Published inPhilosophistry·Oct 14Member-onlyDoes Therapy Work? A Balanced ViewShort answer: In theory, psychotherapy works, specifically cognitive therapy. In practice, therapy is hit-or-miss. Slightly longer answer: The right psychotherapy matched to the right condition, practiced correctly, is likely to provide noticeable relief. Let’s unpack this: Why does theory and practice differ so much? First, there are many kinds of…Psychotherapy5 min readPsychotherapy5 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Aug 21Member-onlyThere Is No Fire Alarm for Alien Invasion, EitherImagine a hundred spaceships come out of warp near Alpha Centauri, 4.5 light years away. Our smartest astrophysicists believe the ships are approaching Earth, and that they will arrive within our vicinity between 10 and 70 years from now. …Ai Safety2 min readAi Safety2 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Aug 14Member-onlyConfusing Plausibility with Probability in AI-SafetyIs there an analog of the Lizardman’s Constant, but for scenario estimation? If someone tells you a plausible scenario that has no outside view, what is the immediate probability that your heart assigns? Is it 5%? The problem with the standard AI Extinction line is that there is no good…AI2 min readAI2 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Aug 13Member-onlyHow to Build a UniverseIs there a name for “unifying theories of the Universe”? For example, I’m a fan of the free energy principle, which roughly states that human brains — and by extension, the Universe — are trying to reduce uncertainty. …Philosophy2 min readPhilosophy2 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Jul 17Member-onlyDo animals share our sense of beauty? What about causality?There is a book making the rounds, An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us. But what if the opposite of the subtitle is true and animals share the same world as us? If we could talk to animals, would we find out that they also…Animals2 min readAnimals2 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·May 8Member-onlyDiffing the DSMIs talk therapy on the “right side of history”? — Imagine that it’s 1980, and you find out hysteria has been finally removed from the DSM (The Diagnostic Statistical Manual, i.e., the tome psychiatrists use to determine what is and isn’t a disorder). You high-five your friend and say, “At last, this sexist stigma has been banished from the psychiatric…Psychiatry5 min readPsychiatry5 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Mar 17Member-onlyCan You Be Addicted to NOT Taking Drugs?The short answer is yes. Consider these statements: “I don’t know. My mind feels more clear.” “Honestly, I just feel more alive.” “This is my body, and I can do what I want with it.” These could be the words of a cocaine addict, but they could also be of…FDA2 min readFDA2 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Feb 17Member-onlyCould Humans Develop Blowholes by the Year 4000?An introduction to fractal evolution — In one of my favorite scenes from Waterworld, Kevin Costner’s character is wrestled to the ground while one of his captors pulls aside his right ear to reveal that — gasp — he has gills! I saw Waterworld when I was 13, and a question has stuck with me ever…Evolution10 min readEvolution10 min read
Published inPhilosophistry·Oct 11, 2022Member-onlyIs the media getting more violent, or are we getting more violent?The Mass Transparency Hypothesis — Content warning When I was 14, my 13-year-old cousin showed me porn on his computer. Instinctively, I put my hands up to block the image. There were no parents around, yet I still felt the need to shelter myself. Fast-forward to today. I polled a random group of friends: “In…Violence6 min readViolence6 min read
Aug 25, 2022Introducing Rep Your Area CodeWhat’s in an area code? Phone numbers that were once easy to get, such as 212, 310, and 415, are now increasingly scarce. These numbers are just as much a part of their respective cities as are the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Hollywood Sign. And…Nft2 min readNft2 min read
