Exploring the Dybbuk and Magid: Spirits of Negativity and Inspiration

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Michael Rosen, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a lawyer focused on technology and intellectual property. Rosen is the author of Like Silicon From Clay: What Ancient Jewish Wisdom Can Teach Us About AI, a provocative new book that offers a framework for understanding artificial intelligence and how humans might relate to it.

Arbesman’s own forthcoming book, The Magic of Code, explores similar themes—the strange and wondrous nature of computing—treating it as a kind of liberal art that intersects with language, philosophy, biology, and mythology.

Together, Arbesman and Rosen delve into the taxonomy Rosen proposes for rethinking AI discourse, exploring its roots in Jewish thought. Their conversation spans early computing, alignment challenges, and the enduring relevance of ancient wisdom in shaping a more humane technological future.