Singularity 1 on 1

Socrates Has Tea at Taxevity: Promod Sharma Takes a Peek Inside Singularity Weblog

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tea at taxevity YouTubeA couple of weeks ago I went to visit my friend Promod Sharma who runs the Tea at Taxevity YouTube channel. Promod is a bit new to video recording but he is an expert in his own field of insurance and is an all-around nice guy to hang out with. So I was happy to have a cup of tea with him while providing a rare peek inside the Singularity Weblog.

If you are interested in watching the video you may notice some issues with slow frame-rates such as choppy and jerky head, mouth and/or eye movement.  [Bags under my eyes and lower-than-usual energy were entirely my own fault so I vow that next time I go on camera I will make sure to have a good night sleep and not pull an all-nighter. ;-] Still I hope you agree that the quality of our conversation was higher than the quality of our video recording. And so I decided to share this with you while asking you to focus on the former rather than the latter.

During my 1 hour interview with Promod we discuss a variety of topics such as: the technological singularity and whether we ought to fear it or not; the story behind my blogging and podcasting; our meeting at my first Podcamp Toronto; how WordPress and podcasting have changed the game; how passion keeps me going while fear is something I have to keep overcoming; the importance of proper preparation and having something unique in my interviews; some of the costs associated with blogging and podcasting…

 

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Why I Converted Singularity 1 on 1 To Black-and-White

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Film strip“Why did you convert your Singularity 1 on 1 interviews to black-and-white?”

This is the question that I keep getting asked ever since I started publishing my Skype podcast episodes in black-and-white.

And so, it is time I share the reasons and ask for your critical input:

1. Black-and-white is less distracting:

The human eye is naturally attracted to bright colors. This fact is skilfully utilized both in the film and advertising industries where scenes or products with bright colors stand out and are deliberately designed to focus your attention on them.

In the case of my podcast, however, the main content is not instantly apparent within the visual subject but rather hides within the conversation itself. Thus I believe that having color will distract the attention to unimportant elements of the interview – such as the poor white balance and strange webcam colors I often end up with, while taking attention away from the important ones.

2. B&W hides my poor technical quality:

Unfortunately I have no control over my interviewee’s camera, microphone settings, internet connection, light and background. I do my best to provide technical tips to all of my guests but, in the end of the day, I have to take whatever quality I am given. [I’m always amazed how often it is that some of the most technologically advanced people can make do with low quality webcams and poor internet connection.]

Unfortunately quite often, if not most of the time, I have to work with less than perfect audio and video. And so, while the subject of Singularity 1 on 1 is very technological, the Skype interviews that I produce are not of high technical or production quality on their own. The main value of my podcast, therefore, is hopefully revealed within the conversations that I have with my guests. Finishing the recording in B&W can hide at least some technical problems.

3. Black-and-white is simple:

Knowing that I will finish the final version of my interview in B&W allows me to stress and worry less about the production aspects. This takes away from time spent on pre- and post-production technicalities while allowing me to focus more on research and topic preparation beforehand as well as asking good questions and providing interesting content during recording.

4. B&W is different and stands out:

There are over 100 hours of video uploaded every minute to YouTube. Like me, every content provider strives to capture the increasingly scarce viewer attention. Since most of those videos are shot in color, publishing black-and-white clips is just another way of being different and standing out. This in turn helps for both better branding as well as easier identification of your channel and content.

5. B&W is classic and timeless:

My goal is to create evergreen content focused on fundamental issues that humanity will have to deal with. Thus I try to stay away from fads or newsy and trendy content but choose to focus on the long-term philosophical dimensions of the issues instead. We all know that most timeless and classic films and images were captured in black-and-white. Thus, since my goal is to be both classic and timeless in terms of relevance, I think that this format is a good fit for Singularity 1 on 1.

6. B&W is more documentary:

My podcast interviews are not intended to be mere fiction. They are intended to provide a raw, impartial and honest unedited documentary archive of the people and ideas that will shape the fate of our civilization. Thus I hope that embracing the B&W format will lend more awareness to my goals while also providing a more trustworthy documentary look and feel to the final videos.

