In this book, Brian Christian delves into the intersection of artificial intelligence and human nature through his participation in the 2009 Loebner Prize competition, a variant of the Turing Test. Christian examines what makes humans unique by comparing human abilities with those of advanced computer programs. He explores various fields such as chess, psychiatry, and the law to understand the philosophical, biological, and moral issues raised by AI. The book discusses how our interactions with computers are forcing us to reevaluate what it means to be human and intelligent in the 21st century.
In 'Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions', Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths illustrate how algorithms used by computers can be applied to various human problems. The book covers topics such as the optimal stopping problem, sorting, caching, and randomness, providing practical advice on decision-making, managing time and resources, and understanding human cognition and behavior. It emphasizes the importance of calculated risks, breaking down problems into manageable parts, and embracing randomness and uncertainty in decision-making processes.
This book by Douglas Hofstadter is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary work that explores the interrelated ideas of Kurt Gödel, M.C. Escher, and Johann Sebastian Bach. It delves into concepts such as self-reference, recursion, and the limits of formal systems, particularly through Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem. The book uses dialogues between fictional characters, including Achilles and the Tortoise, to intuitively present complex ideas before they are formally explained. It covers a wide range of topics including cognitive science, artificial intelligence, number theory, and the philosophy of mind, aiming to understand how consciousness and intelligence emerge from formal systems[2][4][5].
One thing I don't mention often is that the thesis I wrote for my law degree was an attempt to combine my interest in literature with a perspective on law. So I wrote about the phenomenon of plain English: that's trying to write law without the legalese. And I tried to write about it through the lens of literary theories of language.
I honestly did not understand what I was trying to do. And also nobody in law school understood what I was trying to do. What I can see now, with the benefit of hindsight and some self-esteem and some marketing speak, is that I was a boundary rider. I've come to learn that the interesting things often take place on the edges, those intermediate areas where X meets Y and some sort of new life is born. Brian Christian is a boundary rider too. He's just way more successful and interesting than law school Micheal.
He thinks deeply and writes about deep patterns of life through technology and AI and algorithms. He's the author of The Most Human Human, the Alignment Problem, and Algorithms to Live By. After the introduction I just gave you, you're probably going to guess that Brian isn't just a science guy. Get book links and resources at https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/
Brian reads from Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter. [Reading begins at 15:10]
Hear us Discuss:
Metaphor can be one of the main mechanisms by which science happens. [6:20] | Rules that are delightful to break. [24:35] | “I have this deep conviction […] we are on to some philosophical paydirt here. There is a very real way in which we are building [AI] systems in our own image, and as a result they come to be a mirror for ourselves.” [28:40] | What is the heart of the human experience? [38:10] | “Humans are not so special.” [42.50]
2 Pages with MBS 
