The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Steven Pinker: Outsmarting an Irrational World : 1333

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Sep 23, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Steven Pinker, a renowned Harvard cognitive psychologist and bestselling author, dives into the quirks of human reasoning and decision-making. He explores cognitive biases, shedding light on why even the smartest individuals can fall prey to irrational thinking. Pinker explains the concept of 'common knowledge' and its critical role in shaping social norms. He also addresses how AI misunderstands human intelligence and offers insights into enhancing our mental models for better performance and longevity. It's a masterclass in cognitive optimization!
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INSIGHT

Why Liberal Democracy Suits Humans

  • Liberal democracy fits human nature because it constrains leaders and distributes power to counter human biases.
  • Checks, norms, and shared rules solve collective-action problems better than autocracy.
INSIGHT

What Current AI Gets Right And Wrong

  • Modern large-scale neural-network AI learns from massive data and GPU scale rather than symbolic rules.
  • The brain likely uses more efficient shortcuts than current AI's data-hungry approach.
ADVICE

Treat AI As A Useful Assistant, Not An Eyewitness

  • Use AI as a semantic search and idea generator, not an oracle for facts.
  • Check outputs carefully because models hallucinate and confabulate plausible-sounding falsehoods.
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