience of creating and implementing a regenerative hybrid organisational structure - the RCO, that’s grounded in living systems principles. An exploration that led to the discovery of the enlivening power of structuring business around questions.
Einstein once said: "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Someone that understands this is John Bunzl, a businessman and a political activist from the UK. He’s the founder of Simpol, the International Simultaneous Policy Organisation, a new political innovation to overcome the obstacles that are today refraining governments to cooperate with each other. By applying game theory from business school, he explains the concept "The Political Prisoner's Dilemma" to visualise why governments are held back on taking true action to solve global problems. Simpol is a solution to overcome this obstacle that keeps governments from true cooperation and is designed in such an ingenious way so that all countries can keep their competitiveness and only gain benefits from supporting it. Episode learnings: - What is Simpol - Why governments refrain from cooperating - What needs to be done to overcome the obstacles that keep us from global cooperation - How you can design a system to solve global matters - How evolutionary biology has solved big problems for humanity in the past - and what we can learn from it - How the future of global votes can change democracy __________________ To support the cause, go to Simpol.org and make your global vote count. Want to learn more about the research behind it, evolutionary biology and how to design a global vote system? Listen to the ebook - it is a highly recommended read. The political initiative Simpol is today supported by over 100 Members of the Parliament in the UK, and growing internationally as well. It is supported by many eminent professionals and researchers across the globe, such as José Ramos-Horta, previous Noble Peace Prize Laureat.
New disruptions and technological advancements always lead to new ethical dilemmas and uncertainties. In the past year, we've seen an explosion of technological advancements, and hence, new ethical discussions have become a hot topic. Ben Wilberforce-Ritchie is an Ethics Manager and Philosopher who helps companies think better and make wiser decisions. During this episode, Ben guides us through four approaches to ethics that can help your decision-making process. There are no easy answers to ethics, but if we approach situations from different moral perspectives, we can increase the likelihood of making the right decision. In this episode, you'll learn: The basic principles of four ancient moral philosophies How businesses can use these approaches to ethics to guide their decisions How companies may think when approaching new AI tools ___Ben Wilberforce-Ritchie is a Philosopher partnering with the organisation Philosophy at Work – who deliver workshops and talks to organisations on topics such as Curiosity, Critical Thinking and Navigating Change, practicing philosophical thought techniques to help people “think better, do better”. He is also an author and his first novel Furze: Sweethearts and Swan Songs was published in Nov-21. Lastly, he is an Ethics Manager at the FTSE100 Aerospace and Defence firm BAE Systems.
What if we let a plant rule the world? It is, in fact, already possible. In this episode, we discover Herbie, a plant that has been given autonomy through the power of AI to make its own decisions based on its own health. Herbie can decide to invest in things like replanting a forest or protecting wetlands. Mark Bünger is the co-founder and CTO of Futurity Systems, who has built Herbie as part of the 'Plantiverse' project. In this episode, you’ll learn: How a plant can be given autonomy to rule the world How the project could be scaled to large ecosystems, like Antarctica or rainforests How a piece of land could sue the government What a future of 'non-humans' ruling the world could look like ____ About the the guest Mark Bünger Mark is co-founder and CTO of Futurity Systems an observatory for deeptech: science-driven technologies that will have disruptive impacts on industry, such as synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, private spaceflight, or quantum computing. His clients include venture capitalists, product developers, and R&D teams at more than 150 of the world’s largest companies.
The word artificial in artificial intelligence, is the polar opposite of nature's natural intelligence. What if we could find some answers on how to navigate the AI disruption in nature itself? In today's solo episode, we'll dive into five ways to navigate the AI disruption, drawing inspiration from nature's intelligence itself. We'll discuss: AI from an Anti-Fragility Point of View AI from the Lens of Parenthood AI Ethics from a Biological Evolutionary Perspective AI from an Ecosystem Point of View AI from a Religious Point of View Happy to heard your thoughts and ideas for future episodes. For more content or to book a talk, go to phuturist.se. Talk to you in the next episode!