7. B&W is more dramatic:

Our attitude and understanding of the implications of artificial intelligence, the technological singularity, transhumanism, nanotechnology and other similar issues will shape the fundamental chances for prosperity and survival of our civilization. So I thought that perhaps a little subtle dramatism on Singularity 1 on 1 may be useful in highlighting the gravity and profound importance of the issues discussed.

8. Godfrey Reggio’s fantastic B&W film Visitors

I have to admit that I have been pondering a switch to B&W for several months but did not dare do it. It was only after seeing Godfrey Reggio‘s fantastic film Visitors, and hearing the director’s explanation for his choice in shooting B&W, that I found the guts to make the switch. Noticing that many others are experimenting with B&W lately, I am beginning to think that Godfrey may have managed to penetrate and leave a mark on our cultural subconsciousness yet again.

***

Those are the reasons why I have decided to do my Skype Singularity 1 on 1 episodes in black-and-white. [Currently about 85% of my interviews are done via Skype.] But I am also pondering whether I should switch my in-person podcast interviews to B&W. Once again, I find myself sitting gutless on the fence. And your comments can help push me either way…

So, please tell me:

Should I do all future episodes in black-and-white or should I convert only my poor quality Skype interviews in that format?

 

Socrates Thanks You: We May Not Have The Quantity (Yet), But We Certainly Have The Quality

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Dear friends,

It took me a few days to digest the results from my first ever fund-raising campaign and decide what to do next. During that time I took a long, hard look in the mirror of public opinion and input.

Socrates takes a look in the mirror

I received many amazing testimonials and public endorsements and few criticisms. Still, I can’t fail to ignore 2 facts:

  1. Your input was overwhelmingly positive. I was simply overrun by messages not only via email but also via all kinds of social media. (This is one of the main reasons it took me so long to post this because I did my best to reply to as many of you as possible.)
  2. I failed to reach my stated goal of raising $30,000.

So, how do I reconcile the above 2 facts and what have I decided to do next?!

Check out the video below or the audio above to find out!

Thank you!

Ray, Aubrey, Natasha And Many Others Support Singularity 1 on 1. What About You?!

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If you’ve been around Singularity Weblog you already know that I have a passion for it. Of course, one of my favorite features is the Singularity 1 on 1 podcast. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy reading mind-blowing books and talking 1-on-1 to some of the most inspiring people from around the world across a variety of cutting edge fields and disciplines?! No wonder I love it so much.

Still, what is even more inspiring and motivational is knowing that what I do is not in vain. That it makes a real-world difference to you – my audience. Because without you there is no blog. Without you there is no podcast. Without you there can really be no Socrates.

And so it is with great pleasure that I am putting together this short collection of testimonials in support of my fund-raising campaign. Testimonials such as those are perhaps the best measure of real-world impact that I can wish for. Hope you enjoy them and consider showing your support too:

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

Also, please be aware that regardless of whether I meet my starting goal or not, I am guaranteed to get a minimum of 90% of all funds raised.

Dr. Ray Kurzweil: I Support Singularity 1 on 1

 

Dr. Aubrey de Grey: I Support Singularity 1 on 1

 

Dr. Natasha Vita-More: I Support Singularity 1 on 1

 

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

 

Other Testimonials:

“Singularity 1-on-1… bringing the future into my iPhone, one download at a time!” Trevor

“I wish I could give more, because this is probably the most life changing and thought provoking podcast and website that I’ve come across. Keep it up, Socrates.” Hans

“You have a great interview style (you let the guest talk!) and consistently interesting guests. Even when I do not think I will be interested, I end up enlightened. Thanks and please keep up the good work.” Jonathan

“Small, my contribution may be. Large, this idea will be.” Michael Crump

“Mind Enhancing Interviews from Socrates!” R. Kaaper

“I’ve listened to 90% of your podcasts. Your interviews and list of guests is fantastic! I hope you end up with the funds to continue.” JZGreenline

“Best wishes with this Nikola. Singularity 1on1 has my attention like no other broadcast.” iswasbe

“I have about 40 podcasts in rotation, but Nikola’s Singularity 1-on-1 is the only one that every episode gets fully sync’d to every device so that i can replay anytime. The guests are first rate and the discussions are hugely informative, insightful and compelling.” Nick Heasman

