Samarth Bansal
@samarthbansal
Samarth Bansal
The Repugnant Conclusion: Imagine a world with a vast population living lives barely worth living. Now compare it to a world with a much smaller population enjoying very high quality of life. Which world is better? This experiment, posed by philosopher Derek Parfit, challenges our intuitions about the nature of a good society and the importance we... See more
The Veil of Ignorance: Proposed by philosopher John Rawls, this thought experiment asks you to design a just society without knowing your place in it. The "veil" obscures details about yourself such as your age, sex, intelligence, wealth, or race. The idea is to promote fairness and equality, as decisions would be made without considering one's own
... See moreWriting gave words permanence. Typewriters reduced the friction between having a thought and transferring it onto a page. Computers reduced the cost of editing thoughts after you typed them. The internet made it possible to send your words anywhere, instantly, for zero cost. And now AI will help you think through ideas more completely as you type... See more
Every • Writing with Machines
The Chinese Room Argument (John Searle): Searle imagines a scenario in which a person who does not understand Chinese is locked in a room full of boxes of Chinese symbols and a rule book for manipulating the symbols. The person can receive questions in Chinese and, by following the rules, send out appropriate responses in Chinese, indistinguishable... See more
Manifesto for slow learning:
1. Focus on direction, not destination
Immerse yourself completely in the journey and you will reach your final goal gradually.
2. Raise your hand
Asking questions is a fundamental human right.
3. Learn at your own pace
Find your rhythm, find your flow. Don’t compare yourself to others.
4. Unplug
You have the right to
... See moreAustin Kleon • Slow Learning
The Ship of Theseus: If a ship has all of its components replaced over time, is it still the same ship? (This thought experiment questions the nature of identity and whether an object remains the same if all of its parts are replaced.)
Future of Work and
David Lynch on the limitations of language:
“Cinema is a language. It can say things—big, abstract things. And I love that about it. I’m not always good with words. Some people are poets and have a beautiful way of saying things with words. But cinema is its own language. And with it you can say so many things,... See more
The Survival Lottery: In a society facing a severe shortage of organs for transplantation, a lottery system is proposed where individuals are randomly selected to be killed for their organs to save multiple lives. Would you support such a system? This experiment, proposed by philosopher John Harris, pushes the logic of utilitarianism to its limits... See more