612 Will MacAskill of Effective Altruism Fame — The Value of Longtermism, Tools for Beating Stress and Overwhelm, AI Scenarios, High-Impact Books, and How to Save the World and Be an Agent of Change

This is a OPEN AI summary of the Tim Ferriss Podcast #612- visit www.TinyTim.blog for more AI summaries, or www.Tim.blog for the official Tim Ferriss Podcasts.

In this episode of the Tim Ferriss Show, host Tim Ferriss interviews William MacAskill, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the nonprofits Giving What We Can, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and 80,000 Hours. In the conversation, MacAskill discusses his new book, What We Owe the Future, which explores the ethical considerations surrounding future generations. He also shares his thoughts on a variety of topics, including the importance of effective altruism and the impact of technology on society.

Will MacAskill is the co-founder of the effective altruism movement, which is dedicated to using reason and evidence to do the most good that one can. In this interview, he discusses his views on the world and how effective altruism can make it a better place. MacAskill discusses the philosophy of effective altruism and how it can be used to make the world a better place. He cites examples of how effective altruism has helped to improve global health and welfare. The effective altruism community/movement is based on the idea of taking a systematic approach to doing good, rather than simply feeling good. This involves questioning assumptions and looking at how to make a real impact, rather than just making people feel good.

Will MacAskill is a philosopher and researcher who specializes in effective altruism. In this clip, he discusses a stretch he invented to relieve back pain caused by his pelvis being too far forward. He recommends doing the stretch daily, preferably in the morning. Will MacAskill and Tim Ferriss discuss the benefits of working out after lunch, as well as the importance of stretching the iliopsoas (a large muscle in the pelvis) to prevent low back pain.

Will MacAskill's book "What We Owe the Future" discusses how people can make decisions that will positively impact the long-term future of humanity. The book focuses on the importance of focusing on problems that will shape the future, such as the development of artificial intelligence. It argues that if we manage these technological transitions well, we can create a future that is truly amazing.

Will MacAskill is concerned about the development of AI and the potential for war in the next 50 years. He cites the example of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and how they systematically killed anyone who disagreed with their ideology. He also mentions the Act of Uniformity in British history, where Protestants banned Catholicism. There is a high likelihood of a major war breaking out within the next 10 years, due to the increasing power of AI.

In this conversation, Tim Ferriss and Will MacAskill discuss the potential implications of advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). They discuss the potential for AI to cause harm to humans, and how to prevent or mitigate this. They also discuss MacAskill's approach to managing his mood, which includes taking time off to relax and exercise, as well as thinking about his larger life goals.

In this excerpt, Tim Ferriss and Will MacAskill discuss the possibility of AI becoming smarter than humans and the implications this could have for humanity's future. Ferriss posits that one of the ways to defend against AI is to make sure it is dependent on power, which can be cut off if necessary. MacAskill agrees that this is a good idea, and adds that he thinks it is one of the reasons why advanced AI would not kill everybody. They mention the importance of understanding what is under the hood of AI models in order to make sure that they are safe.

This talk discusses the most important actions people can take now to be agents of change. The three main ways to make the world a better place are learning more about the issues, working on the most important issues, and getting involved with the Effective Altruism movement. The Effective Altruism community is a great place to start if you want to learn more about how to make a difference in the world. Our World in Data is an excellent source of information on a variety of topics, including nuclear war, economic growth, and world population.

612 https://tim.blog/2022/08/02/will-macaskill-what-we-owe-the-future/