Philosophy Mondays: Human-AI Collaboration
Today's Philosophy Monday is an important interlude. I want to reveal that I have not been writing the posts in this series entirely by myself. Instead I have been working with Claude, not just for the graphic illustrations, but also for the text. My method has been to write a rough draft and then ask Claude for improvement suggestions. I will expand this collaboration to other intelligences going forward, including open source models such as Llama and DeepSeek. I will also explore other moda...
Intent-based Collaboration Environments
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Web3/Crypto: Why Bother?
One thing that keeps surprising me is how quite a few people see absolutely nothing redeeming in web3 (née crypto). Maybe this is their genuine belief. Maybe it is a reaction to the extreme boosterism of some proponents who present web3 as bringing about a libertarian nirvana. From early on I have tried to provide a more rounded perspective, pointing to both the good and the bad that can come from it as in my talks at the Blockstack Summits. Today, however, I want to attempt to provide a coge...
Philosophy Mondays: Human-AI Collaboration
Today's Philosophy Monday is an important interlude. I want to reveal that I have not been writing the posts in this series entirely by myself. Instead I have been working with Claude, not just for the graphic illustrations, but also for the text. My method has been to write a rough draft and then ask Claude for improvement suggestions. I will expand this collaboration to other intelligences going forward, including open source models such as Llama and DeepSeek. I will also explore other moda...
Intent-based Collaboration Environments
AI Native IDEs for Code, Engineering, Science
Web3/Crypto: Why Bother?
One thing that keeps surprising me is how quite a few people see absolutely nothing redeeming in web3 (née crypto). Maybe this is their genuine belief. Maybe it is a reaction to the extreme boosterism of some proponents who present web3 as bringing about a libertarian nirvana. From early on I have tried to provide a more rounded perspective, pointing to both the good and the bad that can come from it as in my talks at the Blockstack Summits. Today, however, I want to attempt to provide a coge...
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In my book World After Capital, I open with a section on the duality of technology: since the days of inventing fire we can use technology for good and for bad. The technology itself simply broadens the space of what’s possible. We have to choose how we want to use it.
Interfacing human brains to computers is another great example of this duality. Earlier this week Elon Musk launched Neuralink, a new company for brain interfaces to add to Kernel, which Bryan Johnson funded with $100 million last year.
We could use brain interfaces for amazing good, such as helping people who are locked in to communicate with the world. And we could use it to do terrible things, such as control people to act like robots.
If you want a good read that dramatizes this duality of brain interfaces, I recommend Ramez Naam’s series of books, Nexus, Crux and Apex. I am currently on the third book in the series, which I am hoping to finish on my flight back to the US.
Does Duality mean we should not innovate? Absolutely not. But it does mean that we need to firmly establish values to guid how we put technology to use. That’s why I have a whole section on Humanism in my book also.
In my book World After Capital, I open with a section on the duality of technology: since the days of inventing fire we can use technology for good and for bad. The technology itself simply broadens the space of what’s possible. We have to choose how we want to use it.
Interfacing human brains to computers is another great example of this duality. Earlier this week Elon Musk launched Neuralink, a new company for brain interfaces to add to Kernel, which Bryan Johnson funded with $100 million last year.
We could use brain interfaces for amazing good, such as helping people who are locked in to communicate with the world. And we could use it to do terrible things, such as control people to act like robots.
If you want a good read that dramatizes this duality of brain interfaces, I recommend Ramez Naam’s series of books, Nexus, Crux and Apex. I am currently on the third book in the series, which I am hoping to finish on my flight back to the US.
Does Duality mean we should not innovate? Absolutely not. But it does mean that we need to firmly establish values to guid how we put technology to use. That’s why I have a whole section on Humanism in my book also.
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