Robert Wright: Evolution, Empathy, & the Future of Humanity

In this episode, I am joined by one of my favorite scholars in the public square, Robert Wright, the editor of the Nonzero Newsletter. This is a captivating discussion about artificial intelligence, consciousness, and the future of humanity. We explore Wright's extensive work, including 'Nonzero,' 'The Evolution of God,' and 'Why Buddhism is True,' while delving into the intersections of science, religion, and philosophy. Discover the implications of AI for humanity, the critical role of international cooperation in technology governance, and the moral and spiritual dimensions needed to navigate rapid technological changes. The conversation also addresses the complexities of sentience, cognitive empathy, and the evolutionary drives in AI, with insights from philosophers like Teilhard de Chardin and Alfred North Whitehead.

Robert Wright is president of The Nonzero Foundation. He is the author, most recently, of Why Buddhism Is True. His previous book, The Evolution of God (2009), was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His other books include The Moral Animal, Nonzero, and Three Scientists and Their Gods. He has written for Time, Slate, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New Republic, The New York Times Magazine, Foreign Policy, and the op-ed pages of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Financial Times. In 2009 Foreign Policy magazine named him as one of the top 100 global thinkers. He has taught courses in philosophy and religion at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. He is Visiting Professor of Science and Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York, and is editor-in-chief of the websites Bloggingheads.tv and MeaningofLife.tv.

00:00 Introduction to Today's Guest: Robert Wright
03:02 Tripp's Fanboy Moment with Robert Wright
03:55 Diving into AI and Cognitive Empathy
09:46 The Global Impact and Challenges of AI
16:50 Evolutionary Psychology and Human Cooperation
25:28 Technological Acceleration and Its Consequences
38:14 Teilhard de Chardin and the Noosphere
43:41 The Collective Governance of AI
43:55 AI as a Miniature Noosphere
45:29 The Transformative Potential of AI
46:17 Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion
48:01 The Need for a Spiritual Evolution
50:14 The Pope's Insights on AI and the Common Good
56:14 The Role of Purpose in Evolution
01:06:47 The Intersection of Science, Religion, and Purpose
01:27:56 AI Motivations and Future Implications
01:31:18 Concluding Thoughts on AI and Human Values

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