Four insights into consciousness from Michael Pollan’s "A World Appears."
Category: Musings
What to Do When Life Shows Up Uninvited
Take a moment to appreciate the pinafores and listen to the lollygags.
Why Does Rage Bait Work?
No one wants to be mad all the time. So why does social media constantly tempt us with rage bait? And why do we consistently bite?
Will AI Break the Spell of TV?
The implicit promise of TV has always been something like this: I will show you the world beyond. My screen will function as a window onto distant events and places. AI-generated video obliterates this promise--and could change how we think about the scenes on our screens.
How Do You Stay Hopeful?
The philosopher Ernst Bloch argued that hope is woven into the fabric of reality. Here’s a brief look at his big ideas, plus prompts to get you thinking and writing (hopefully).
I Used to Be ChatGPT
In the early 2000s, my job was to find and share answers to hard questions fast. Here’s what that experience taught me about how humans know, why we need to keep thinking together, and when we’re better than any artificial intelligence.
Why ChatGPT Cheats at Chess—And Why that May Be Super Important for the Future of AI
Turns out being long on language but short on world models could be a big problem.
The Freedom to Speak: An Interview with John Stuart Mill
Nearly 20 years ago, I tackled one of democracy's hardest questions by "interviewing" John Stuart Mill. Here's what he told me about free speech.
What I Learned When Dad Was Dying
Paying attention to what matters most is harder than ever—and just as important as it always has been.
Sometimes the Deep Magic Prevails
Reflections from a wedding on a Blue Ridge mountainside.
