Infinite Loops
Brendan McCord is the founder of — a non-profit dedicated to exploring the intersection of AI and philosophy. Brendan joins the show to discuss Cosmos’ origins, the pursuit of philosophy as a technologist, the different schools of thought in AI, complex adaptive systems and MUCH more! Important Links: Show Notes: The Genesis of the Cosmos Institute Philosophy as a Quixotic Pursuit The Man of the System Dilemma Existential Risk & Scenario Agnosticism The AI Schools of Thought The Religious Nature of the E/Acc Movement What Tocqueville Can Teach Us About AI The Philosophy-to-Code...
info_outline Alex Komoroske — Complex Adaptivity All The Way Down (EP. 208)Infinite Loops
Alex Komoroske has spent his career studying, writing about, and working in complex adaptive systems. He has published multiple essays on topics like Schelling points in organizations, why debate should be collaborative, and how to ensure resilient growth in harsh environments. Alex has also worked as a product manager and in corporate strategy at Google and Stripe. Alex joins the show to discuss how to escape busyness, why heroism is overrated, the different types of magic, and MUCH more! Important Links: Show Notes: The Parable of the Builder & the Gardener Against Heroism Noise is...
info_outline Cedric Chin — Accelerating Business Expertise (EP. 207)Infinite Loops
Cedric Chin is a writer, researcher and operator whose Commoncog newsletter is dedicated to finding useful, practical ways to accelerate business expertise. He joins us to discuss some of the most potentially transformative concepts he’s uncovered, from the business expertise triad to naturalistic decision making. Important Links: (Commoncog) Show Notes: Commoncog’s Rabbit-Holing Origins The Business Expertise Triad Quality Engineering & Process Control The Effectiveness of Naturalistic Decision Making Expectancy, Intuition & Investing How to Stay Open-Minded Trial &...
info_outline Devon Eriksen — Theft of Fire (EP. 206)Infinite Loops
Devon Eriksen always wanted to be a writer. As a child, he was persuaded to abandon his aspirations in favor of a career in software engineering. Two decades later, he retired to finally fulfil his ambition to write imaginative hard-science fiction in the vein of authors like Asimov, Heinlein and Niven. He self-published his first novel, Theft of Fire, last year to an excellent reception. Devon joins the show to discuss why his book incorporates alien technology, the role of patronage in the digital era, his unusual approach to obtaining feedback, and MUCH more! Important Links: ; by...
info_outline Jacqueline Novogratz - Manifesto for a Moral RevolutionInfinite Loops
Jacqueline Novogratz is the founder of Acumen, a nonprofit impact investment fund “changing the way the world tackles poverty by investing in companies, leaders and ideas.” As well as founding Acumen in 2001, Jacqueline is a public speaker and best-selling author. She also sits on multiple philanthropic boards. Her latest book Manifesto for a Moral Revolution, “reveals 12 leadership practices for anyone eager to build a better world.” Jacqueline joins us to discuss how to create a high-trust society, the difference between moral righteousness and moral leadership, why the opposite of...
info_outline Rupert Sheldrake — On Scientism, Morphic Resonance and the Extended Mind (EP. 204)Infinite Loops
Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of 9 books and over 100 scientific papers. A critic of what he sees as the scientific establishment’s dogmatic dedication to materialism, he is perhaps best known for his theory of “morphic resonance,” via which information and activity can be transferred across space and time. Rupert joins the show to discuss being branded a heretic, how to test for telepathy, his advice for young scientists, and MUCH more! Important Links: ; by Rupert Sheldrake ; by Rupert Sheldrake ; by Rupert Sheldrake ; by Rupert Sheldrake (Journal of Consciousness...
info_outline Rob Henderson — Troubled (EP. 203)Infinite Loops
Friend-of-the-show Rob Henderson returns to discuss his powerful, moving and important debut book, Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class (published TODAY). We discuss Rob’s experience of the American foster care and adoption system, the life-changing impact of the military, the rise of Luxury Beliefs, the benefits of standardized testing, and MUCH more. Important Links: (Amazon) ; by Rob Henderson (The Boston Globe) ; by Rob Henderson (The Free Press) Show Notes: Foster Care, Adoption & Social Mobility Structural Origins of the Foster System Why Early-Life...
