In this episode, the hosts discuss the emotionally impactful novel 'Flowers for Algernon', exploring themes of intelligence and loneliness. They also touch on topics such as the treatment of disabled individuals, the relationship between intelligence and happiness, and the influence of social norms. Additionally, they discuss hardware innovation, the potential of AI in the energy sector, and the challenges of achieving early success. They also share their plans for future episodes and express excitement about upcoming readings.

In this episode, the hosts discuss the book 'Straw Dogs' and its arguments on human progress, technology, and morality. They explore connections to Taoism, debate individualistic vs. collectivistic thinking, and question the idea of humans being special. The chapter also touches on rogue AI, critiquing John Gray's book, and the role of religion and personal responsibility in society.

This episode of Made You Think explores the concept of Quality and its relationship to work, overcoming gumption traps, and the value of hands-on experience. It delves into the narrative and philosophy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, as well as discussing the importance of the journey over the destination. The hosts also touch on the limitations of technology in defining quality and the benefits of starting with one thing at a time in project or writing tasks.

Get ready to expand your mind and question the fabric of the world around us in this episode of Made You Think! From the building blocks of civilization to the impact of glyphosate on the food industry, the speakers touch on a wide range of topics including advancements in hardware and renewable energy, starting a small farm, young activists, dominant crypto exchanges, and the crash of armed nuclear bombs in North Carolina. The chapter also explores the concepts of extreme competence and incompetence while recommending chapters from the books 'Crypto Confidential' and 'Where's My Flying Car?'

In this episode, the hosts discuss the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, exploring meditation, telepathy, and the essence of a peaceful death. They delve into the role of the ego in spiritual practices, reincarnation, and the continuous nature of consciousness. The podcast also covers the sacredness of birth and dying, as well as reflections on knowledge, social media, and death. The speakers explore the mind-body relationship in Alzheimer's and extraordinary experiences mentioned in the book.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In this episode, we're diving into Novacene by James Lovelock, a book which challenges the very essence of human intelligence. Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation that delves into the realms of evolution, deep oceans, and the enigmatic dance between humanity and artificial intelligence. We cover a wide range of topics including: Gaia hypothesis and its connections to the book Intelligence beyond the human-centric view How the evolution of organisms has affected global temperatures The uncovered mysteries of the deep ocean Will AI be a friend or foe to humans? And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode. Links from the Episode: Mentioned in the Show: Gaia hypothesis (1:53) Tesla Bot (23:52) Stealth (25:05) Cruise (27:26) Waymo (27:26) Arrival (35:54) Bees playing soccer (39:32) Brilliant Earth (49:01) They Did The Math (49:42) Dark Forest theory (55:16) Rooted Local (1:02:16) Books Mentioned: The Three-Body Problem (0:03) (Book Episode) (Nat’s Book Notes) Homo Deus (0:46) (Book Episode) (Nat’s Book Notes) Breath (13:35) (Nat's Book Notes) Deep (13:37) The Hidden Life of Trees (19:14) Permutation City (21:12) (Book Episode) Where Is My Flying Car? (22:35) (Book Episode)  Antifragile (36:24) (Book Episode) (Nat's Book Notes) The Fighter’s Mind (37:41) (Nat's Book Notes) People Mentioned: James Lovelock (1:54) James Nestor (13:36) Nassim Taleb (36:24) Show Topics: (1:46) Buckle up for this episode as we discuss Novacene, authored by the originator of the Gaia Theory, James Lovelock. The book probes into humanity's role in the world and speculates on a future where machines might supersede us. (4:34) Lovelock wrote this book with the help of his assistant when he was 99 years old. We talk about what exactly the Gaia Theory is and the end of the age of Anthropocene. (9:50) We go deeper into sharing our thoughts on the Gaia Theory and how the evolution of organisms have affected the regulation of the global temperature.  (13:10) How much do we actually know about the deepest parts of the ocean? Plus, learn about the author’s involvement with designing instruments for NASA. (16:40) Nat, Neil, and Adil make connections from Novacene to The Three-Body Problem. Historically, we've looked for life on other planets the way we would measure life on earth, but are extraterrestrial species carbon-based like we are? (19:04) Our idea of time here on Earth is based on our life and our own orbit around the sun, but another civilization could view time in a completely different way. (24:21) Addressing AI predictions, military applications, and the challenges of AI intervention, including experiences with self-driving cars. (32:08) Is our technology watching us?  (35:28) The limitations of language as an information interface and the intuitive nature of processing multiple inputs. Speaking, for example, is completely linear. However, when you have multiple inputs, you're able to be more intuitive. (39:18) We talk about exploring intelligence beyond the human-centric view, considering the collective intelligence of species like bees. (42:05) It’s powerful the progress that has been made with ChatGPT, but there still remains the question of whether or not it will be a linear process to AGI (artificial general intelligence).  (46:02) The intersection of crypto mining, Bitcoin, and futuristic energy societies, along with the possibility of harnessing CO2 for creation. (52:24) Earth is a rare, one-of-a-kind planet. How the universe had to align for habitability on earth, and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. (58:29) Would AI have the potential for parallel processing capabilities? (1:00:35) Nat and Neil share their final thoughts on Novacene and Lovelock's charming writing style. If you were intrigued by our discussions in this episode, make sure you pick up a copy! (1:01:59) That concludes this episode! Stay tuned for our next episode on the The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche.  If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by leaving a review on iTunes and tell a friend. As always, let us know if you have any book recommendations! You can say hi to us on Twitter @TheRealNeilS, @adilmajid, @nateliason and share your thoughts on this episode. You can now support Made You Think using the Value-for-Value feature of Podcasting 2.0. This means you can directly tip the co-hosts in BTC with minimal transaction fees. To get started, simply download a podcast app (like Fountain or Breez) that supports Value-for-Value and send some BTC to your in-app wallet. You can then use that to support shows who have opted-in, including Made You Think! We’ll be going with this direct support model moving forward, rather than ads. Thanks for listening. See you next time!

