From Literature to Lens, with Cécile Embleton

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying mathematical concepts that power modern machine learning, to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives–even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

рік тому 37:28

MP3•Головна епізоду

This is a feature documentary about the life of a young orthodox nun from Belarus, I have seen it, and it is spectacular. Cécile and I discuss literature, her influences, and the challenges and joys of making arthouse cinema.

It is also playing at Camden International Film Festival, in Camden, Maine, on Friday 13th September, 1pm @ Journey’s End Cinema.

Other films/shows we mentioned:

Nomadland
The Taste of Things
Godland
Silent Light
Sátántangó
The Turin Horse
The Act of Killing
Drive
Only God Forgives
The Neon Demon
Too Old to Die Young
Copenhagen Cowboy

54 епізодів

#Books #Arts #Bryan Kam

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

From Literature to Lens, with Cécile Embleton

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

published рік тому

Поширити

MP3•Головна епізоду

It is also playing at Camden International Film Festival, in Camden, Maine, on Friday 13th September, 1pm @ Journey’s End Cinema.

Other films/shows we mentioned:

Nomadland
The Taste of Things
Godland
Silent Light
Sátántangó
The Turin Horse
The Act of Killing
Drive
Only God Forgives
The Neon Demon
Too Old to Die Young
Copenhagen Cowboy

54 епізодів

#Books #Arts #Bryan Kam

Усі епізоди

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Type 1 Diabetes, Part 2: Bridging the Gap 1:22:54

9 weeks тому1:22:54

1:22:54

My friend ⁠ Pen⁠ interviewed me about Type 1 Diabetes, which I've lived with for 38 years. This is the second episode, in which we focus on my current daily experience living with diabetes. We also discuss how the intensity of managing diabetes relates to the book I'm writing, Neither/Nor , which explores the nuances between conceptual understanding and lived experience. I emphasize the need for a balance between experiential and conceptual knowledge, drawing from my own life to illustrate how these realms relate. The first episode, in which we covered early diagnosis, is available here . Clerestory by Bryan Kam • Writing on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Support this podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Type 1 Diabetes, Part 1: A Walk in the Woods 47:19

13 weeks тому47:19

47:19

My friend Pen interviewed me about Type 1 Diabetes, which I've lived with for 38 years. In this podcast we speak about what diabetes is, and what what it's like to live with. Clerestory by Bryan Kam • Writing on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Support this podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
From Literature to Lens, with Cécile Embleton 37:28

26 weeks тому37:28

37:28

I spoke to director, cinematographer, and my good friend Cécile Embleton ( instagram ) about her work and influences and her new film ⁠Mother Vera⁠ , which is playing at the London Film Festival next month. This is a feature documentary about the life of a young orthodox nun from Belarus, I have seen it, and it is spectacular. Cécile and I discuss literature, her influences, and the challenges and joys of making arthouse cinema. It is also playing at Camden International Film Festival, in Camden, Maine, on Friday 13th September, 1pm @ Journey’s End Cinema. Other films/shows we mentioned: Nomadland The Taste of Things Godland Silent Light Sátántangó The Turin Horse The Act of Killing Drive Only God Forgives The Neon Demon Too Old to Die Young Copenhagen Cowboy…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
What is Nature? with David Valerio 49:24

31 weeks тому49:24

49:24

This is a cross-post from my friend David Valerio 's new podcast, Discern Earth . In it, we speak about what nature is. Here's David's description: We discuss the etymology of nature and related terms, whether there is a hard distinction between man and nature, hypostatization and reification, the Christian roots of theories about the inherent value of nature, and the role of embodied experience in facilitating ecological regeneration. Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Writing on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Support me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
A Walk with Delia Burgess 1:01:33

32 weeks тому1:01:33

1:01:33

Delia and I walked along the ⁠Parkland Walk⁠ in London with Zoom f2 recorders and lapel mics. We cover a bit about ⁠ Neither/Nor ⁠ , as well as existentialism versus essentialism. The biologists I couldn't think of at the end was ecologist Robert MacArthur; see ⁠r/K selection theory⁠ . Listen to Delia's podcast, ⁠Growing Up with Delia Burgess⁠ . Recorded in June 2024.…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Husserliana with Noah Martin 55:43

39 weeks тому55:43

55:43

In this episode I spoke to Dr. Noah Martin, Director of the College of Modern Anxiety . We discussed the relationship between phenomenology and existentialism, and the relationship between subjective and objective understanding in philosophy. We cover thinkers like Edmund Husserl, Donna Haraway, Sartre, and de Beauvoir. Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Eternity and Time with Kit Tempest-Walters 1:00:06

44 weeks тому1:00:06

1:00:06

I spoke to Kit Tempest-Walters about his new book: Plotinus on Eternity and Time , which includes a translation and commentary of Ennead III.7. We discuss the challenges of translating, philosophical perspectives on the self, consciousness, and mysticism. We also talked about some of my perspectives from the book I'm writing, ⁠ Neither/Nor ⁠ , including the differences in the organizing assumptions of Eastern and Western approaches to philosophy. Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Writing and AI with Maggie Appleton 1:04:02

