Mark Zuckerberg Interviews Patrick Collison and Tyler Cowen on the Nature and Causes of Progress (Bonus)
Nov 27, 2019
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Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University known for his insights on progress, and Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe with a keen interest in technology and innovation, delve into the nature of advancement in society. They discuss the importance of understanding progress, its impact on biomedical research, and the necessity for reform in educational institutions. The conversation highlights collaborative innovation, the challenges of funding in the biomedical field, and the need for new strategies to foster economic growth and societal well-being.
Understanding the nature and causes of progress is crucial for solving important problems effectively.
Studying and finding innovative solutions to healthcare funding can make healthcare more affordable and improve outcomes.
Addressing the lack of affordable housing and bureaucratic obstacles is essential to enable progress and economic mobility.
Deep dives
The rate of progress and the need for better understanding
The podcast episode discusses the importance of studying the nature and causes of progress. It highlights that the rate of progress has not been constant throughout history, with significant advancements occurring after the industrial revolution and the emergence of modern science. However, there is evidence suggesting that progress may be slowing down in various areas, such as productivity growth and healthcare. The podcast emphasizes the need to better understand how progress happens, how useful knowledge is discovered and diffused, and how we can improve our methods to solve important problems more effectively.
Challenges in healthcare and the search for solutions
The podcast explores the challenges in the healthcare system, including increasing costs and the need to find more efficient approaches. It discusses the moral imperative to make progress in healthcare and highlights the importance of studying how to fund science more effectively. Examples are provided, such as the impact of grants on research output and the need to identify better measures of progress in scientific advancement. The podcast suggests that by understanding the underlying issues and finding innovative solutions, we can make healthcare more affordable and improve outcomes for people.
Housing, technology, and the dynamics of progress
The podcast delves into the issue of housing and its relationship to progress. It discusses the mismatch between the opportunities in cities and the lack of affordable housing, which hinders economic mobility. The conversation explores potential solutions such as improving infrastructure and creating technology-driven alternatives like augmented reality and virtual reality, allowing people to connect and work from anywhere. The need to tackle bureaucratic obstacles and rethink institutions to enable progress in areas like housing is emphasized. The podcast underscores the importance of studying these issues to create a better understanding and find effective ways to make progress in society.
Optimism and the Importance of Imagining a Better Future
The podcast episode explores the decline in optimism among Americans about their future and the negative effects it can have. The speaker highlights the importance of maintaining a positive outlook and the impact it can have on economic growth and productivity. The decline in optimism is attributed to factors such as the belief that future generations will be worse off, which leads to decreased investment and risk-taking. The speaker emphasizes the need to imagine and work towards a future that is different and better than the present, with a focus on collaboration, coordination, and organizational changes.
The Value of Experimentation and Organizational Changes
The podcast episode discusses the lack of experimentation and innovation in various sectors such as higher education, research universities, and biomedical science. The speaker emphasizes the importance of experimenting with new approaches, reward systems, and tenure policies to drive progress and improvement. The lack of experimentation is highlighted as a barrier to finding better solutions and addressing pressing societal issues. The speaker advocates for funding projects that bring together talented individuals, encourage curiosity, and allow for the development of new tools and approaches. The focus is on combining existing research findings with a willingness to experiment and explore new hypotheses.
Over the past year Mark Zuckerberg has held a series of interviews themed around technology and society. This conversation with Tyler and Patrick is the last in that series, and covers why they think the study of progress is so important, including how it could affect biomedical research, the founding of new universities and foundations, building things fast, housing and healthcare affordability, the next four years of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and more.