“This is an important project that I fully support. It is one of the few online shows that digs deeply into the issues of technology and the future.” Dr. Natasha Vita-More

“Everyone should follow @singularityblog and support Nikola and his amazing Program, “Singularity 1 on 1.” TJL-2080

“This is my favorite podcast. Nikola does great interviews and lands intelligent thinkers in a variety of disciplines. I hope he reaches his goal.” Carson McKnight

“An amazing podcast. One of the best” Sharon

“Nikola rocks! Fantastic work spreading important transhumanist ideas, tools, and behaviors.” John Smart

“Thank you Socrates for all your great work! Your style of interviewing guests really appeals to me, your questions are always very insightful and well thought-out. Thanks for all the great time I had watching your interviews.” Toni Hiller

“Nikola’s podcast Singularity 1 on 1 is bar none, the very best Singularity podcast on the internet. With a guest list of intellectual giants it is seriously a who’s who of futurism and accelerationistas. Please, please contribute if you can.” Matthew J. Price

“My friends and I are driving back from our beach vacation today and my phone is loaded with your pod casts! Thanks for an interesting drive, Socrates!” Matt Chorey, Cincinnati, Ohio

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

 

One Last Thing:

I stumbled upon a secret research study proving that anyone who donates to the Singularity 1 on 1 fund-raising campaign will live long and prosper after the singularity.

The study was conducted in 2045 by the AI research division at Singularity University.

So, if you like to ensure your place in the future don’t wait for the singularity!

Support Singularity 1 on 1 now and rest assured of your prosperous future! (You have just a few hours left and then your chance will be gone forever 😉

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

Socrates

Ray Kurzweil on How To Create A Mind: Be Who You Would Like To Be

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Ray Kurzweil‘s impact on my life in general but especially on what I have been doing for the past 3 or 4 years is hard to exaggerate. It is a simple fact that, if I haven’t read his seminal book The Singularity is Near, I would be neither blogging nor podcasting about exponential technologies, not to mention going to Singularity University. And so it was with great excitement and some trepidation that I went to interview Dr. Kurzweil in his office in Boston.

Part of my trepidation came from some technical concerns: I wish I could buy a better camera. I wish I could hire a team of audio and video professionals so that I can focus on the interview itself. I wish I did a better job with the setup. I wish I had noticed that Ray’s lavalier mic has slipped out of its holder… The list is exponential. Still, if there is one thing that I’ve learned since I started podcasting is that we do get better. But it takes time. Meanwhile, my consolation is that eventually, I will have to do another interview with Ray Kurzweil just so I get it right at that time. For now, however, I hope that the content of this one will make up for its technical deficiencies.

During our conversation with Dr. Kurzweil we cover a wide variety of topics such as: how and why at age 5 Ray decided to become an inventor; his unique background of being born to Jewish parents but brought up in a Unitarian Church; his early interest in issues such as religious tolerance, poverty, social inequality and justice; 3D printing, open-source, patents, progress, and intellectual property rights; Watson, artificial intelligence, the Turing Test and human rights for AI, the technological singularity and some criticism thereof; his upcoming book How To Create A Mind and his Pattern Recognition Theory of Mind; the evolutionary advantages of intelligence; the benefits of reverse-engineering the human brain for the creation of AI and whether the latter would be interested in pondering and solving humanity’s greatest problems.

My favorite quote that I will take away from this interview with Ray Kurzweil is:

Don’t be too concerned about what’s practical. Follow your passion and be who you would like to be.

As always you can listen to or download the audio file above or scroll down and watch the video interview in full. To show your support you can write a review on iTunes, make a direct donation, or become a patron on Patreon.

 

Behind The Curtain: Images of My Interview with Ray Kurzweil

Ray Kurzweil Working
The Office of a Creative Genius
Julie Danaylov: Best Looking Camera Woman Ever
Ray Kurzweil on Singularity 1on1
Ray Kurzweil and the White Rabbit
Ray Kurzweil with his father’s portrait
Socrates trying to make a point
Thank you, Dr. Kurzweil
Ray Kurzweil “I Support Singularity 1 on 1”
Nikola Danaylov aka Socrates with Ray Kurzweil

 

Ray Kurzweil: I Support Singularity 1 on 1

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

 

Who is Ray Kurzweil?