47 weeks тому1:04:02

1:04:02

It's been nearly a year since our ⁠last episode⁠ , in which Maggie Appleton and I discussed why we write. A year is a long time in AI; has it made much progress in how it writes? Possibly not, but it has made some progress in search. Discussed: Search engines Perplexity and Exa Excellent IFS therapy app Refract.space Philosophy Discord: The Speculative Discord Philosophy Telegram channel: The Underground University…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Creative Quandary Clinic, Part 2 1:09:34

48 weeks тому1:09:34

1:09:34

At the end of 2023, I asked seven people I knew to join me in a WhatsApp group experiment. Read more ⁠here⁠ . We set up a schedule by which one of us, each Thursday, would record a (suggested) 5 minute question on a creative or existential quandary we were facing. The other seven members had committed to responding with a (suggested) 10 minute response, meaning that one person would ask a question, and receive over an hour of perspectives. Over two months this WhatsApp group supported each other through the trials and tribulations of the holiday period, finishing a documentary film, the meaning of intuition, seasonality, the struggle to re-engage with work, and more. This episode of Clerestory contains an audio call with seven of the eight participants. Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Creative Quandary Clinic, Part 1 1:29:59

49 weeks тому1:29:59

1:29:59

At the end of 2023, I asked seven people I knew to join me in a WhatsApp group experiment. Read more here . We set up a schedule by which one of us, each Thursday, would record a (suggested) 5 minute question on a creative or existential quandary we were facing. The other seven members had committed to responding with a (suggested) 10 minute response, meaning that one person would ask a question, and receive over an hour of perspectives. Over two months this WhatsApp group supported each other through the trials and tribulations of the holiday period, finishing a documentary film, the meaning of intuition, seasonality, the struggle to re-engage with work, and more. This episode of Clerestory contains asynchronous voicenote reflections from seven of the eight participants on how the experience went. Stay tuned for an article describing how to set up such a group for yourself, and another synchronous conversation from the participants. Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Has the Human Experience Changed? with Isabela Granic 1:11:09

51 weeks тому1:11:09

1:11:09

Part 8 in a series of interviews on the book I'm working on, ⁠⁠ Neither/Nor ⁠⁠ . In this episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isabela Granic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and I discuss: Julian Jaynes The Aphoristic style of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Jaynes, and others The Axial Age and whether it changed human cognition ad experience Obviousnesses and ideology, from Althusser's "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses" (1975) A review of Kuhn's Last Writings in the LRB . Previous episodes: Part 7 of this series: Jaynes, Tolstoy, Zhuangzi Part 6 of this series: ⁠Mental Proliferation⁠ Part 5 of this series: ⁠⁠Crises and Revolutions⁠⁠ Part 4 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠Language and Experience⁠⁠⁠ Part 3 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠⁠AI and Pyrrhonism⁠⁠⁠⁠ Part 2 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Philosophical Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠ Part 1 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Causality and Conditionality⁠⁠⁠⁠ Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show notes…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Jaynes, Tolstoy, and Zhuangzi, with Isabela Granic 1:02:21

1 year тому1:02:21

1:02:21

Part 7 in a series of interviews on the book I'm working on, ⁠ Neither/Nor ⁠ . In this episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Isabela Granic⁠⁠⁠⁠ asks about three thinkers that have influenced my thinking: Julian Jaynes (1920–1997), Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910), and Zhuangzi (369–286 BC) sometimes written Zhuang Zhou or Chuang-tzǔ). Previous episodes: Part 6 of this series: Mental Proliferation Part 5 of this series: ⁠Crises and Revolutions⁠ Part 4 of this series: ⁠⁠Language and Experience⁠⁠ Part 3 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠AI and Pyrrhonism⁠⁠⁠ Part 2 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠⁠A Philosophical Journey⁠⁠⁠ Part 1 of this series: ⁠⁠⁠Causality and Conditionality⁠⁠⁠ Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠ Show notes…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Epistolary: Meaningful Living vs Making a Living (Part 6) 50:29

1 year тому50:29

50:29

How do you balance your life’s purpose, your creative impulse, or your art, with the realities of life? Here are the final four responses I received. Thanks to Peter, Olga Yakimenko, Rainbow, and Kevin Bowers . Clerestory by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Kam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Infrequent updates at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • All my work plus exclusive content at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Neither/Nor Principles 6:42

1 year тому6:42

6:42

Principles of Neither/Nor : Every idea, concept, philosophy has a history The two opposed but complementary ways of knowing are intuition and reason Neither/Nor emphasizes dynamic movement across these two polarities and across all polarities, and opposes static positions Learning and perception involve experimentation, trial and error, variation and selection All philosophies and concepts are social Neither/Nor apprehends processes and relations rather than objects Everything worthwhile comes from perception or experience…

Clerestory (Bryan Kam)

1
Epistolary: Meaningful Living vs Making a Living (Part 5) 36:47

2 years тому36:47