In today's episode, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone to share my own thoughts in a solo podcast format. In this debut episode, we'll explore AI through the lens of parenting. I wrote an article a few years ago about how we don't truly understand the potential of what we can become, until we've already become. The current AI boom is no different. In the recent AI safety discussions, I've come to think of parallels between AI creation and parenting. Who's responsible for ensuring well-behaved children, or creations? Just as parents shape their kids, creators shape AI, but to what extent? These are the topics we'll dive into today. We'll discuss: The Parenting Analogy. Most would agree that parents are responsible for their children's actions until they grow up - but to what extent? The Transition to Adulthood. When does this responsibility end? Is it at age 18 or does it extend further? The choice to become a parent is sometimes not planned, but with AI, creators have a conscious decision. Control is another factor; you can't choose your children, but you can design your own AI. Lastly, we'll dive into accountability—should AI creators bear the burden of every action taken by their creations? The Ripple Effect. A single invention or child can lead to paradigm shifts. Inventions always have unforeseen side effects. Should scientists bear responsibility for these ripple effects, even if they can't predict them? Societal Responsibility. Like parenting, laws regulate certain aspects, rights, and obligations. As we debate AI regulations and solutions, do we need a similar infrastructure for AI as with parents? Reflections and Conclusion. Just like in parenting, AI creators birth new entities into the world, and we can't predict their potential until they've evolved. We cannot know the answers, but we can spark essential questions. I'd love to hear your reflections on this episode and whether you enjoyed this format. If you did, and if you would like to reach out to me or book a talk, visit phuturist.se/talks. Stay curious and keep questioning. See you in the next episode!
Finding Answers to Human Challenges in Outer Space?In this episode, we go on a cosmic journey with the space entrepreneur Mattias Hansson, CEO and Founder of I.S.A.A.C International Space Asset Acceleration Company AB, who is passionate about finding answers to some of our most pressing earthly challenges through insights from the space industry. Join us as we dive into the intriguing world of space exploration and its unexpected lessons for life on our planet. You'll learn: Why Space Entrepreneurship? First things first, our guest Mattias Hansson shares his personal journey into the world of space entrepreneurship. Discover what drove him to reach for the stars and explore the cosmos. Circularity Lessons from Space. Explore the unexpected concept of circularity in the context of the space industry. Mattias explains how we can learn from space missions to create more sustainable and regenerative systems right here on Earth. Leadership Insights from Space. Uncover the leadership lessons that can be learned from the space industry and whether they can be applied to solve global challenges like climate change. Explore the dynamics of smaller, tight-knit space teams and their potential for addressing pressing matters. Making an Impact through Space. As we wrap up, Mattias offers advice to those who aspire to make a meaningful impact on Earth by harnessing the power of space technology. Learn how you can get involved and be part of the solution. Whether you're a space enthusiast or space research critic, this episode opens up some fresh new perspectives on the possibilities for humanity that lie beyond our atmosphere.
In today's episode, we're interviewing the crypto-professional Ludvig Öberg, co-founder of Safello and the Swedish Bitcoin Association, currently developing an open-source blockchain at ChromaWay. In other words, he is a true blockchain expert. He has recently pioneered one of the first theses on management controls within so-called Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, which are members-driven organizations powered by Blockchain technologies. Blockchain technologies have opened new possibilities for how we organize ourselves. In the past, it has been challenging to maintain control in decentralized organizations as the number of members grows, however, blockchain technologies enable control in decentralized organizations at scale through so-called smart contracts, voting rights, ownership through tokens etc. This way, we can avoid the "tragedy of the commons" as members feel invested with clear owner rights and responsibilities. However, is it really possible to maintain a decentralized organization at scale? How do you maintain management controls in large Decentralized Autonomous Organizations as they grow? Is it even possible to avoid corporate governance, or is it an inevitable must? In today's episode you'll learn: What is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization What are some common management control systems The findings from his research studying different types of DAOs Tune in to learn more!
Two years ago, Devin Gonier, TEDx speaker and CTO at Wageup, joined the show to talk about how AI can be taught morality and ethics by replicating the way humans learn ethics as kids. Devin has now founded a new company, DebaterHub, hoping to help secure AI safety through another process humans use to learn ethics: debate. He also has a Master’s degree in machine learning and a double major in philosophy and religion. In today’s episode, Devin provides an overview of the methods and research on AI safety that exist as of today, along with their respective pros and cons. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: Three methods to teach AI morality and ethics (including the method OpenAI used) How debate could be used to teach ethics to machines How we can think of consciousness as a gradient in the AI space Tune in to learn more!