Ray Kurzweil has been described as “the restless genius” by the Wall Street Journal, and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes. Inc. magazine ranked him #8 among entrepreneurs in the United States, calling him the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison,” and PBS included Ray as one of 16 “revolutionaries who made America,” along with other inventors of the past two centuries.

As one of the leading inventors of our time, Ray was the principal developer of the first CCD flat-bed scanner, the first omni-font optical character recognition, the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, the first text-to-speech synthesizer, the first music synthesizer capable of recreating the grand piano and other orchestral instruments, and the first commercially marketed large-vocabulary speech recognition. Ray’s web site Kurzweil AI.net has over one million readers.

Among Ray’s many honors, he is the recipient of the $500,000 MIT-Lemelson Prize, the world’s largest for innovation. In 1999, he received the National Medal of Technology, the nation’s highest honor in technology, from President Clinton in a White House ceremony. And in 2002, he was inducted into the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame, established by the US Patent Office.

He has received nineteen honorary Doctorates and honors from three U.S. presidents.

Ray has written four national best sellers. The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence has been translated into 9 languages and was the #1 best selling book on Amazon in science. Ray’s latest book, The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology, was a New York Times best seller, and has been the #1 book on Amazon in both science and philosophy.

My Interview With Ray Kurzweil, His New Book And Your Questions

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Me and Ray at Singularity University in 2011

Ray Kurzweil‘s impact on my life in general but especially on what I have been doing for the past 3 or 4 years is hard to exaggerate. It is a simple fact that I would be neither blogging nor podcasting about exponential technologies, not to mention attending Singularity University, if I haven’t read his seminal book  The Singularity is Near.

Thus it is no surprise that from the very first episode of my Singularity 1 on 1 podcast Ray has been the number one person I wanted to interview.

After 3 years of trying if all goes according to plan, next Wednesday afternoon I should be visiting the Kurzweil Technologies Office in Boston and talking to Kurzweil himself about the technological singularity in general and his new book How to Create a Mind in particular.

One might say that in some sense I have been preparing for this interview for more than 3 years. Still, with a subject such as Ray I clearly need to do more. So I started reading an early copy of How to Create a Mind. I am also thinking a lot about the exponential amount of questions that I would like to ask during those brief 60 minutes I hope to spend with him. Things like:

What should I focus on? What would be interesting for you? Can I come up with questions that he hasn’t been asked before? How can I make this more memorable and unique? How can we reach more people and get them proactively engaged in creating the future? How can I get more financial support for Singularity 1 on 1 so that I can produce many more episodes like this one…

It seems to me that perhaps the best thing I can do is ask you to submit your own questions for Dr. Kurzweil. While I cannot promise that I will end up posing your particular question I can guarantee that I will read carefully and consider all of the ones submitted. In addition, to make it worth your while I will randomly draw the name of one person from those who have posted questions and will preorder a copy of Ray’s book for you. Thus, if you take the time to think about and put the effort into writing a few good questions in the comments section below, you have a shot at not only winning a free copy of How to Create a Mind but also of getting your question answered by Ray Kurzweil himself.

So, what are you waiting for?! Just write down your questions in the comments section below!

P.S. My interview with Ray Kurzweil is the first of the next 30 episodes of Singularity 1 on 1. If you want to see more of those please support my fund-raising campaign: https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

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Aubrey de Grey: I Support Singularity 1 on 1

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Aubrey de Grey recently posted a link to this campaign on his Facebook wall. I asked Aubrey “Why do you support Singularity 1 on 1?!”

Here is what he had to say:

 

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

The Show, Why It’s Hard and Why It’s Important

Singularity 1 on 1 is a series of podcast interviews with the best scientists, writers, entrepreneurs, film-makers, journalists, philosophers and artists, debating the impact of technology, exponential growth, genetics, robotics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and the technological singularity.

