The Orthogonal Bet

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Michael Rosen, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a lawyer focused on technology and intellectual property. Rosen is the author of Like Silicon From Clay: What Ancient Jewish Wisdom Can Teach Us About AI, a provocative new book that offers a framework for understanding artificial intelligence and how humans might relate to it.Arbesman’s own forthcoming book, The Magic of Code, explores similar themes—the strange and wondrous nature of computing—treating it as a kind of liberal art that intersects with language, philosophy, biology, and mythology.Together, Arbesman and Rosen delve into the taxonomy Rosen proposes for rethinking AI discourse, exploring its roots in Jewish thought. Their conversation spans early computing, alignment challenges, and the enduring relevance of ancient wisdom in shaping a more humane technological future.

In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Nick Bowden, CEO of Replica—a company that models mobility in urban environments through a blend of data and simulation. Think of it as a real-world version of SimCity.Arbesman and Bowden explore Nick’s journey from urban planning into the world of public-sector technology. Their conversation spans the inherent messiness of building software for government, how transportation simulations actually work, and the nature of cities as complex systems. They also dive into the importance of long-term thinking in public infrastructure—and yes, they talk about SimCity too.

In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Lu Wilson, a programmer and creative coder who also works as a software engineer at tldraw, a Lux Capital portfolio company. Lu’s creative work is broad, strange, and delightful in all the best ways—perhaps best exemplified by the Todepond videos, a mindbending series that reimagines computing through playful, experimental lenses.Together, Samuel and Lu explore the world of Todepond, the ethos of creative coding, and Lu’s unconventional path through education. Their conversation spans topics like cellular automata, the programming language Logo, the history of computing, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence. They also dive into Lu’s work at tldraw, collaborative software, and the importance of cultivating community in tech.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Sara Imari Walker, a theoretical physicist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University. Walker is the author of Life as No One Knows It: The Physics of Life’s Emergence, a book that explores the nature of life through the lens of physics and highlights her pioneering contributions at the frontier of this field.Their conversation delves into how Walker became fascinated by the nature of life, how to distinguish life from non-life, and how physics can offer new insights into some of the universe’s most fundamental questions. Along the way, they touch on topics ranging from astrobiology and SETI to the philosophy of science and her work in assembly theory.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Peter Bebergal. Peter is a writer and the author of numerous books, and the editor, most recently, of Appendix N: Weird Tales From the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons and Dragons was created by Gary Gygax and draws from numerous sources, which Gygax listed in Appendix N of his Dungeon Master’s Guide. Peter took this list as the basis for creating a fascinating collection of stories that inspired D&D.Peter and Sam talked about the origins of this book and how he chose what to include in the anthology. But they also spoke more broadly about pulp and high fantasy, remixing and creativity in the role playing world, and even how all of this led to Peter’s favorite parts of the Internet.

Samantha John, co-founder of Hopscotch, discusses her innovative programming platform designed to make coding accessible and fun for kids. She shares the origins of Hopscotch and its evolution into a collaborative community tool, emphasizing creativity and support among young coders. The conversation touches on the historical barriers in tech and the transformative experience of learning programming. They also delve into the impact of AI on the future of coding education, highlighting the importance of fostering a love for programming from an early age.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman sits down with Torie Bosch—now an editor at STAT News and formerly a longtime editor at Slate Magazine. Building on a groundbreaking Slate project, Bosch edited the acclaimed anthology You Are Not Expected to Understand This: How 26 Lines of Code Changed the World, which explores the pivotal snippets of software that have profoundly shaped society.Arbesman and Bosch trace the project’s origins and unpack the stories behind these influential code fragments. Their conversation dives into the wider interplay of code, technology, and culture—probing themes of humility in tech and the pitfalls that arise when programmers overlook social context. They explore how “learn to code” cycles through history, why recurring tech-society tensions matter, and the value of studying technology’s past. Bosch also shares insights from her current beat at STAT, outlining the questions she’s chasing in the life-sciences arena.

In this conversation, Jason Crawford, founder of the Roots of Progress Institute, dives into the essence of progress in our society. He shares his journey from blogging to establishing a dedicated organization. The duo discusses storytelling's cultural significance and how it shapes societal values. Jason explores the unique aspects of the progress movement, especially in relation to effective altruism. They touch on the importance of optimism and industrial literacy in education, aiming to inspire a proactive mindset for the future.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with John Hendrix. John is a writer and illustrator whose work appears widely across books and publications. His most recent book is the graphic novel The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. This compelling work delves into the enduring friendship between Lewis, author of the Narnia series, and Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. But it also goes far beyond their personal story, exploring broader themes such as mythmaking, creativity, and the nature of friendship itself.Samuel and John discuss the genesis of the book, examining the impact of the world wars on both Tolkien and Lewis, and how those experiences shaped their worldviews and writing. Their conversation also explores the role of mythology and fantasy, the authors’ differing views on progress and disenchantment, and the influence of fame on their lives and relationship. They even venture into the idea of what modern mythmaking might look like today.Produced by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christopher Gates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music by Suno

Join Nadia Asparouhova, a tech writer and thinker, as she sheds light on her intriguing new book about antimemetics. Discover why some ideas resist virality and how this relates to public versus private discourse. She delves into the contrast between supermemes and antimemes, comparing them to dark matter that influences behavior subtly. The conversation also touches on the tech industry as a distinct social class and the evolving landscape of tech philanthropy, sparking a deeper understanding of the dynamics shaping our digital interactions.