Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, part 1: Post-nut clarity and forbidden knowledge

Discussing chapters 1-10 of Mary Shelley's 1818 genre mash-up Frankenstein.

On Mary Shelley's stacked genetics, the 'scenius' with Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, questions over authorship including a suspiciously accurate depiction of post-nut clarity.

Forbidden knowledge: are infohazards real, taking accountability for new technology, guilt and the disgust instinct, strong parallels with AGI, arguments for and against creating new species. Can we defend a parochial concern for our own family/friends/species?

Is the monster innately evil? Or a product of his environment?

We love this book. hyped to hear the monster's side of the story in part 2.

CHAPTERS

• (00:00:00) pop culture Frankenstein and namespace collision
• (00:04:55) synopsis
• (00:07:56) Initial reactions
• 00:11:20) Suspiciously accurate depiction of post-nut clarity
• (00:13:38) Mary Shelley’s elite genetics
• (00:16:54) Forbidden knowledge and infohazards
• (00:26:08) Victor as deadbeat dad
• (00:31:15) AGI comparison: how do we feel about creating a new species?
• (00:38:00) The burden of guilt (the bumblebee incident)
• (00:41:27) Nature vs nurture and rebelling against god
• (00:45:08) Back to the question of AGI and creating new species
• (00:55:35) Parochialism and expanding moral circles
• (01:03:45) Cultural legacy of this book
• (01:08:43) should Zuckerberg and friends try to model consequences of AI?

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COMING UP

The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

Ubik - Philip K Dick

The Fall - Camus