Exploring the symbiotic potential between the living world and our technologies. Philosophy of science and progress, focusing on climate, AI, and aligned world building.
yesthis.substack.com (https://yesthis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
Useful Fictions—Art, Science, and the Stories That Shape Our Future with Wendi Yan
In this conversation with artist and technologist Wendi Yan, we explore the power of storytelling in shaping how we understand science and technology. In particular, we discuss "useful fictions," narratives that help us ask better questions about what future we want to create. Wendy shares four of her major creative endeavors, including an animation told from the perspective of a resurrected woolly mammoth, and a prototype that connects a real bioreactor to a game engine.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit yesthis.substack.com (https://yesthis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
19 May 2025
From Scarcity to Abundance: Syntropic Agriculture and Cultural Transformation
In this episode, we explore how the Eden Forest Collective is applying syntropic principles—where diversity and complexity create harmonious outcomes—in their land cultivation as well as in their cultural and community practices. Eden is an operating (abundantly!) food forest, educational nonprofit, and event center whose mission is to heal the story of separation through regenerative cultural practice. Eden’s mission centers on healing the story of separation through reconnection with nature and regenerative land practices. Among many things, we discuss visions of abundant futures, the importance of inner work, and having the creative process itself embody the values we seek to cultivate more of — joy, patience, connection.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit yesthis.substack.com (https://yesthis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
2 May 2025
Emergent Meaning: Networks, AI, and the Geometry of Our Collective Mind with Douglas Guilbeault
An interview with Douglas Guilbeault, Assistant Professor in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. We explore how AI and large language models might teach us about our own collective humanity, drawing connections between the engineered and algorithmic world and the complex, cultural, and living. Douglas uses computational social science to study social structures, with fascinating implications for everything from content moderation to climate policy to the spread of behaviors like mask-wearing during COVID. What if LLMs weren't replacements for human intelligence, but instead portals into our collective cultural knowledge that depends on our continued creativity and agency?
Episode Outline
Bridging humanities, sciences, and computational methods [6:00 - 13:55]
Computational Social Science and Meaning [14:00 - 22:05]
Research methodologies and applications for understanding meaning in digital age [22:05 - 27:00]
Case studies on group size, gender, and macro distortions [27:00 - 33:45]
Content moderation and policy implications [33:45 - 47:45]
Collective Intelligence [47:45 - 55:00]
Complex Contagions [55:00 - 1:07:40]
LLMs as Cultural Technologies [01:07:40 - 01:20:35]
Optimistic Perspective on AI [01:20:35 - 01:25:35]
Scientific discovery revealing greater complexity [01:25:35 - 01:32:45]
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit yesthis.substack.com (https://yesthis.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
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