Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma A Different Kind of Ted (Chiang) Talk
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Dec 27, 2023 Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma have an intriguing conversation with award-winning fiction writer Ted Chiang. They delve into the blurring of reality and fiction when it comes to alien life and mistaking actors for assassins. The impact of social media on conspiracy theories is explored, along with the concept of singularity and its potential influence on society. The discussion also touches on the fascinating topic of AI romance and the appeal of relationships with chatbots. Virtual relationships and the emotional trauma associated with them are also examined.
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Fiction vs. Reality
- Mistaking stories for reality is causing belief in UFOs and similar narratives.
- This is similar to believing fictional characters or movie plots are real.
Shifting Reasonableness
- People's sense of what is reasonable can broaden with age.
- This might lead to assigning small probabilities to unlikely scenarios.
Imagination and Reality
- Popular culture imagery is blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
- This makes it hard to distinguish between what's real and what isn't.