Have you ever thought about how money is created in our new digital era? If it is neither coins created from gold nor physical cash notes, what really happens when new digital money is created in our modern world? Together with Brett Scott, who is an author, monetary anthropologist and former financial broker, we investigated this seemingly simple, but in reality very complex question. You'll learn: The different types of money and the different roles they play in our society How digital money is created The unknown role of cash (and we're not talking about the right to pay with physical money) Why we should care about how money is created ________ About the guest Brett Scott is a journalist, campaigner, monetary anthropologist and former financial broker. He is the author of Cloudmoney: Cash, Cards, Crypto and the War for our Wallets (2022), and The Heretic's Guide to Global Finance (2013). He publishes the Altered States of Monetary Consciousness newsletter and tweets as @suitpossum
In previous episodes, we’ve covered the topic of regenerative living. Whilst sustainability focuses on sustaining Mother Earth, regenerative living goes one step beyond that and focuses on restoring it. Across the globe enthusiasts and change-makers are building so-called Smart Villages, or eco-villages, based on these regenerative principles that restore our planet. OASA is a non-profit focusing on innovating and building these Smart Villages at scale. They are currently building a regenerative farm outside Lisbon called Traditional Dream Factory. To fuel further investments and enable governance at scale, they’ve just launched Europe’s first land-based conservation token. The project is ground-breaking as this is the first time in Europe a regenerative village has issued a token with legal status giving token holders access to real-world assets. (compared to a virtual asset in the digital world). With the launch, OASA hopes to lead the way and inspire more enthusiasts to take action and join them on the quest to restore Mother Earth through regenerative living. In the episode, you’ll learn: What is ‘DAO’ (Decentralized Autonomous Organisation) What regenerative living means What web3 is and how tokens can be used in the real world How the first land-based legal token works How the legal setup could be replicated to scale regenerative living
What if there was a simple way to explain why people can have such different worldviews?What if there was a simple reason to understand why some countries care more about solving climate change than others?What if there was an easy way to understand polarization and create a win-win-win situation to unite people?_____Spiral Dynamics offers a simple framework to understand human development and how humanity’s values change and are expressed in different sequential stages. The model can be applied both on an individual level and on a cultural level.Each stage has its pros and cons, and Spiral Dynamics offer a way to understand and honor how people can have varying opinions on reality. Thanks to this tool, we can create win-win-win situations and help unite people instead of fuelling polarization.This is what Niro Perera does professionally, as an executive coach and facilitator, applying the theory of Spiral Dynamics and other developmental tools to help teams and individuals perform at their highest capability.Although Niro specifically presents the stages very simply here, the actual study of Spiral Dynamics is complex and takes time. As with everything else, Spiral Dynamics is a tool that should be used wisely and most importantly with humility.Tune in to the show to learn more.
Hubville: Learnings from building a Smart Village with the Government Imagine living in a city where not only every single architectural detail is optimised to restore Mother Earth, but also city life itself is designed to enhance wellness and improve social sustainability. Anders Varger, the founder of Hubville, is building one of the world’s first self-sustaining city districts in Vetlanda in Sweden. Hubville is fundamentally rethinking sustainability and reinventing how we can live together, and the project is optimising sustainability from 16 different perspectives such as relationships, education and social security. The project is being built together with the local municipality - which is in fact a starting point to create systemic change at scale. In today’s episode, Anders Varger shares his learnings so far from building a Smart Village together with the government. You’ll learn: What Hubville is and the philosophy behind it How you can expand sustainability into 16 different areas Pros and cons of working with the government to create change What needs to happen for Smart Villages to go mainstream and create systemic change
What if companies would pay the true cost of their footprint, and anyone could get paid for planting trees and restoring the Earth? What if we redesigned the economic system so that the true gains and costs are fully represented in the financial return? What if we could transition into an impact economy? __ Alan Laubsch is an internationally recognized risk management thought-leader and impact investor. His mission is to protect life and regenerate Earth’s ecosystems by growing an Earth Positive economy that includes nature in global accounting systems. You'll learn: What an impact economy could look like and the philosophy behind it How currency in an impact economy could work The role of blockchain to create an impact economy If there exist any impact economies already today What needs to happen in order for us to transition to an impact economy _________ About the guest Alan is a co-founder of EarthPulse, a super brain (and heart) to empower protectors of Mother Earth with exponential technologies. Previously, Alan established Natural Capital Markets at Swiss based Lykke AG, where he pioneered blockchain-based Blue Carbon backed tokens to restore mangrove forests.. Alan founded Generation Blue, a venture studio for nature, and advises impact ventures including Vlinder Climate, Treebuddy.Earth, Global Mangrove Trust, and YesWeTrust. Alan has over two decades of risk management experience advising the world’s leading financial institutions, and was one of 25 founding members of the RiskMetrics Group. Alan is an avid surfer and ocean lover.
