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How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

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Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#41

Post by adamsb6 »

libraryofbabel wrote: post #11

Is anyone else reading Sebastian Mallaby’s new book about Demis and Deepmind: The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence ? It’s pretty good, and goes a lot into his background before Deepmind (chess kid, developing games at bullfrog, CS at Cambridge, bullfrog again, games startup…). He’s certainly an interesting guy, and as others are pointing out, more thoughtful and earnest…

I'm enjoying it. It's wild to realize that I spent countless hours playing Theme Park when I was around 10 years old, and Demis had been a big contributor to the game when he wasn't much older.

Also I don't really care that it's a bit of a cheerleader for DeepMind and Hassabis. Substantive criticism is good, but too often with these kind of books it feels like an editor told the author that the book needs something negative and the author has to inflate an issue to meet the requirement.

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#42

Post by libraryofbabel »

jatora wrote: post #36
libraryofbabel wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a “bro” (there are women on this site you know), and perhaps you’re missing the British understatement in my “maybe a little too uncritical of its subject” line. Obviously the book is totally biased in favor of Hassabis and Deepmind. That doesn’t mean it’s not an interesting read and that doesn’t mean the connection between his experience in the games industry and Deepmind’s early success isn’t there. And I think…

"bro" doesn't mean male in this context. It's just a general exclamation bro

Oh wow, you blow my mind with your linguistic erudition; I had no idea it was possible to use male-gendered terms in a generic way! Well, all is forgiven, then.

Seriously, just... don't? This isn’t some woke political thing and I dislike excessive policing of language but damn it, there are limits. "Guys" I'll let pass no problem, maybe even "dude" too on a good day. At "bro" I will take a stand, thank you very much.

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#44

Post by andrew_lettuce »

libraryofbabel wrote: post #42
jatora wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"bro" doesn't mean male in this context. It's just a general exclamation bro

Oh wow, you blow my mind with your linguistic erudition; I had no idea it was possible to use male-gendered terms in a generic way! Well, all is forgiven, then. Seriously, just... don't? This isn’t some woke political thing and I dislike excessive policing of language but damn it, there are limits. "Guys" I'll let pass no problem, maybe even "dude" too on a good day. At "bro" I will take a stand, thank you very much.

how about Güey?

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#46

Post by TheAlchemist »

jdw64 wrote: post #8

How would someone with an intellect like Demis Hassabis think? I want to learn to think more like him. What differences between his way of thinking and mine create such a powerful gap? If I could understand those differences, I might also understand how to narrow that gap. And if we could identify the causes of that gap, perhaps humans in general could develop much further. I truly envy his intelligence. When I read…

If you're interested in better thinking, go read a bit about Charlie Munger - he's gone now, but he was thinking about thinking for quite a long time and has some good advice.

Farnam Street used to be a very good blog too, albeit it feels much more 'commercial' for the past 5 years.

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#47

Post by UltraSane »

0x3f wrote: post #35
jdw64 wrote: post #8

How would someone with an intellect like Demis Hassabis think? I want to learn to think more like him. What differences between his way of thinking and mine create such a powerful gap? If I could understand those differences, I might also understand how to narrow that gap. And if we could identify the causes of that gap, perhaps humans in general could develop much further. I truly envy his intelligence. When I read…

I suspect Demis 'gapped' you structurally (upbringing, early decisions, luck, positioning), moreso than via intelligence, which doesn't actually vary that widely in humans.

Intelligence varies incredibly wildly in humans. So much so I think IQ might be a logarithmic scale.

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#48

Post by libraryofbabel »

adamsb6 wrote: post #41
libraryofbabel wrote: post #11

Is anyone else reading Sebastian Mallaby’s new book about Demis and Deepmind: The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence ? It’s pretty good, and goes a lot into his background before Deepmind (chess kid, developing games at bullfrog, CS at Cambridge, bullfrog again, games startup…). He’s certainly an interesting guy, and as others are pointing out, more thoughtful and earnest…

I'm enjoying it. It's wild to realize that I spent countless hours playing Theme Park when I was around 10 years old, and Demis had been a big contributor to the game when he wasn't much older. Also I don't really care that it's a bit of a cheerleader for DeepMind and Hassabis. Substantive criticism is good, but too often with these kind of books it feels like an editor told the author that the book needs something n…

The author did give him credit for the whole you-can-make-the-fries-super-salty-to-increase-demand-for-drinks thing in Theme Park, which I remember vividly. (I, too, dropped many hours on Theme Park as a kid.) Although I imagine there’s about half a dozen people who lay claim to that idea.

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#49

Post by losvedir »

libraryofbabel wrote: post #42
jatora wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"bro" doesn't mean male in this context. It's just a general exclamation bro

Oh wow, you blow my mind with your linguistic erudition; I had no idea it was possible to use male-gendered terms in a generic way! Well, all is forgiven, then. Seriously, just... don't? This isn’t some woke political thing and I dislike excessive policing of language but damn it, there are limits. "Guys" I'll let pass no problem, maybe even "dude" too on a good day. At "bro" I will take a stand, thank you very much.

You're just showing your age. I can't stand it but my daughter says "Bro" to me and my wife. As a 40 year old Californian I've come to accept it as this generation's "dude" or "man" (as in "man, that sucks"), sadly.

Re: How to Build the Future: Demis Hassabis [video]

#50

Post by foobarian »

libraryofbabel wrote: post #42
jatora wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"bro" doesn't mean male in this context. It's just a general exclamation bro

Oh wow, you blow my mind with your linguistic erudition; I had no idea it was possible to use male-gendered terms in a generic way! Well, all is forgiven, then. Seriously, just... don't? This isn’t some woke political thing and I dislike excessive policing of language but damn it, there are limits. "Guys" I'll let pass no problem, maybe even "dude" too on a good day. At "bro" I will take a stand, thank you very much.

Heh I thought like you until we had kids. The 6th graders now are all "bro this," "bro that." And it's not even the usual English "bro," it's a slightly Aussified "broah" like it has a weird umlaut. I resigned to just roll with it. "Begging the question," though, that's a hill I will die on.
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