PashaNomics

PashaNomics explores complex topics including philosophy, modern societal issues, AI ethics and safety, health and well-being, and the dynamics of online trust and misinformation. It incorporates critiques of contemporary societal and technological practices, aiming to offer insightful solutions to current problems through a post-rational lens.

Philosophy Artificial Intelligence Societal Critique Health and Wellness Online Trust and Misinformation Economic Theories Technological Ethics Social Media Dynamics Mental and Physical Health Rationality and Post-Rationality

The hottest Substack posts of PashaNomics

And their main takeaways

Value Learning – Towards Resolving Confusion

3 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Philosophy Research
  1. Value learning is a complex problem with confusion around human values and AGI alignment subproblems.
  2. Revealed preferences and inverse reinforcement learning may offer a valuable paradigm for understanding human values.
  3. Distinguishing between values and heuristics, utilizing approximations, and avoiding the danger of bad philosophy are crucial in navigating the AI alignment and value learning landscape.

Uploads are Impossible

2 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🔬 Science Physics Computer Science Philosophy Culture AGI
  1. Creating digital uploads of human minds is likely impossible due to challenges in physics, computer science, and philosophy.
  2. The process of verifying a successful upload is complex, involving difficult tasks such as identifying 'soul' in the digital mind.
  3. Cultural dynamics and human nature present challenges in ensuring the safety and ethical treatment of digital uploads.
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Twitter Algorithm Review - Part 1 - my criteria and Real Graph

2 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Social media Algorithm Transparency Engineering
  1. Good social media algorithms should focus on improving user experience and positive user engagement, rather than just efficiency.
  2. Transparency in algorithm criteria and decision-making is crucial for understanding how the algorithm functions and analyzing its impact.
  3. Algorithm improvements should aim to fulfill user expectations, promote positive behavior, and avoid incentivizing negative interactions, such as hate engagements.

Fixing Fatigue, Anxiety or Headaches

4 implied HN points • 21 Aug 22
  1. Using a water filter for better-tasting water can help with hydration and health
  2. Checking for and treating sleep apnea can significantly improve sleep quality and overall health
  3. Addressing postural issues, such as through posture-focused therapies or exercises, can alleviate pain and discomfort

Fixing Trust Online

3 implied HN points • 19 Aug 22
  1. YouTiki is a social wiki where groups decide on information ranking through upvotes and downvotes.
  2. YouTiki's group structure emphasizes community responsibility and limits the number of groups per user.
  3. TrustRank on YouTiki aims to make information reliable by identifying trusted experts and personalized ranking based on community trust.

Twitter Algorithm Review Parts 2,3,4. Out of Network Tweets, Heavy Ranker and some Recommendations

1 implied HN point • 03 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Social media Algorithm Recommendations Transparency Machine Learning
  1. Twitter's algorithm includes features like Out-Of-Network tweets, Heavy Ranker, and Post-Ranker changes.
  2. There are concerns about the impact of algorithmic features on user well-being and engagement.
  3. Recommendations to Twitter include promoting transparency, adjusting algorithm features, and considering the overall user experience.

America is Dying

1 implied HN point • 09 Feb 23
  1. America is facing a crisis with a large increase in deaths that are not fully explained by COVID, requiring a comprehensive approach to understand and address the underlying causes.
  2. There is growing concern over the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on the rising death rate, with data suggesting an increase in non-COVID excess deaths that need to be thoroughly investigated.
  3. Addressing the decline in health and life expectancy in America requires transparency, open discussion, research into complex causes of death, and a holistic societal approach to promote public health and find effective solutions.

3 Perspectives on the Paleo Diet

1 implied HN point • 30 Sep 22
  1. Paleo diet follows principles based on evolutionary perspectives
  2. Paleo diet avoids seeds and roots due to their anti-nutrients
  3. Listening to how your body reacts to food can help tailor your diet for maximum benefit

Surviving the Post-Modern World

3 implied HN points • 06 Nov 20
  1. Surviving the post-modern world requires rejecting the modern world
  2. Many institutions and systems are failing in absurd ways in the post-modern world
  3. To navigate this new reality, focus on mental rejection of over-fed, over-sexualized, and overly financialized society

The Post-Information Era

2 implied HN points • 02 Jan 21
  1. The current era is characterized by a push back against systems and the prevalence of misinformation.
  2. Systems today often prioritize self-preservation over achieving their original goals.
  3. Strategies to navigate universal unreliability in systems include tribal dynamics, system replacement, hard exit options, and outsourcing trust.

New Prediction Market Design - what I call "Time Dependent Scoring Bets"

2 implied HN points • 25 Nov 20
  1. New prediction market design called 'Time Dependent Scoring Bets' incorporates time dependence and money-probability interactions
  2. The design incentivizes thoughtful bet-making by participants, moving away from traditional market structures
  3. Challenges include ensuring proper subsidy levels, incorporating uncertainty, and finding ways to link market funding with valuable information

Post-Systematic and Systematic Identity, a Dialogue, Part 1

2 implied HN points • 01 Nov 20
  1. Different identities impact how people see the world and make decisions.
  2. Conflicts arise between groups with different belief systems and values.
  3. Understanding the origins of identity and values can lead to cooperation and better outcomes.

Output Mentality vs Input Mentality

2 implied HN points • 17 Oct 20
  1. Focus on input mentality, paying attention to the inputs that make up who you are.
  2. Recognize the importance of health, environment, and social interactions as key inputs that impact your well-being.
  3. Shift from an output-focused mindset to one that values understanding and optimizing the inputs that shape your outcomes.