What could modern tech executives, learn from the street dialogues of the ancient philosophers? Quite a lot it turns out. Ancient wisdom doesn't grow old, in fact one could argue that the teachings are more relevant now than ever. To learn more about the topic, we interview Ben Wilberforce-Ritchie who is a philosopher, author and an Ethics Manager* and a true ancient philosophy enthusiast. He walks us through the basic principles that some of the most prominent philosophers throughout history were exploring and how this knowledge could be applied today in a modern environment. You'll learn: Why ancient philosophy is highly relevant in our modern society A crash course into the teachings of some of our most famous philosophers What a modern leader would behave like, according to each philosopher What a commercial philosopher could do in a modern environment ___ Ben Wilberforce-Ritchie is a Philosopher partnering with the organisation Philosophy at Work – who deliver workshops and talks to organisations on topics such as Curiosity, Critical Thinking and Navigating Change, practicing philosophical thought techniques to help people “think better, do better”. He is also an author and his first novel Furze: Sweethearts and Swan Songs was published in Nov-21. Lastly, he is an Ethics Manager at the FTSE100 Aerospace and Defence firm BAE Systems.
Does ancient wisdom, especially found in Stoic Philosophy and Buddhism, have elements in common with modern psychology? Dr Debbie Joffe Ellis is a world-renowned expert on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), which is in fact the pioneering cognitive approach in the field of psychotherapy and the precursor of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT).* Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy focuses holistically on the human being, even more than classic CBT does, reminding us that the mind and behavior and emotions and physical health and well-being are inseparably intertwined, and REBT also has many similarities with elements seen within the teachings of ancient philosophies, including Buddhism and Stoic Philosophy. Thousands of years later, tenets within these ancient wisdoms can be explained by scientific modern psychology. You'll learn: The basic elements of REBT and how in parts it differs from CBT What unconditional acceptance means according to REBT, and its benefits explained by psychology The concept of detachment The immensely beneficial impact of choosing compassion, explained by psychology That in addition to REBT being a highly effective, scientific, evidence-based, psychotherapeutic approach, it is also a way of life for those who choose to adopt it as such *The writings and research on the widely known psychotherapeutic modality of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) which were first published and taught more than15 years after REBT was presented to the psychology community and the general public, stand on REBT's shoulders and were significantly influenced by it.
In today’s episode we interview Dr Brennan Jacoby, founder of Philosophy at Work, who holds a Ph.D in philosophy and is specialized in the philosophy of trust. Blockchain is argued to solve the human trust issue, or even scaling human trust. However is this really what blockchain is doing? What is the actual benefit of blockchain? And what is trust really, according to philosophy? You’ll learn: The definition of trust from a philosophy point of view Why blockchain is argued to solve human trust What the Dunbar’s number is and how this can help explain blockchain The difference between removing the need for trust and solving trust
What if we could combine the best out of ancient direct democracy and modern delegative democracy? Where you can vote for representatives in regular elections but override their votes on any specific topic when you disagree with your representative? This is something that David Ernst, CEO of Secure Internet Voting, Liquid Democracy Technologies, and Secure ID, set out as a mission to build. By building a modern technological platform his company is enabling states to integrate liquid democracy solutions into their already existing democratic systems. You’ll learn: What liquid democracy is The role of blockchain in a liquid democracy voting system How liquid democracy could change the political landscape How the role of politicians could change in a liquid democracy system David has spent a decade building empowering software across many fields, including social coordination, cryptography, finance, education, and more. He ran for the California Statehouse in 2018 as one of more than a dozen digital democracy candidates.
How can you unlock your hidden creative genius? Today's guest is Stephan Schwartz, who is a scientist, futurist, award-winning author, columnist for the journal EXPLORE, and editor of the daily web publication Schwartzreport.net. He is a Distinguished Consulting Faculty of Saybrook University, and a BIAL Foundation Fellow who has spent 40 years as an experimentalist researching the nature of consciousness. He has also studied creativity and found during his research a pattern that all creative geniuses throughout history seem to follow. In today’s episode, he shares the secret path and what you need to do to unlock your creative genius inside you. You’ll learn: How you can unlock the hidden path to creativity What the most common blocker to creativity is How to successfully master social transformation How small everyday choices, so call quotidian choices, can create a movement of change and how it mathematically can change society for the better