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Existential Pessimism vs. Accelerationism: Why Tech Needs a Rational, Humanistic "Third Way"

cosmosinstitute.substack.com · 4,159 words · saved by 2 readers

Two years ago, I had a moment of profound reflection. The second of our two toddlers had just been born. Two AI startups I founded had just been acquired for $400 million. Struck by these events, I chose to embark on the perennial human quest—to understand the good life and the good society. I had been too busy solving the puzzles in front of me to examine what the right path was to achieve truly good ends. With help, I put together a philosophy reading list and devoted 3-4 hours each night to it after putting my kids to bed. That immersion has transformed my life. I now believe that acquiring wisdom about the critical human questions—about life, the mind, and society—is a crucial aim, and that only if technologists seek this wisdom can we ensure human flourishing in the modern technological age. This insight first led me to create the Mill Fellowship with Mercatus to give top entrepreneurs the space to philosophize about fundamental questions. These are “philosopher-entrepreneurs” lik

Two years ago, I had a moment of profound reflection. The second of our two toddlers had just been born. Two AI startups I founded had just been acquired for $400 million. Struck by these events, I chose to embark on the perennial human quest—to understand the good life and the good society. I had been too busy solving the puzzles in front of me to examine what the right path was to achieve truly good ends. With help, I put together a philosophy reading list and devoted 3-4 hours each night to it after putting my kids to bed. That immersion has transformed my life. I now believe that…

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