Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

Holiday Message 2022: Thinking Really Slowly

Dec 19, 2022

In this thoughtful holiday message, the importance of slowing down and reflective thinking takes center stage. Key discussions revolve around Twitter's upheaval under Elon Musk and the dramatic fallout from the FTX disaster. The speaker encourages nuanced thinking in a fast-paced digital world. There's also an intriguing exploration of the complexities of decision-making in complex systems, as well as the need for depth over charisma in intellectual discourse. Finally, foundational questions in physics are revisited to inspire deeper understanding.

47:51

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Complexity of Simplicity

00:45

The Importance of Moving Fast in Evolution

00:45

Intro

2min

Navigating Nuance in a Fast-Paced World

20min

Navigating Decision-Making in Complex Systems

7min

The Dichotomy of Smartness: Charm vs. Depth in Modern Discourse

4min

Rethinking Physics Foundations

17min

Welcome to that beloved Mindscape annual tradition, the Holiday Message. An opportunity for a quicker and less-well-thought-out solo episode to round off another year. Ironically, this year the theme is the importance of slowing down and thinking things out really well! Illustrated by two things that have been on my mind: a couple of internet/tech kerfuffles (Elon Musk buying Twitter, Sam Bankman-Fried and the collapse of FTX), and the distinction between foundations of physics and “regular” physics. See if you can dimly perceive the thread that ties them together.

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