The Foresight Institute Podcast

Jason Crawford, Roots of Progress | Sustainable Technological Futures | Xhope Worldbuilding Course

May 17, 2024

Jason Crawford, founder of The Roots of Progress, discusses the history of technology and the philosophy of progress. Topics include rethinking energy usage for a flourishing future, the role of AI and robots in progress, and the multi-faceted nature of progress in improving human well-being. He emphasizes the importance of conscious efforts to drive progress despite historical setbacks.

19:58

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Jason Crawford

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Quick takeaways

Understanding technological frameworks is essential for world-building, impacting societal aspects like economics and values.

Advocating for increased energy consumption and leveraging clean energy sources for exponential growth and progress.

Deep dives

Importance of Technological Realities in World-Building

Focusing on laying the technical foundations is crucial in creating worlds. Technological realities play a significant role in shaping our world's future. The session emphasizes the need to understand and establish technological frameworks for world-building, highlighting the impact of technologies on societal aspects like economics and values.

Introduction

2min

Rethinking Energy Usage, Resource Abundance, and Population Growth for a Flourishing Future

6min

Exploring the Role of AI and Robots in Future Progress and Population Growth

6min

Exploring the Multi-faceted Nature of Progress and its Relationship to Human Well-being

3min

Contingency of Technological Progress and Historical Patterns

3min

Jason Crawford is the founder of The Roots of Progress, where he writes and speaks about the history of technology and the philosophy of progress. Previously, he spent 18 years as a software engineer, engineering manager, and startup founder.

Worldbuilding Course

This session is a part of THE WORLDBUILDING CHALLENGE: CO-CREATING THE WORLD OF 2045. In this virtual and interactive course, we engage with the most pressing global challenges of our age—climate change, the risks of AI, and the complex ethical questions arising in the wake of new technologies. Our aim is to sharpen participants’ awareness and equip them to apply their skills to these significant and urgent issues.

Existential Hope

Existential Hope was created to collect positive and possible scenarios for the future so that we can have more people commit to creating a brighter future, and to begin mapping out the main developments and challenges that need to be navigated to reach it. Existential Hope is a Foresight Institute project.

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