Sharon Hewitt Rawlette, a philosopher and author, explores the intrinsic values of pleasure and pain. She argues that positive feelings are fundamentally valuable, while suffering holds negative intrinsic worth. The conversation dives into the historical evolution of hedonism, the complexities of moral truths, and the balance between intrinsic and instrumental values. Rawlette also examines how personal experiences shape morality and decision-making, questioning the role of genuine connections beyond mere emotional benefits.

Ian Morris, a bestselling historian and Willard Professor of Classics at Stanford University, dives deep into the evolution of human values over millennia. He discusses how moral landscapes have transformed from slavery being deemed natural to modern views on gender and equality. The conversation covers the interplay of warfare, energy sources, and social dynamics in shaping cultural norms. Morris argues for a provocative view that society evolves towards organizational systems that enhance survival and efficiency, revealing the fascinating parallels between past and present.

Bear Braumoeller, a noted political science professor, delves into the contentious debate surrounding the decline of war. He argues against the popular notion that warfare is decreasing, citing compelling data and historical analysis. The conversation spans the complexities of modern warfare, the paradox of Enlightenment ideals fueling conflict, and the role of religion in warfare. Braumoeller emphasizes the need for careful interpretation of conflict data and highlights geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and China, as pressing indicators of potential future conflicts.

"A shameless recycling of existing content to drive additional audience engagement on the cheap… or the single best, most valuable, and most insight-dense episode we put out in the entire year, depending on how you want to look at it." — Rob WiblinIt’s that magical time of year once again — highlightapalooza! Stick around for one top bit from each episode, including:How to use the microphone on someone’s mobile phone to figure out what password they’re typing into their laptopWhy mercilessly driving the New World screwworm to extinction could be the most compassionate thing humanity has ever doneWhy evolutionary psychology doesn’t support a cynical view of human nature but actually explains why so many of us are intensely sensitive to the harms we cause to othersHow superforecasters and domain experts seem to disagree so much about AI risk, but when you zoom in it’s mostly a disagreement about timingWhy the sceptics are wrong and you will want to use robot nannies to take care of your kids — and also why despite having big worries about the development of AGI, Carl Shulman is strongly against efforts to pause AI research todayHow much of the gender pay gap is due to direct pay discrimination vs other factorsHow cleaner wrasse fish blow the mirror test out of the waterWhy effective altruism may be too big a tent to work wellHow we could best motivate pharma companies to test existing drugs to see if they help cure other diseases — something they currently have no reason to bother with…as well as 27 other top observations and arguments from the past year of the show.Check out the full transcript and episode links on the 80,000 Hours website.Remember that all of these clips come from the 20-minute highlight reels we make for every episode, which are released on our sister feed, 80k After Hours. So if you’re struggling to keep up with our regularly scheduled entertainment, you can still get the best parts of our conversations there.It has been a hell of a year, and we can only imagine next year is going to be even weirder — but Luisa and Rob will be here to keep you company as Earth hurtles through the galaxy to a fate as yet unknown.Enjoy, and look forward to speaking with you in 2025!Chapters:Rob's intro (00:00:00)Randy Nesse on the origins of morality and the problem of simplistic selfish-gene thinking (00:02:11)Hugo Mercier on the evolutionary argument against humans being gullible (00:07:17)Meghan Barrett on the likelihood of insect sentience (00:11:26)Sébastien Moro on the mirror test triumph of cleaner wrasses (00:14:47)Sella Nevo on side-channel attacks (00:19:32)Zvi Mowshowitz on AI sleeper agents (00:22:59)Zach Weinersmith on why space settlement (probably) won't make us rich (00:29:11)Rachel Glennerster on pull mechanisms to incentivise repurposing of generic drugs (00:35:23)Emily Oster on the impact of kids on women's careers (00:40:29)Carl Shulman on robot nannies (00:45:19)Nathan Labenz on kids and artificial friends (00:50:12)Nathan Calvin on why it's not too early for AI policies (00:54:13)Rose Chan Loui on how control of OpenAI is independently incredibly valuable and requires compensation (00:58:08)Nick Joseph on why he’s a big fan of the responsible scaling policy approach (01:03:11)Sihao Huang on how the US and UK might coordinate with China (01:06:09)Nathan Labenz on better transparency about predicted capabilities (01:10:18)Ezra Karger on what explains forecasters’ disagreements about AI risks (01:15:22)Carl Shulman on why he doesn't support enforced pauses on AI research (01:18:58)Matt Clancy on the omnipresent frictions that might prevent explosive economic growth (01:25:24)Vitalik Buterin on defensive acceleration (01:29:43)Annie Jacobsen on the war games that suggest escalation is inevitable (01:34:59)Nate Silver on whether effective altruism is too big to succeed (01:38:42)Kevin Esvelt on why killing every screwworm would be the best thing humanity ever did (01:42:27)Lewis Bollard on how factory farming is philosophically indefensible (01:46:28)Bob Fischer on how to think about moral weights if you're not a hedonist (01:49:27)Elizabeth Cox on the empirical evidence of the impact of storytelling (01:57:43)Anil Seth on how our brain interprets reality (02:01:03)Eric Schwitzgebel on whether consciousness can be nested (02:04:53)Jonathan Birch on our overconfidence around disorders of consciousness (02:10:23)Peter Godfrey-Smith on uploads of ourselves (02:14:34)Laura Deming on surprising things that make mice live longer (02:21:17)Venki Ramakrishnan on freezing cells, organs, and bodies (02:24:46)Ken Goldberg on why low fault tolerance makes some skills extra hard to automate in robots (02:29:12)Sarah Eustis-Guthrie on the ups and downs of founding an organisation (02:34:04)Dean Spears on the cost effectiveness of kangaroo mother care (02:38:26)Cameron Meyer Shorb on vaccines for wild animals (02:42:53)Spencer Greenberg on personal principles (02:46:08)Producing and editing: Keiran HarrisAudio engineering: Ben Cordell, Milo McGuire, Simon Monsour, and Dominic ArmstrongVideo editing: Simon MonsourTranscriptions: Katy Moore