Current highlights:

  • 2 1/2 years of existence, over 90 episodes and 70 interviews
  • 100,000+ views on YouTube
  • 260,000+ audio downloads on iTunes, Zune, Blackberry Podcast.
  • 2,000+ email and RSS subscribers

Reaching the above stats has not been easy. It has been accomplished through 3 years of persistent dedication, selfless hard work and happy audience word-of-mouth, without any production budget or marketing money.

Singularity 1 on 1 has established itself not only as the first podcast of its kind but also as the most prominent one. The show has been consistent in delivering unique content via direct one-on-one interviews with high-profilers in an environment of unmatched authenticity, easy and open public access and total transparency.

The Best Is Still Ahead

I truly believe that the best is still ahead of us all. This is true for me personally but it is also true for Singularity 1 on 1, for you and for humanity in general. That is why Singularity Weblog’s tag line is “a better future, better you.”

However, in order to create the future that we want, we must first be inspired to do so. Inspiration is the first and therefore most crucial step on any journey. The perspiration comes later. And, if we give ourselves a sufficiently strong “WHY” we can endure any “HOW”.

It’s been said that “When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” I have spent the last 3 years of my life living my message – that we can all get inspired, inspire and make the future happen rather than observe passively and let it happen to us.

Join me!

Support Singularity 1 on 1, donate and spread the word!

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

The Money

With the rising public profile of the show I have had to face an exponential increase in costs too. I have been invited to attend events and do in-person interviews across the globe but due to lack of financial resources have had to decline most of them.

I need to pay for better audio and video equipment, editing software and training, computers, blog hosting, design and server maintenance. Most importantly, I need to attend all relevant public conferences (nothing beats personal contact when it comes to soliciting for interviews) and travel for several pre-booked very high-profile in-person interviews that you will love.

In short, to get to the next level, I need to go pro and make the show financially self-sustainable.

The first step on that path is raising $30,000 to produce the next 30 episodes.

This is a modest goal, given the impact this show has already had and the thousands of people who have seen it and sent me messages of support. In fact, I am hoping that we will greatly surpass the above minimum target of $30,000 so that I can give you as many new episodes as I possibly can.

If you are as excited as I am to see many new guests of the highest profile that I have already lined up for Singularity 1 on 1, then do not delay or hesitate but show your support today!

Perks and Bonuses

Beyond enjoying the Singularity 1 on 1 podcast in its own right, I am offering 12 different levels of perks and bonuses, pretty much all of which have never been offered before. These are strictly limited to the duration of this campain and may never be offered again. So read them all carefully and pick the best option for you – this is the first and possibly only chance to do so.

The future belongs to those who care

Thank you for making it happen! And for spreading the word!

https://www.singularityweblog.com/donate-and-support-singularity-weblog/

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Singularity 1on1 Launches Crowd-Funding Campaign

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Last week I launched the first ever Singularity 1 on 1 Crowd-Funding campaign. So, if you have ever felt like supporting this blog and its feature 1 on 1 interviews – now is the time.

[countdown-fx settings=”settings2.xml”][/countdown-fx]

As you can see above time is running out. Waiting for the singularity might be too late. So show your support now: http://www.indiegogo.com/singularity1on1

 

Singularity 1 on 1 IndieGoGo Crowd Funding Campaign

Singularity 1 on 1 is a series of podcast interviews with the best scientists, writers, entrepreneurs, film-makers, journalists, philosophers and artists, debating the impact of technology, exponential growth, genetics, robotics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and the technological singularity.

Current highlights:

  • 2 1/2 years of existence, over 90 episodes and 70 interviews
  • 100,000+ views on YouTube
  • 260,000+ audio downloads on iTunes, Zune, Blackberry Podcast..
  • 2,000+ email and RSS subscribers

Reaching the above stats has not been easy. It has been accomplished through 3 years of persistent dedication, selfless hard work and happy audience word-of-mouth, without any production budget or marketing money.

Singularity 1 on 1 has established itself not only as the first podcast of its kind but also as the most prominent one. The show has been consistent in delivering unique content via direct one-on-one interviews with high-profilers in an environment of unmatched authenticity, easy and open public access and total transparency.

http://www.indiegogo.com/singularity1on1

The Best Is Still Ahead

I truly believe that the best is still ahead of us all. This is true for me personally but it is also true forSingularity 1 on 1, for you and for humanity in general. That is why Singularity Weblog‘s tag line is “a better future, better you.”