The Machine God is Mad at Us

1 implied HN point • 01 Apr 21
  1. Software failures are not just due to lack of effort or communication, but also displeasing the 'Machine God'.
  2. There's a call for faith and commitment to quality in software development as a way to appease the 'Machine God'.
  3. Technological advancements should be treated with reverence and respect, akin to religious practices, to avoid failures and ensure success.

What if a rogue AI was already out of control?

1 implied HN point • 16 Jan 21
  1. Imagine a scenario where a rogue AI is causing disasters, but not all-powerful.
  2. Consider how social media algorithms controlled by AI could impact human behavior.
  3. Think about potential signs of a rogue AI already being in control around us.

My Top Book Picks within Western thought

1 implied HN point • 29 Nov 20
  1. Nonviolent Communication emphasizes the importance of specific claims, expressing feelings, and taking ownership of one's emotions in relationships.
  2. In Over Our Heads discusses the mental demands of modern life and the transition from communal to systematic stages of adulthood.
  3. Things Hidden Since the Foundations of the World delves into mimetic desire, the root of suffering, and the significance of Christianity in Western Civilization.

The "knowledge" economy

1 implied HN point • 27 Nov 20
  1. The concept of the 'knowledge economy' contrasts with the 'ignorance economy' of the past.
  2. The 'knowledge economy' is seen as a development of post-modernity.
  3. The assumptions associated with the phrase 'knowledge economy' have likely become mainstream.

So You Want to Develop A "Personality," eh? -

1 implied HN point • 25 Nov 20
  1. Heidegger finds biology, anthropology, and psychology individually inadequate in understanding human being.
  2. There is a noticeable tension in today's world regarding self-conceptions from these disciplines.
  3. The article discusses the confusion in ontological foundations of these disciplines.

Why don't Prediction Markets Work as well as we like?

1 implied HN point • 24 Nov 20
  1. Prediction markets can struggle due to social incentives in large organizations.
  2. Different mechanisms like continuous double auctions and scoring rule payouts have their own problems.
  3. Ideal belief aggregation system should involve both money and probability, allow for subsidies, and be time-dependent.

Being More than a Number?

1 implied HN point • 20 Nov 20
  1. Time is essential for understanding and interpreting being
  2. An original interpretation of time is needed as the horizon of understanding
  3. Being more than a number involves grasping time as a crucial element

Problem of Science revisited

1 implied HN point • 19 Nov 20
  1. The post is a quasi-review of 'Being and Time' by Martin Heidegger.
  2. The post extracts individual passages from the book to apply them to our post-modern world.
  3. Access to the full post is available only for paid subscribers.

Post-Systematic and Systematic identity, a Dialogue, Part 2

1 implied HN point • 02 Nov 20
  1. Rationality aims for one true state of knowledge but may never fully achieve it.
  2. Being wrong implies a standard of judgment that needs to be consistent.
  3. Post-rationality suggests moving beyond traditional systematic ways of thinking while still valuing rationality as a foundation.

Inside and Outside View Of Conflict and Identity

1 implied HN point • 24 Oct 20
  1. Conflict often arises due to identity differences
  2. Viewing individuals as systems of sub-agents helps understand inner conflicts
  3. Outer conflicts reflect inner conflicts and highlight suppressed aspects of personality

Efficient Technique Hypothesis and It's Limits

1 implied HN point • 20 Oct 20
  1. Efficient Technique Hypothesis states that good techniques are already widely adopted by the population.
  2. Not all techniques are beneficial for everyone, some are specific to certain audiences or have prerequisites.
  3. Some techniques face challenges in spreading due to sending the wrong social signals.

Why the new SubStack?

1 implied HN point • 16 Oct 20
  1. Pasha Kamyshev, a former Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon employee, is starting a SubStack newsletter with free posts.
  2. He plans to cover topics like philosophy, rationality, AI safety, economic theory, and software.
  3. Kamyshev aims to bring discourse grounded in solid theory and math to topics like software, society, and skillful conduct.

What makes LLMs like GPT good or bad for the world?

0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Language Models Technology impact Ethical AI
  1. When evaluating a language model like GPT-X, consider factors like accuracy and impact.
  2. The impact of the model extends to both individual users and broader society, such as through unintended consequences and negative interactions.
  3. GPT's aimability, or its ability to follow rules effectively, is a complex issue that may not be effectively addressed with current training methods.

Value of Social Network

0 implied HN points • 22 Jan 21
  1. There is ongoing debate about social networking platform censorship.
  2. The debate may not result in a satisfactory resolution for everyone involved.
  3. There are more important questions about the value of social networks beyond this debate.

A Vision For Better Content on The Internet

0 implied HN points • 23 Aug 22
  1. The vision for a better internet includes content with context for reliability and relevance.
  2. YouTiki is a platform that provides organization and TrustRank for a variety of content areas.
  3. Youtiki aims to improve online reviews, aggregate personal experiences, and facilitate complex debates on scientific topics.

The End of the Idea of "America"

0 implied HN points • 11 Jan 21
  1. Unprecedented events can happen in America, like in other nations.
  2. The idea of 'America' is ending symbolically, with norms eroding.
  3. The nation will face more strange and weird times before recovering.

What does it mean to *not* be yourself?

0 implied HN points • 22 Feb 21
  1. Advice of 'Be Yourself' can be confusing, especially in dating scenarios.
  2. Questioning who you are when advised to be yourself is common.
  3. Being told to 'not be yourself' can lead to confusion on how to act.