The Orthogonal Bet

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Rony. Paul is the founder and CEO of Kosmik, a tech startup based in France. Paul is also deeply knowledgeable about the history of computing and the ideas that animate it, and Samuel wanted to discuss these ideas with him.Samuel and Paul had a chance to discuss how Paul became interested in computing history, his own experiences with older computers, and the importance of the intellectual history and ideas that suffuse these technologies. They talked about the value of playing with old computers, the changing nature of programming as well as what hasn't changed, preserving old software and hardware, and even the best ways of learning about the history of computing. And of course, they talked about HyperCard, one of the wildest pieces of software ever.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman had the pleasure of speaking with Nicholas Bergson-Shilcock. Nick is the cofounder and CEO of the Recurse Center, a kind of retreat for programmers and community for people to work at what they term the edge of their abilities. RC has been running these self-directed retreats since 2011 and the company is a very intentional effort in fostering curiosity and is informed by the philosophy of unschooling.Samuel and Nick had a chance to discuss his unschooling experience and how he became interested in coding, the founding of what eventually became the Recurse Center, and how it developed. They talked about the uniqueness of RC's model, how Nick thinks about AI and programming, and the intentional culture of RC.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman had the pleasure of speaking with Corey Maley. Corey is an associate professor of philosophy at Purdue University who explores the philosophy of science and computation, focusing on cognitive science, the nature of computation both digital and analog, and how brains compute.Samuel and Corey had a chance to discuss the nature of analog computation and what people get wrong about it, the ways in which neurons are likely analog computers not digital ones, and even the implications for AI and consciousness. They talked about the history of computing, what computation is, and even explored some intriguing issues at the intersection of philosophy and computing.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman had the pleasure of speaking with Joel Simon. Joel is a fascinating creator who works at the intersection of art and computational research, particularly in the realm of AI and creativity. He is the creator of Artbreeder, a biologically inspired tool for navigating the space of AI images, and has also worked on many other projects, such as evolving floorplans, a digital puppet theater, and generating computational paintbrushes. He is also the author of a new essay entitled "Beyond Slop" which explores how to think about creativity and AI. https://www.joelsimon.net/beyond-slopSamuel and Joel had a chance to discuss how Joel thinks about his work, the nature of evolutionary algorithms and his interest in them, and the origins of Artbreeder. They also spent time discussing his new essay, and the need for creating computational tools that expand self-expression rather than limiting it, and how to think more broadly about creativity and AI.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman has the pleasure of speaking with Stephen Webb. Stephen is a physicist and the author of numerous books, including one entitled "If the Universe is Teeming with Aliens… Where is Everybody?", the second edition of which includes 75 solutions to the Fermi Paradox. Samuel wanted to talk to Stephen to explore the nature of the Fermi paradox — essentially, if the universe should have extraterrestrial intelligences, why don't we see them? — and how it forces us to think about our place in the universe.Samuel and Stephen have a chance to examine what the Fermi paradox is, the interdisciplinary nature of the approaches to this puzzle, science fiction as a "playground for thought experiments," and the three main categories for how people approach the Fermi paradox. They discuss some of the fun answers to the paradox, Stephen's personal take on it, how scientific and technological advances have affected how we think about the paradox, and even how AI has changed how we might think about intelligence in the universe.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman is excited to welcome David Edmonds back to the podcast. Dave is the cohost of the Philosophy Bites podcast as well as the bestselling author of numerous books about philosophy. Last time they spoke about his book Death in a Shallow Pond: A Philosopher, A Drowning Child, and Strangers in Need, and this time they discuss Parfit, his biography of the philosopher Derek Parfit, one of the most influential moral philosophers of the modern era. The book explores the life and philosophy of Parfit, and is simply delightful — a wonderful exploration of Parfit's personality, his ideas, and his relationships with others.Dave and Samuel discuss what prompted him to write this book and the origins of the biography, as well as his personal relationship to Derek Parfit and Parfit's wife, the philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards. They explore Parfit's philosophy on personal identity, self-defeating moral theories, and non-identity and population ethics. But they also discuss Parfit as a person, including how he changed over his life and his combination of extreme kindness and self-absorption. They even explore how All Souls College at Oxford was the ideal place for a genius such as Parfit.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman welcomes back Edward Ashton. Edward is a science fiction writer and the author of numerous novels, including Mickey7, which served as the basis for the film Mickey 17. The two last spoke about Ashton’s novel The Fourth Consort, a compelling first-contact story, and he now returns to discuss his new book, After the Fall.After the Fall is a delightful and thought-provoking novel set on a post-apocalyptic Earth where an alien civilization has settled on the planet and domesticated humans. Despite the premise, the book is surprisingly fun and funny, featuring a goofy alien who owns the story’s main human character. Ashton’s publisher sent Arbesman an advance copy, which he quickly devoured, eager to dig deeper into the novel’s ideas with its author.Their conversation explores the origins of After the Fall, the concept of domestication and how we think—or perhaps should think—about it, and a distinctive feature of the alien species known as the Grays called “absenting,” along with its parallels in bull elephants. They also touch on the deliberately ambiguous future history of the book and venture into larger themes, including human mediocrity, the Great Filter, and humanity’s own self-destructive possibilities.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Lori Emerson, a professor of Media Studies at University of Colorado Boulder and the founding director of the Media Archaeology Lab, where Arbesman serves as an advisor. Emerson’s work sits at the crossroads of media, technology, and history—a perspective embodied by the Lab’s hands-on approach to preserving older technologies and keeping them alive through use, not just observation.The conversation also explores Emerson’s recent book, Other Networks: A Radical Technology Sourcebook, which treats the idea of the “network” as something far older and stranger than the modern internet. Drawing on examples ranging from pagers and flag signaling to pneumatic tubes—and even the memex envisioned by Vannevar Bush—the book radically expands how we think about connectivity across technological history.Together, Arbesman and Emerson discuss how she approaches her research, the practice of media archaeology, and how engaging directly with obsolete or forgotten technologies can stretch our collective imagination about what technology has been—and what it might yet become. Their conversation ranges from the deep logic of networks to Emerson’s enthusiasm for radio, and the vital role artists play in pushing new technologies into unexpected territory.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Brendan Schlagel, a builder obsessed with learning and community, and the cofounder of Hyperlink and Leaflet—projects devoted to helping people learn together and share knowledge in public.Samuel and Brendan trace the history of Hyperlink and the learning communities it sparked, and how that work ultimately led to Leaflet: a tool designed to make publishing and sharing online feel effortless again. Along the way, they explore learning and education, the strange power of lists, personal canons, antilibraries, practical advice for connection (online and off), and even why a two-person book club can be unexpectedly transformative.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Gordon Brander, a technologist and researcher currently building Deep Future, an AI tool designed to facilitate scenario planning. Gordon has worked in design and engineering at organizations including Mozilla and Google, where he used scenario planning in practice—and he’s now aiming to democratize the framework more broadly.Together, Samuel and Gordon explore the history and mechanics of scenario planning: what it is, how it works, and what it’s actually useful for. They dig into risk versus uncertainty, epistemic humility, and Knightian uncertainty, along with the research process behind building scenarios—and the common perils and misuses that can turn the practice into self-deception. They also discuss Gordon’s AI-powered approach with Deep Future (which Samuel is advising) and how scenario planning has reshaped Gordon’s understanding of society and the world.