However, in order to create the future that we want, we must first be inspired to do so. Inspiration is the first and therefore most crucial step on any journey. The perspiration comes later. And, if we give ourselves a sufficiently strong “WHY” we can endure any “HOW”.

It’s been said that “When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” I have spent the last 3 years of my life living my message – that we can all get inspired, inspire and make the future happen rather than observe passively and let it happen to us.

Join me!

Support Singularity 1 on 1, donate and spread the word!

http://www.indiegogo.com/singularity1on1

The Money 

With the rising public profile of the show I have had to face an exponential increase in costs too. I have been invited to attend events and do in-person interviews across the globe but due to lack of financial resources have had to decline most of them.

I need to pay for better audio and video equipment, editing software and training, computers, blog hosting, design and server maintenance. Most importantly, I need to attend all relevant public conferences (nothing beats personal contact when it comes to soliciting for interviews) and travel for several pre-booked very high-profile in-person interviews that you will love. (Yes, you’ve got it, that interview is coming in a couple of weeks too 😉

In short, to get to the next level, I need to go pro and make the show financially self-sustainable.

The first step on that path is raising $30,000 to produce the next 30 episodes.

This is a modest goal, given the impact this show has already had and the thousands of people who have seen it and sent me messages of support. In fact, I am hoping that we will greatly surpass the above minimum target of $30,000 so that I can give you as many new episodes as I possibly can.

If you are as excited as I am to see many new guests of the highest profile that I have already lined up for Singularity 1 on 1, then do not delay or hesitate but show your support today!

Perks and Bonuses

Beyond enjoying the Singularity 1 on 1 podcast in its own right, I am offering 12 different levels of perks and bonuses, pretty much all of which have never been offered before. These are strictly limited to the duration of this campain and may never be offered again. So read them all carefully and pick the best option for you – this is the first and possibly only chance to do so.

http://www.indiegogo.com/singularity1on1

The Man Behind The Show

Nikola DanaylovNikola Danaylov (aka Socrates) is a philosopher, singularitarian, and infopreneur. Born in Bulgaria, he moved in 1998 to Canada where he completed an HBA in Political Science, Philosophy and Economics at the University of Toronto plus an MA in Political Science at York University.

It was at York University that Nikola got deeply interested in the Technological Singularity and wrote a research paper titled “Hacking Destiny: Critical Security at the Intersection of Human and Machine Intelligence.”

After graduation Danaylov started SingularityWeblog.com and the popular Singularity 1on1 podcast.

During the summer of 2011 Nikola completed the Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University and returned home to Toronto, Canada where he lives with his beloved wife Julie.

The future belongs to those who care

Thank you for making it happen! And for spreading the word!

http://www.indiegogo.com/singularity1on1

Credits: Intro video graphic design and music by Paul Baraka.

Special thanks: To Ray Kurzweil, Peter Diamandis and Singularity University – for showing me that the sky is NOT the limit for all limits are internal.

To Cory Doctorow and Keith Kleiner – for inspiring me to begin blogging and podcasting.

To thought leaders Seth Godin, Steven Pressfield, David Orban, Natasha Vita-More and Max More.

And, last but not least, to all my loyal podcast viewers, listeners and blog readers – for keeping me motivated despite the difficulties.

Perk Update:

Tracy Atkins has donated 5 copies of his upcoming singularity book Aeternum Ray. The book will be sold  for $14.99 in stores near you after November 23rd 2012.

The next 5 people who get the $100 Advisor Campaign Perk will get a complimentary early copy shipped directly to your address. The book will be personally autographed by the author and mailed within 5 days of your donation. (Offer valid for continental USA and Canada only.)

Go get it at: http://www.indiegogo.com/singularity1on1

David Orban: What is the question I should be asking?

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This Thursday I interviewed David Orban for Singularity 1 on 1.

