The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens Nate Hagens

(Conversation recorded on May 5th, 2024)  
Show Summary:  In this episode, Nate welcomes back Daniel Schmachtenberger to unpack a new paper, which he co-authored, entitled Development in Progress, an analysis on the history of progress and the consequences of ‘advancement’. 
Current mainstream narratives sell the story that progress is synonymous with betterment, and that the world becomes better for everyone as GDP and economies continue to grow. Yet, this is an incomplete portrayal that leaves out the dark sides of advancement. What are the implications when only the victors of history write the narratives of progress and define societal values? What are the value systems embedded in our institutions and policies, and how do they reinforce the need for ongoing growth at the expense of the natural world and human well-being? Finally, how do we change these dynamics to form a new, holistic definition of progress that accounts for the connectedness of our planet to the health of our minds, bodies, and communities?
The full paper discussed in this episode will be available on The Consilience Project website in the near future.
 
About Daniel Schmachtenberger:
Daniel Schmachtenberger is a founding member of The Consilience Project, aimed at improving public sensemaking and dialogue. 
The throughline of his interests has to do with ways of improving the health and development of individuals and society, with a virtuous relationship between the two as a goal.
Towards these ends, he’s had a particular interest in catastrophic and existential risk, with focuses on civilization collapse and institutional decay. His work also includes an analysis of progress narratives, collective action problems, and social organization theories. These themes are all connected through close study of the relevant domains in philosophy and science.
 
For Show Notes and More visit:
thegreatsimplification.com/episode/daniel-schmachtenberger-7
 
To watch this video episode on Youtube → https://youtu.be/tmusbHBKW84
0:00 - Introduction
0:46 - Guest Introduction: Daniel Schmachtenberger
2:24 - Personal Catch-Up and Observations
3:55 - Paper on Development and Progress
6:19 - Definition and Importance of Progress
11:03 - Critique of Technological Advancement
14:05 - Historical Context of Progress Narratives
18:53 - Social Structures and Restraint
21:21 - Technological Efficiency and Wisdom
27:41 - Climate Change and Technological Solutions
30:32 - Historical Analysis of Conquerors
35:30 - Multipolar Traps and Progress
45:01 - Asymmetry and Power in Evolution
46:29 - Definitions of Progress
47:15 - Ecological and Economic Risks
52:54 - Case Studies of Externalities
56:14 - Corporate Personhood and Sociopathy
1:02:22 - Influence of Dominant Narratives
1:09:09 - Global Coordination and AI
1:11:51 - Self-Terminating Path of Winning
1:13:45 - Addressing Systemic Ecological Issues
1:20:17 - Human Wisdom and Restraint
1:23:27 - Jevons Paradox and Energy Efficiency
1:30:07 - Historical Analysis of Warfare
1:35:30 - Cancer and Industrial Toxins
1:39:03 - Influence of Dark Triad Traits
1:45:01 - Environmental Impact of Corporations
1:52:54 - Long-Term Ecological Solutions
2:00:27 - Role of Education in Progress
2:07:02 - Ethical Considerations in Technology
2:13:45 - Philosophical Foundations of Progress
2:20:17 - Addressing Social Inequality
2:23:27 - Integrating Traditional Knowledge
2:30:07 - Future Prospects and Challenges
2:35:30 - Personal Reflections and Closing Thoughts

(Recorded May 28, 2024)
Description
In this week’s Frankly, Nate offers an update on the current state of conflict between NATO and Russia and the increasing threat of escalation, followed by 7 high-level questions about how to think about war, the human predicament and our work for a more stable future. While these issues may seem too looming and overwhelming for our everyday lives, the society-ending (world-ending?) ramifications of them would trump every other issue if the worst were to happen. When thinking of how we define “war”, is it even possible to “win” within a complex, interconnected, global society given the level of our military technology? Is the way we view and participate in war a result of governance systems that no longer are fit for purpose? Taking a step further, could we change our cultural values - starting with individuals and communities around us - to reorient towards peace-centric structures that rely on cooperation and stability?
YouTube Link here 
Show Notes
 

