Astral Codex Ten Podcast

Aaron Silverbook, Founder of Lantern Bioworks, discusses their genetically modified bacterium that could eliminate tooth decay. Topics include Silicon Valley biotech's route to commercialization, concerns about the strain's spread, alcohol production by the bacterium and its effects on the body, FDA approval of genetically modified probiotics, and how to obtain the product from Lantern Bioworks.

The podcast explores the implications of abolishing the FDA and legalizing drugs like Adderall, painkillers, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and LSD. It discusses the challenges of determining drug safety and effectiveness without FDA regulations, including the manipulation of studies by pharmaceutical companies. The podcast also proposes policy changes such as legalizing artificial supplements and explores alternatives to switching from supplement to drug for FDA approval.

Exploring OpenAI markets and predictions, usage of betting functionality on a dating site, update of Metaculous scoring system, and discussion on predictions related to Venezuela, Argentina, and the Middle East. Also, surprising moves in the AI field and potential prediction market dating show.

They discuss November 2023 links, heroic act of charity, Hezbollah video game, voter perceptions, personal growth. Other topics include gratitude journalism, dopamine and BMI, attack on LLMs, Calvin and Hobbes copyright, and data fraud allegations. Rebuttal on statistical evidence, genetic predispositions, diet soda and autism, philanthropy, synodality, and teaching DBT. Covers DBT effectiveness, failed world constitution, Scientology's headquarters. Explores the impact of AI, need for legislation, and policy goals.

Analyzing Freddy de Boar's critique of effective altruism and countering objections to its beliefs. Discussing principles of effective altruism, personal experiences, and the role of social technology. Exploring organizations in the value altruism movement and judging movements based on power.

This podcast explores the misconceptions surrounding effective altruism, including the differing opinions and criticisms from various groups. It discusses achievements in global health and development, as well as contributions to animal welfare and AI safety advocacy. The podcast highlights accomplishments in AI legislation, pandemic preparedness, nuclear war risk reduction, DNA synthesis regulation, and the yimby movement. It emphasizes the importance of collaboration towards common goals and understanding the breakdown of funding in effective altruism.

This podcast explores the challenges of understanding AI monosemanticity and the limitations of looking inside an AI. It delves into the complexities of AI neurons, superposition, and conceptual representations. Additionally, it discusses the surprising claim made in a non-peer-reviewed paper and promotes the '80,000 Hours Podcast' on pressing issues like AI safety.

The podcast delves into the origins of the phrase 'I see Satan fall like lightning' and its connection to right-wing conspiracy theories. It explores philosopher René Girard's theory of everything, analyzing similarities between Bible stories and pagan myths, and discussing the concept of mimetic desire. Additional topics include the formation of violent mobs, the power of the single victim process, the origins of 'Wokeness' and its connection to civil rights laws, and the influence of wokeness on society.

This podcast discusses a psychiatric study on ketamine's effectiveness as an antidepressant. It explores the challenges of running placebo-controlled trials for a dissociative drug and the use of active placebos. The podcast also analyzes the results of ketamine studies, questioning its efficacy for depression. Additionally, it examines the potential positive effects of surgery on depression and discusses confounding factors in evaluating ketamine studies.

The podcast discusses the failure modes of requests for help on various projects and provides updates on the current status of each project. They also delve into topics such as EEG experiment validity, obtaining datasets for meta-analysis, pressuring companies to give up patents, opportunities in AI safety campaigns and language learning tools, support for a dating site project, promoting classical architecture, and the effectiveness of vagueness in popular movements.