Discover the untold stories of Brazilian explorer Cândido Rondon and his expedition into the Amazon. Hear about Rondon's unique approach to exploration, the wildlife and plant life of the Amazon, and the challenges he faced. Explore the relationship between technology and human intelligence, the difficulties of expedition funding, and Rondon's passion for intellectual pursuits. Reflect on the sweet connection between Rondon and his wife through Morse code, reminisce about old technology, and discuss the impact of technological advancements on education and future generations.

The podcast covers the fascinating world of fighter pilots turned astronauts, the challenges they faced, and their impact on space exploration. It explores the evolution of the aerospace industry, the intense training regimens of astronauts, and the battle between NASA and the Air Force. The hosts discuss the changing criteria for astronauts, advancements in technology, the capabilities of the International Space Station, and the possibility of faster space travel. They also touch on breathing techniques for weight loss, the role of aquatic plants, astronaut lifespan, and moon landing conspiracies.

"Made You Think" explores The Upanishads, texts that explore Hindu teachings on reality and the self. Topics covered include interconnectedness, similarities to Plato, homelessness approaches in cities, rationalism vs. intuition, Twitter/X rebrand, and more.

“A river of material flows through us. When we share our works and our ideas, they are replenished. If we block the flow by holding them all inside, the river cannot run and new ideas are slow to appear. In the abundant mindset, the river never runs dry. Ideas are always coming through. And an artist is free to release them with the faith that more will arrive. If we live in a mindset of scarcity, we hoard great ideas.” Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In true Made You Think fashion, our 100th episode is full of tangents. This week, we read The Creative Act by Rick Rubin which emphasizes the importance of being genuine and vulnerable in the creative process, showing that your own struggles and authenticity can result in meaningful and powerful creative work.  We cover a wide range of topics including: Giving life to the ideas in your imagination Publishing cadences of different successful book series Rick Rubin's backstory in the music industry How media's incentives have shifted from accuracy to clicks Tactics to unblock your creativity And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode. Links from the Episode: Mentioned in the Show: Great Books Series (0:43) Nat’s Notes podcast (1:03) How to draw an owl (13:32) Hose (19:52) Elden Ring (26:58) Dark Winds (28:35) Eric Weinstein on Kayfabe (38:22) Nightcrawler (44:36) Books Mentioned: The Creative Act Count Down (11:35) (Nat's Book Notes) East of Eden (12:08) (Nat's Book Notes) A Game of Thrones (26:07) Red Rising Series (32:54)  50th Law (40:33) (Nat's Book Notes) Trust Me, I’m Lying (41:44) The River of Doubt (1:01:51) (Book Episode) People Mentioned: Rick Rubin (4:51) Phil Jackson (5:10) Steve Jobs (5:19) Neil Strauss (6:36) Johnny Cash (18:08) Joaquin Phoenix (23:17) George R. R. Martin (26:01) Isaac Asimov (31:11) Show Topics: (0:00) Welcome to Episode 100- We want to say a big thank you to all of our listeners! Whether you were around for our first episode in 2017 or joined us sometime afterwards, we appreciate you listening to our show. (1:01) Nat talks about how he manages his current content schedule from articles and newsletters to podcasts and short form videos.  (4:48) Today, we’re discussing The Creative Act. Think of it as a 'mindset' book rather than a tactical book, and how you can go into reading this book to get the most value out of it. (9:15) This is a great book to read early in your career as it addresses common mental roadblocks you may face within the creative process. Oftentimes, what you output may not be the same as what you initially planned in your mind, but that doesn't make it any less valuable. (14:10) Getting out of your own way is a large part of creativity. The importance of mixing it up and giving attention to even the most simplistic ideas you may have. (19:35) We share a little bit about Rick Rubin’s backstory and how he came to work with so many famous musicians. As the founder of Def Jam, he has worked with several talented musical acts including Johnny Cash, the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, and more. (23:43) Why you should keep the scope of your work smaller, and how that helps you to recognize your work as a moment in time rather than something that has to define you forever.  (29:06) How book and TV series often rely on the momentum from their viewers and readers for the continued success of their future releases, though that momentum can be difficult to drum up.  (32:51) Some authors take long breaks between each of their books while others churn them out right after another. It goes to show that the creative process looks different for everybody. (36:17) A lot of the news outlets serve the purpose of entertaining rather than informing. When compared to WWE, it's something that we know is a sham or is fabricated, but it's still amusing to watch. (42:52) Dangerous positive feedback loops between the media, people seeking their names in the news, and those consuming it. Media’s incentives aren’t necessarily to get things right but to get more clicks and views.  (49:29) Despite some leadership issues within the past decade in America, we've stayed afloat. How long can we stay this way? (56:02) The power of the US dollar and inflation rates in the US vs. other countries.  (59:54) That wraps up this episode. Thanks again to our listeners for hitting the 100th episode milestone with us! If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by leaving a review on iTunes and tell a friend. As always, let us know if you have any book recommendations! You can say hi to us on Twitter @TheRealNeilS, @adilmajid, @nateliason and share your thoughts on this episode. You can now support Made You Think using the Value-for-Value feature of Podcasting 2.0. This means you can directly tip the co-hosts in BTC with minimal transaction fees. To get started, simply download a podcast app (like Fountain or Breez) that supports Value-for-Value and send some BTC to your in-app wallet. You can then use that to support shows who have opted-in, including Made You Think! We’ll be going with this direct support model moving forward, rather than ads. Thanks for listening. See you next time!