I co-founded AI Impacts, a research project trying to incrementally answer decision-relevant questions about the future of artificial intelligence (AI).

I blog primarily at worldspiritsockpuppet, and indirectly at Meteuphoric, Worldly Positions, LessWrong and the EA Forum, and used to blog at Overcoming Bias. I think having a blog is great.

I have a BSc, majoring in human ecology and science communication. I have studied game theory (especially in signaling) and anthropic reasoning more than other things, though not enough to e.g. finish a PhD. I like to think about lots of things. I coauthored a paper one time, which was the 16th ‘most discussed’ journal article in 2017.

I’m strongly in favor of making the world much better, and in particular avoiding destroying everything. And in case it needs saying, I like efficiency when making the world better. I also like neat insights. I often try to make my life better.

I grew up in an abandoned town in Tasmania, with an abundance of e.g. donkeys and trees, and a dearth of e.g. schooling and parental attention. It was good in ways, but I really like cities, and when things make sense. I was located in Berkeley last time I updated this page, but am less prone to stability than average. 

I am the sort of person who is very cooperative-norm-abiding but not very conventional-life-path motivated. 

I aspire to live in reality (not e.g. a misinterpretation of it, or a tiny blinded corner of it). I aspire to save the world as much as I can. (My current guess is that AI forecasting is the place to do that, but I’m open to changing directions.)

I like the world. I like poetry and words, though probably more than any specific poetry and words. I started an essay about how much I like George Saunders, but keep liking him even more and having to rewrite it. I once had a very good solitary holiday in Budapest, doing a DIY tour of the Leo Szilard themed sites and considering how to live. I find some of Hamilton incredibly moving. I would rather love than be loved. I like wholesomeness. Sometimes even the dirt on the floor seems staggeringly beautiful to me.