(Conversation recorded on March 25th, 2024)
Show Summary:  In this episode, Nate is joined by educator and researcher Vanessa Andreotti to discuss what she calls “hospicing modernity” in order to move beyond the world we’ve come to know and the failed promises that “modernity” has made to our current culture. Whether you refer to it as the metacrisis, the polycrisis, or - in Nate’s terms - the human predicament, Vanessa brings a unique framing rooted in indigenous knowledge and relationality to aid in understanding, grieving, and building emotional resilience within this space. What does it mean to live and work within systems that are designed to fail, embedded in an aimless culture? How do we as individuals steady ourselves and create inner strength before engaging with such harrowing work? Importantly, what could education look like if founded in the principles of intergenerational knowledge transmission and emotional regulation, that are centered on our collective entanglement with the Earth? 
About Vanessa Andreotti:
Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. She is a former Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change and a former David Lam Chair in Critical Multicultural Education. Vanessa has more than 100 published articles in areas related to global and climate education. She has also worked extensively across sectors internationally in projects related to global justice, global citizenship, Indigenous knowledge systems and the climate and nature emergency. Vanessa is the author of Hospicing Modernity: Facing humanity's wrongs and the implications for social activism, one of the founders of the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures Arts/Research Collective and one of the designers of the course Facing Human Wrongs: Climate Complexity and Relational Accountability, available at UVic through Continuing Studies.
 
For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources:
https://thegreatsimplification.squarespace.com/episode/125-vanessa-andreotti
 
To watch this video episode on Youtube → https://youtu.be/h5kQ7_IZ8YI


00:00 - Intro
1:52 - The House of Modernity
16:34 - Hospicing the House of Modernity
22:56 - Theory of Change
31:49 - Affective Responses
43:55 - Healing Trauma
54:42 - Relational Intelligence
59:11 - Metabolical Literacy
1:04:59 - Dopamine Dependence
1:07:25 - Depth Education
1:09:27 - Reception with Young People
1:14:38 - How Do You Keep Going?
1:20:22 - Personal Advice
1:28:34 - What Would You Do with a Magic Wand?
 

(Conversation recorded on April 23rd, 2024)  
Show Summary:  On this episode, Nate is joined by climate physicist Levke Caesar for a comprehensive overview of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its connections to broader planetary systems. Amid a complex and heavily interconnected climate system, the AMOC is a powerful force for regulating temperature between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres along the Atlantic Ocean - yet it’s estimated to have slowed down by about 15% over the last few decades. What are the possible domino effects of this slowing oceanic powerhouse at a regional and global scale? How well do we understand what drives the AMOC, its cyclical patterns, and connections with other currents? More importantly, how does the AMOC interact with other biospheric mechanisms that have shaped our stable, life-supporting planetary home?
About Levke Caesar:
Levke Caesar is a climate physicist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, mainly known for her studies on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its pivotal role in the climate system. Her research primarily focuses on the past, present, and future evolution of the AMOC and its intricate interactions within the North Atlantic region. Caesar's seminal work on the historical evolution of the AMOC has been featured in prestigious journals such as Nature and Nature Geoscience, garnering hundreds of citations. Since October 2023, she has assumed the role of scientific lead for the newly launched Planetary Boundary Science Initiative (PBScience) at P*K.
Show Notes
Watch this video episode on Youtube
00:00 - Intro
1:59 - Levke’s Background
4:29 - What is the AMOC?
10:45 - AMOC Risks
15:25 - Ocean Salinity
20:47 - Three Potential Scenarios
31:11 - Canfield Ocean
36:46 - Effects in Europe and Globally
45:31 - Public Awareness
49:02 - Measuring AMOC
52:40 - The Gulf Stream
56:24 - AMOC Feedbacks
1:00:18 - Scientific Consensus
1:04:53 - Levke’s Work
1:10:02 - Interventions and Suggestions
1:16:52 - How to Live a Normal Life
1:21:38 - Personal Advice
1:26:35 - What Would You Do with a Magic Wand?
1:27:36 - Closing Thoughts

UPDATE: We are no longer accepting survey submissions. Thanks for your feedback!