info_outline Alec Stapp — Progress is a Policy Choice (EP. 202)Infinite Loops
Alec Stapp is the co-founder of the Institute for Progress, a non-partisan innovation policy think tank aiming to “accelerate scientific, technological and industrial progress while safeguarding humanity’s future.” He joins the show to discuss how to achieve change in the age of lobbying, why bipartisanship is underrated, why US immigration policy is so slow-moving and MUCH more! Important Links: Show Notes: Reimagining the Think Tank Progress is a Policy Choice Bipartisanship is Underrated Achieving Progress via Reframing Achieving Change in the Age of Lobbying Moonshot...
info_outline Rohit Krishnan — Demystifying AI (EP. 201)Infinite Loops
Essayist, tinkerer, and author Rohit Krishnan returns to discuss his book, Building God: Demystifying AI for Decision Makers. Important Links: (Rohit’s Substack) Show Notes: Demystifying AI AI as a Fuzzy Processor Complexity & Determinism The Flash Crash Scenario Regulating AI Open Source, Closed Source & Big Brother Carving Through Bureaucracy Socially Adapting to AI Disruption The Centaur Model Integrated Information Theory & Consciousness Big Tech in the AI Era Are We Running Out of Data? Rohit as Emperor of the World MORE! Books Mentioned: ...
info_outline Jim O’Shaughnessy — Turning the Tables (EP. 200)Infinite Loops
For this milestone 200th (yes, TWO HUNDREDTH) episode of Infinite Loops, regular guest and Infinite Media head Liberty RPF joins writer & researcher Ed William to turn the tables on Jim O’Shaughnessy. Stay tuned for Jim’s dream podcast guests, his advice to parents, a diabolical spin on his trademark closing question, and MUCH more! Important Links: Infinite Loops Substack Show Notes: Episode One: Tequila With Ramp Capital Taking Inspiration From My Dinner With Andre Would the Show Be Different if Monetized? “I would be doing this if I wasn’t pressing publish” Jim’s...
info_outline“To get me stop, they’re going to have to pry the microphone out of my cold dead hand”.
Hot on the heels of his hugely popular appearance on ‘Invest Like The Best’, David Senra joins a marathon episode of Infinite Loops to discuss obsession, education, optimism, podcasting, and so much more.
Unsurprisingly, this one is not to be missed.
Important Links:
- Founders Podcast
- Founders on Colossus
- David’s Twitter
- David’s Substack
- Runnin’ Down a Dream - Bill Gurley
Show Notes:
- David’s grandfather, refugees, and risk-taking
- Why reading history raises our ambition
- Obsession and genetics
- Why founders are the most important people in the world
- Our failing education system
- “To get me to stop, they’re going to have to pry the microphone out of my cold dead hand”
- “Don’t do anything that somebody else can do”
- Societal responses to change, predicting the future
- The benefits of small teams
- “Plan B should be to make plan A work”
- Optimism, risk and the bridge of nihilism
- Why you need to start a podcast
- “History doesn’t repeat, human nature does”
- AI and art
- The internet is the greatest variance amplifier in history
- “You can’t fake passion”
- Infinite networks
- Luck, burnout, learning and excuses
- “Don’t be surprised if your best idea comes 30 to 40 years into your career”
- The blueprint for a great day
- Pick the right heroes
Books Mentioned:
- Am I Being Too Subtle?: Straight Talk From a Business Rebel; by Sam Zell
- The Sugar King of Havana: The Rise and Fall of Julio Lobo, Cuba's Last Tycoon; by John Paul Rathbone
- The Hypomaniac Edge: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America; by John D. Gartner
- One Summer: America, 1927; by Bill Bryson
- Reluctant Genius: The Passionate Life and Inventive Mind of Alexander Graham Bell; by Charlotte Gray
- Born of this land : my life story; by Chung Ju-yung
- Shoe Dog; by Phil Knight
- Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print, and Power; by James McGrath Morris
- Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company; by Andrew S. Grove
- Time to Make the Donuts: The Founder of Dunkin Donuts Shares an American Journey; by William Rosenberg
- Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration; by Ed Catmull
- The Tao Te Ching; by Laozi
- My Life & Work - An Autobiography of Henry Ford; by Henry Ford
- One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organization; by Dee Hock
- Zanies: The world’s greatest eccentrics; by Jay Robert Nash