I have to admit that David is one of my favorite singularitarians and I enjoyed talking to him immensely. During our conversation, we discuss issues such as David’s personal background and early interest in science and technology; the motivation and goals behind his work; his involvement in Singularity University; his take on the technological singularity and our chances of surviving it; religion, death, and life extension technology; the internet of things; the role of technology in liberating humanity; the value of human-centered communication; Ted Kaczynski‘s arguments against technological progress; why communicating through on-line videos is so popular and powerful.

Hope you enjoy watching the interview as much as I enjoyed talking to David!

As always you can listen to or download the audio file above or scroll down and watch the video interview in full. To show your support you can write a review on iTunes, make a direct donation, or become a patron on Patreon.

Who is David Orban?

David Orban is an entrepreneur and visionary, and is the CEO of dotSUB, the leading technology and services provider powering video viewing via captions and translations as subtitles in any language to increase access, engagement and global reach, based in New York City.

David is also a Lecturer of, and Advisor to Singularity University, an interdisciplinary university whose mission is to assemble, educate and inspire leaders who strive to understand and facilitate the development of exponentially advancing technologies in order to address humanity’s grand challenges.

He is the was Chairman, and is on the Board of Directors of Humanity+, an organization dedicated to promoting understanding, interest, and participation in fields of emerging innovation. H+ represents a growing movement of people willing to work proactively to benefit the human condition through a commitment to scientific advancement.

He is also a Founder of WideTag, a high technology start-up company providing the infrastructure for an open Internet of Things. David shapes the strategic vision of its technologies by developing the policies and communication steps necessary to enable constructive progress.

David is Co-Founder of Startupbusiness, a social network aimed at enabling the Italian startup ecosystem. Startupbusiness is a spin-off of Questar, an Italian software publishing and distribution company, of which David is the Founder. Questar aims to enhance channel oriented electronic software distribution services, making them available to developers worldwide.

He is further a Scientific Advisory Board Member for the Lifeboat Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging scientific advancements while helping humanity survive existential risks. The Foundation creates mechanisms to discourage the misuse of increasingly powerful technologies such as nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.

David is also a Founder of the Open Government Data working group. The group promotes a more robust understanding of why open government data is essential to democracy. The group utilizes increased civil discourse in order to make Government more effective, transparent, and relevant to our lives.

His educational background includes studies in Physics at both the University of Milan and the University of Padua.

David cuts across the limits of deep specialization to contribute to the new renaissance. He explains, “My vision is at the crossroads of technology and society as defined by their co-evolution.”

David Orban’s personal motto is, “What is the question I should be asking?” This concept is his vehicle to accelerating cycles of invention and innovation in order to build the new world ahead.

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Astronaut Dan Barry: Don’t Let Anyone Tell You That You Can’t Reach Your Dreams

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During my 10 weeks at Singularity University, I was able to ambush Dan Barry for a 20 min interview for Singularity 1 on 1.

Former NASA astronaut and veteran of 3 space missions, Dan is currently the head of faculty at Singularity University and the co-chair for AI, Robotics, Space, and Physical Sciences.

(As always you can listen to or download the audio file above or scroll down and watch the video interview in full.)

For me Dan Barry was an inspiration from the very beginning of the program: His inaugural lecture, Failure is an Option, during which he shared both his wife’s moving story (documented in her best-selling book Fixing My Gaze) and his own life’s story (with his 13 unsuccessful attempts to become an astronaut), not only moved me deeply but also taught me that nothing is impossible and that one should never give up one’s dreams.

During our conversation with Dan we discuss issues such as his personal background and early childhood dream to become an astronaut; his motivation, goals, and aspirations for Singularity University; his personal 10^9 project (aimed at positively impacting the lives of a billion people within 10 years); Artificial Intelligence in general and the process of arming AI in particular; the Turing Test and Asimov’s 3 Laws of Robotics; his take on the technological singularity and our chances of surviving it.

I would like to thank Singularity University for allowing me to use their campus and especially Matt Rutherford for his crucial support in filming. (Hey Matt, thank you so much for all your help but I am afraid that my poor editing skills don’t do justice to the quality of your film footage!)

As always you can listen to or download the audio file above or scroll down and watch the video interview in full. To show your support you can write a review on iTunes, make a direct donation, or become a patron on Patreon.

