Henry Oliver, author of 'Second Act' and a passionate literature blogger, dives into the world of late bloomers. He challenges the traditional success narrative, emphasizing the importance of effort and unique paths. The conversation shifts to how technology, particularly AI, is transforming reading and fostering diverse literary engagement. Oliver explores the intersection of capitalism and art, questioning how economic influences shape taste. He also reflects on the nuances of literature versus film, revealing the depth of character exploration unique to prose.

Author and classical composer Jan Swafford discusses Beethoven's immortality, Mozart's human nature, artistic genius, the influence of enlightenment, identifying the next Beethoven, modern recordings, and the future of art.

Eli Dourado, Chief economist at the Abundance Institute, discusses non-TFP econ metrics, the search for new ideas, the influence of Tyler Cowen, culture's impact on growth, role of education, investing in tech, government's tech involvement, talent in tech, AI advancements, societal collapse risks, and advice for growing the economy.

Sebastian Mallaby, CFR fellow, delves into business journalism, EMH, private vs public markets, liquidity premium, investor specialization, VC vs hedge funds, decision making at the Fed, Powell's role, and Fed's political independence in an insightful discussion.

The podcast delves into Nabeel's wide-ranging interests, from foreign film to AI, startups, and more. Topics include Shakespeare on film, Miyazaki's approach to filmmaking, deep reading, technology's impact on literature, favorite music albums, and the AI landscape in San Francisco. The conversation also explores the balance between optimism and skepticism in startup problem-solving, the intersection of entertainment and learning, and the benefits of taking a sabbatical journey.

Sarah and I talk about ultrasound neuromodluation, AI, and cancer research. -- Timestamps (0:00:00) Intro (0:00:22) Ultrasound neuromodulation (0:02:33) Where is it in the tech lifecycle? (0:03:48) Why should it be possible? (0:07:44) How impactful will neuromodulation be? (0:12:08) Startups working on neuromodulation (0:16:33) Could we read minds? (0:18:54) Public acceptance of neuromodulation (0:27:36) Neuromodulation vs AI (0:31:55) AI and drug discovery (0:35:53) AI x-risk (0:43:34) What would make Sarah worried about AI? (0:47:00) Is human intelligence simple? (0:51:01) Probability of solving aging (0:56:28) Is cancer research doing something avoidably wrong? (1:05:48) Are aesthetic judgements a kind of moral judgement? (1:09:44) What should a 14 year old do to understand Sarah’s view of the world? -- Links - Sarah’s blog - Follow Sarah on X - Sarah's post on ultrasound neuromodulation - Sarah's post "Why I am not an AI Doomer" - Sarah's post "Aesthetic judgements are moral judgements" - ⁠⁠Follow Dan on X⁠⁠ - Subscribe to Undertone on ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠ - Watch or listen to previous episodes of Undertone with ⁠Tyler Cowen⁠, ⁠Vitalik Buterin⁠, ⁠Scott Sumner⁠, ⁠Samo Burja⁠, ⁠Steve Hsu⁠, and ⁠more⁠ - I love hearing from listeners. Email me any time at dan@danschulz.co - Share anonymous feedback on the podcast: ⁠⁠https://forms.gle/w7LXMCXhdJ5Q2eB9A

Alexey Guzey, science enthusiast, discusses topics such as the accessibility of research papers, cultivating intellectual taste, Russia's commitment to communism, utilitarianism, high IQ vs. genius, starting a blog, going outside to increase morale, and exploring alpha and low status.

Renowned economist and writer, Noah Smith, discusses topics such as Keynes' 15-hour work week, Piketty's r>g, economic development in Africa, the influence of Javier Milei, and even anime. They also explore the importance of competent government, Japanese zoning policies, and the dangers of technology, specifically smartphones and teen depression.

Tyler Cowen, a guest on the podcast, covers a wide range of fascinating topics, including talent identification in podcasts, the value of translated literature, the experience of watching classic movies in theaters, the concept of demand sloping down, the incorporation of AI into decision-making, the impact of existing AI models on productivity, worries about AI and societal feminization, the relationship between AI and rules, and using phantoms as sources of inspiration.

Exploring history, gerontocracy, and energy transition. Decaying knowledge, abundance of historical information, and Hitler-Stalin's views. Live Players vs. Great Founders, China vs. US fragility, and Capitalism's longevity. Transition to green energy, nuclear reactors, and resource limits. Challenges in European economic growth and societal vulnerabilities.