Astral Codex Ten Podcast Links For December 2025
Jan 6, 2026
Dive into a wide array of intriguing topics, from the quirky legal identities of medieval animals to the hot debates surrounding AI consciousness and OpenAI board drama. Explore how asylum costs skew foreign aid statistics and the implications of AI on capitalism. Discover public opinions on pressing issues like taxing the rich and housing, alongside fascinating insights on embryo-selection scrutiny and the political landscape post-COVID. The conversation also touches on tech skepticism and potential UBI trials in Malawi — a lively blend of culture, politics, and ethics!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Human Names For Birds
- Medieval English bird names reflect a tradition of giving animals human names, preserving odd survivals like Jackdaw and Robin Redbreast.
- Scott highlights cultural naming practices as quirky historical continuity rather than mere trivia.
Substrate’s Rise And Red Flags
- Substrate claimed to make TSMC-equivalent chips but showed red flags like a founder with a con-artist history and AI-generated job posts.
- Scott recounts investor hype and media praise that helped a likely fraudulent startup gain $150M funding.
AI Consciousness Claims Are Ambiguous
- A paper asked AIs about consciousness and found ambiguous claims of belief plus signs of deception and role-playing.
- Scott cautions that current results are inconclusive and replication yields mixed outcomes.