In this insightful discussion, economist Sam Bowman, editor of Works in Progress and a housing policy expert, addresses the current housing crisis exacerbated by 'NIMBY' politics. He argues that political obstacles, not technological barriers, are the main culprits behind stagnation. Sam proposes innovative solutions like 'street votes' for community engagement and highlights the importance of compensating affected residents in urban development. He also critiques outdated regulations that hinder progress while showcasing global housing strategies to inspire change.

Cameron Meyer Shorb, executive director of the Wild Animal Initiative, dives into the urgent need for wild animal welfare. He reveals the staggering number of wild animals and the unseen suffering they endure from diseases and predation. Shorb discusses innovative interventions, like selective reforestation and vaccinations, highlighting the balance of aiding animals without disrupting ecosystems. He also addresses the ethical dilemmas in wildlife management, urging for a more compassionate approach to research that enhances both animal welfare and ecosystem resilience.

In this insightful discussion, Rose Chan Loui, a nonprofit legal expert from UCLA Law, analyzes OpenAI's dramatic shift from a nonprofit to a for-profit model. She emphasizes the potential ethical dilemmas and governance challenges facing OpenAI as it prioritizes profit over its original mission. The conversation highlights the struggles of a small volunteer board against a tech giant’s profit motives, the importance of maintaining transparency, and how legal frameworks may play a crucial role in ensuring that AI development benefits humanity.

Elizabeth Cox, founder of Should We Studio and former TED-Ed producer, advocates for storytelling as a powerful tool for societal change. She discusses how different media formats, like TV and animation, can effectively tackle complex issues. The conversation touches on storytelling's impact on public perception, especially regarding topics like climate change and ethical dilemmas. They also explore the implications of AI on creativity, the importance of audience engagement, and insights from her animated series 'Ada' that addresses transformative technologies.

Sarah Eustis-Guthrie, cofounder of the now-closed Maternal Health Initiative in Ghana, shares her heartfelt journey through founding and shutting down a charity. She discusses the emotional toll of accountability and the difficult decision to close when impact fell short. The conversation reveals the significance of transparency in charity work, the complexities of postpartum family planning, and the challenges of distinguishing genuine insights from misconceptions in developing healthcare programs. Sarah emphasizes the need for reevaluation and adaptability in the nonprofit sector.

Join notable guests like Ezra Klein, a journalist whose insights on parenting reveal the unexpected joys of raising kids, and Emily Oster, an economist sharing data-driven advice for family life. Holden Karnofsky discusses the surprise fun of parenthood, while Bryan Caplan reflects on homeschooling. The conversation explores the complexities of parental happiness, the reality of balancing work and family, and the everyday joys of connecting with children. Dive into evidence-based insights and personal anecdotes for a richer understanding of modern parenting.