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“Virtual reality is reality too”
Vox Conversations podcast with guest philosopher David Chalmers
Duration: 68 minutes
Rating: 10/10. Would listen to it again. Probably need to. Still picking up pieces of my brain.
One of my favorite podcasts I’ve listened to in the past few months. In a world increasingly integrating and trending towards “virtual” the question of “what is real?” will only get fuzzier and more pressing, while its implications get more impactful. This Vox Conversations podcast episode features philosopher David Chalmer as he explore his new book Reality+, and dissects the fundamental and evolving question of - what makes something real?
Since humans have existed, we’ve been attempting to determine what is real and what’s not. Is money, morality, law, the state less real than trees and mountains?
Is something “real” if it impacts us? Changes our behavior, our emotions, our chemistry? If we can see it and touch it?
Is the virtual world “less real” than the physical world, like a type of “second-class reality”?
What, if anything, happens when your answer to that question depends on your age?
Chalmers attempts to sort meaning and order into these questions by introducing concepts such as “original reality” and “derivative reality”, rather than a distinction between “real” and “unreal”.
If you’re into philosophy, technology, (the matrix - brief mention), virtual reality, or the future of our planet, give this a listen. It was fascinating, and like it or not, its impacts will be far-reaching in the future.
Other resources:
Vox Conversations Podcast - Episode with David Chalmer on realityDavid Chalmer on TwitterValuable Lessons from the guy who sold his NFT for $69 million.
Duration: 5 minutes
Rating: 10/10
Would read and share multiple times even if you’re a crypto hater. Because this article is about SO MUCH MORE than a dude who sold virtual art that no one can ever hang on a wall. (Does that make it less real? See above podcast!)
“You are rewarded in public for what you have intensely practiced and refined in private”
Read this article if you’re a creative or artist yourself. Or if you’re a woodworker, chef, coach, musician, athlete, or someone who is committed to their craft. At its essence, this article is about a guy (known professionally as Beeple) that committed himself to the process of creating on a daily basis (for over 5 years!). At which point, what he had created was magnitudes greater than the sum of the individual parts.
“Calling someone who’s been creating digital art for 14 years, an overnight success sounds absurd. However, it happens to most of the great artists and creators. The concept of overnight success is a myth.”
Other resources:
What you can learn from Beeple - Blog