 

Who is Dan Barry?

President and Founder, Denbar Robotics, Dan is a former NASA astronaut and a veteran of three space flights, four spacewalks, and two trips to the International Space Station. He retired from NASA in 2005 and started his own company, Denbar Robotics that creates robotic assistants for home and commercial use, concentrating on assistive devices for people with disabilities.

Dan has received numerous honors. A few of them are the following: 2000 and 2002 NASA Exceptional Service Medals, 2001 Top 10 in the world career spacewalk hours, 100 Most Notable Princeton Graduate School Alumni of the 20th Century, Harvard Medical School Paul J. Corcoran Award and honorary doctoral degrees from Beloit College and St. Louis University. Dan is also a frequent speaker and has given keynote addresses to audiences throughout the world.

Dan’s educational background includes a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University in 1975; a master of engineering degree and a master of arts degree in electrical engineering/computer science from Princeton University in 1977; a doctorate in electrical engineering/computer science from Princeton University in 1980; and a doctorate in medicine from the University of Miami in 1982. He has seven patents, over 50 articles in scientific journals, and has served on two scientific journal editorial boards. He has film and television experience as well, including roles in two documentary films and as a cast member in season 12 of CBS Survivor.

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James Martin: We Can Control Accelerating Technology

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Yesterday I was privileged to have an hour-long Skype interview with James Martin for my Singularity 1 on 1 podcast.

James Martin is Andrew Crofts‘ archetype Change Agent in addition to being a world-renowned computer scientist, author, lecturer, teacher, philanthropist, futurist, and film-maker. During our conversation, we cover a whole spectrum of interesting topics such as James’ interest in computers in particular and technology and futurism in general; his book that eventually turned into a movie –  The Meaning of the 21st Century, his current project titled the Transformation of Humankind; the technological singularity; the risks and promises of exponential growth of 21st-century technologies such as genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnologies.

As always you can listen to or download the audio file above or scroll down and watch the video interview in full. To show your support you can write a review on iTunes, make a direct donation, or become a patron on Patreon.

Who is James Martin:

According to Computerworld James Martin is the fourth among the top 25 individuals who have most influenced the world of computer science.

The Sunday Times called him “Britain’s leading futurist.”

Martin has honorary doctorates from all six continents and has written 104 textbooks, many of which have been seminal in their field. He also wrote The Meaning of the 21st Century, which was made into a major film, and is a Pulitzer nominee for his book The Wired Society: A challenge for tomorrow. James is renowned for his electrifying lectures about the future and several years ago became the largest individual benefactor to Oxford University by donating over 100 million dollars and founding the Oxford Martin School, which has 30 institutes researching the problems, dangers, and opportunities of the future.

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Stephen Wolfram: To Understand the Future, Explore the Computational Universe

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Yesterday I was privileged to have an hour long phone interview with Dr. Stephen Wolfram for my Singularity 1 on 1 podcast.

We started our conversation on how Stephen got interested in exploring science in general and eventually focused on computation in particular. Then we moved on to a number of other interesting topics such as his work on Mathematica, his monumental book A New Kind of Science, his unique computational search engine Wolfram|Alpha, artificial intelligence and the technological singularity.

I have to say that after spending 2 or 3 days in intense preparation for the interview I already knew that Dr. Wolfram is an exceptionally intelligent person. However, after our conversation and especially after taking into consideration Wolfram’s breadth and depth of work, and the profound actual and potential implications thereof, it seems to me that he may be considered to be arguably among the smartest people alive. Anyway, this is my own impression but I’ll let you be the judge yourself.

If you want to show your support you can write a review on iTunes, make a direct donation or become a patron on Patreon.

Who is Stephen Wolfram?

Dr. Wolfram was born in London and educated in Eton, Oxford and Caltech, where at the age of 20 he was the youngest Ph.D. graduate in theoretical physics. He is a distinguished scientist, inventor, author, and entrepreneur. Wolfram is the creator of Mathematica, the author of A New Kind of Science, the creator of Wolfram|Alpha, and the founder and CEO of Wolfram Research.

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