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On this episode, Nate is joined by ER doctor, nuclear power advocate, and podcast host Chris Keefer for a broad ranging conversation including the basics of nuclear energy, how he engages with opposing opinions, and hypotheticals for a future medical system. Coming from a broad background, Chris understands what it means to have a human to human conversation and put together the pieces of our systemic puzzle in a clear and compelling way. What role could nuclear play for our future energy needs - and how are different countries making use of it today? How can we prioritize the health and safety of people under energetic and resource constraints? Most of all, how do we listen to others that we don’t agree with - regardless of the issue - to foster the diverse perspectives necessary to navigate the coming challenges of the human predicament? 
About Chris Keefer:
Chris Keefer MD, CCFP-EM is a Staff Emergency Physician at St Joseph's Health Centre and a Lecturer for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. He is also an avid advocate for expanding nuclear power as the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy and Director of Doctors for Nuclear Energy. Additionally, he is the host of the Decouple Podcast exploring the most pressing questions in energy, climate, environment, politics, and philosophy.
PDF Transcript
Show Notes 
00:00 - Chris Keefer works + info, Decouple Podcast, Canadians for Nuclear Energy
04:45 - Egalitarian hunter gatherer society, infant mortality
05:12 - Bow drill fire
07:10 - Yukon
07:30 - Humans and livestock outweigh wild mammals 50:1, not in the Yukon
08:10 - Dr. Paul Farmer
08:45 - Most humans use to work in agriculture, ~15% now involved in healthcare
10:56 - Ontario nuclear power, one of lowest electric grid in the world
12:01 - Justin Trudeau
12:24 - Simcoe Clinic, Canadian Center for Victims of Torture
14:01 - World population over time
14:36 - Paleodemography
14:59 - Degrowth
15:19 - Infant mortality in developed countries
15:55 - Tight link between energy, materials and GDP
20:54 - Duck and Cover Drills
21:05 - Environmental Movement and Nuclear
21:21 - Nagasaki bomb radiation injuries
21:49 - High dose radiation is deadly, low dose radiation less so
21:05 - Strontium-90 found in the teeth of babies
21:10 - Atmospheric weapons testing ban
22:33 - Fukushima meltdown, health impacts are negligible
23:09 - 20,000 people died from the Fukushima earthquake and following tsunami 
23:47 - Fukushima contaminated water has been filtered out and is safe
24:24 - How radiation is measured
26:02 - Health effects from alcohol
26:16 - Drinking culture in the U.S.
27:22 - Nuclear energy density, land footprint
28:23 - Best nuclear applications and limitations
30:01 - Those who live in nuclear powered areas fare better
30:33 - Price of nuclear energy over the lifetime
30:45 - Nuclear power in France
31:18 - Canada energy history, center for nuclear research outside of the Manhattan Project
32:23 - 1000 people die prematurely every year due to coal
33:25 - Ontario population
33:38 - Candu Reactors
34:15 - Levelized cost of electricity, skewed with renewables
37:01 - Lazard Graphs
38:09 - Mark Jacobson
41:07 - Carbon emissions by power source
41:23 - Lifespan of nuclear plants
43:11 - Land use change impacts
43:31 - Nuclear and job creation
46:05 - US spending on military vs healthcare
48:49 - Meiji Restoration
49:33 - Vaclav Smil
50:42 - AI electricity demands
50:55 - AI risks
51:29 - Meredith Angwin 
52:42 - Nuclear fuel
53:10 - 46% of uranium enrichment happens in Russia
54:15 - Known Uranium Reserves
54:25 - Haber Bosch 
54:55 - Breeder Reactors
55:42 - Uranium in seawater
56:14 - Slow vs Fast Neutrons, fertile elements
57:04 - Sodium Fast Reactor
58:45 - China built a nuclear reactor in less than 4 years
1:00:05 - Defense in depth
1:01:11 - EMP, solar flare