The Orthogonal Bet

Lux Capital
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The Orthogonal Bet

Welcome to The Orthogonal Bet, a podcast that explores the unconventional ideas and delightful patterns that shape our world. Hosted by Samuel Arbesman

  1. 2D AGO

    Lu Wilson on Art of Creative Coding

    In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Lu Wilson, a programmer and creative coder who also works as a software engineer at tldraw, a Lux Capital portfolio company. Lu’s creative work is broad, strange, and delightful in all the best ways—perhaps best exemplified by the Todepond videos, a mindbending series that reimagines computing through playful, experimental lenses. Together, Samuel and Lu explore the world of Todepond, the ethos of creative coding, and Lu’s unconventional path through education. Their conversation spans topics like cellular automata, the programming language Logo, the history of computing, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence. They also dive into Lu’s work at tldraw, collaborative software, and the importance of cultivating community in tech.

    43 min

  2. MAY 14

    Sara Walker on "Life As No One Knows It"

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Sara Imari Walker, a theoretical physicist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University. Walker is the author of Life as No One Knows It: The Physics of Life’s Emergence, a book that explores the nature of life through the lens of physics and highlights her pioneering contributions at the frontier of this field. Their conversation delves into how Walker became fascinated by the nature of life, how to distinguish life from non-life, and how physics can offer new insights into some of the universe’s most fundamental questions. Along the way, they touch on topics ranging from astrobiology and SETI to the philosophy of science and her work in assembly theory.

    50 min

  3. MAY 7

    Peter Bebergal on the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Peter Bebergal. Peter is a writer and the author of numerous books, and the editor, most recently, of Appendix N: Weird Tales From the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons and Dragons was created by Gary Gygax and draws from numerous sources, which Gygax listed in Appendix N of his Dungeon Master’s Guide. Peter took this list as the basis for creating a fascinating collection of stories that inspired D&D. Peter and Sam talked about the origins of this book and how he chose what to include in the anthology. But they also spoke more broadly about pulp and high fantasy, remixing and creativity in the role playing world, and even how all of this led to Peter’s favorite parts of the Internet.

    39 min

  4. APR 30

    Samantha John on Hopscotch the easy bake oven of code

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Samantha John, co-founder of Hopscotch—a delightful programming environment designed for children. Samuel wanted to explore the origins of Hopscotch, its underlying philosophy, and how we might think more broadly about teaching programming to young people. Their conversation spans the history of programming, the unique powers and possibilities of computers, and the role of tools like Hopscotch in shaping how kids interact with code. They also touch on AI and the future of programming. It’s a fun, wide-ranging discussion that captures Samantha’s thoughtful approach and contagious enthusiasm.

    38 min

  5. APR 23

    Torie Bosch on the 26 Lines of Code That Changed the World

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman sits down with Torie Bosch—now an editor at STAT News and formerly a longtime editor at Slate Magazine. Building on a groundbreaking Slate project, Bosch edited the acclaimed anthology You Are Not Expected to Understand This: How 26 Lines of Code Changed the World, which explores the pivotal snippets of software that have profoundly shaped society. Arbesman and Bosch trace the project’s origins and unpack the stories behind these influential code fragments. Their conversation dives into the wider interplay of code, technology, and culture—probing themes of humility in tech and the pitfalls that arise when programmers overlook social context. They explore how “learn to code” cycles through history, why recurring tech-society tensions matter, and the value of studying technology’s past. Bosch also shares insights from her current beat at STAT, outlining the questions she’s chasing in the life-sciences arena.

    44 min

  6. APR 16

    Jason Crawford on The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Jason Crawford, a writer and thinker who explores the idea of progress in modern society. Jason is the founder and president of the Roots of Progress Institute, an organization dedicated to developing a modern philosophy of progress. As part of this mission, the institute runs a fellowship for individuals writing about progress-related themes. Jason himself is a prolific writer and is currently working on a book-in-progress titled The Techno-Humanist Manifesto. Together, Samuel and Jason discuss Jason’s journey from blogging about progress to founding an entire institution devoted to the topic. They explore his goals in writing, the cultural importance of storytelling in shaping societal values, and the distinct nature of the progress movement and how it compares to effective altruism and effective accelerationism. The conversation also touches on Jason’s broader ambitions for embedding progress-oriented thinking into pop culture and education, and concludes with a reflection on the role of optimism in shaping the future. Produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christopher Gates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Suno

    36 min

  7. APR 9

    John Hendrix on "The Mythmakers"

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with John Hendrix. John is a writer and illustrator whose work appears widely across books and publications. His most recent book is the graphic novel The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. This compelling work delves into the enduring friendship between Lewis, author of the Narnia series, and Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. But it also goes far beyond their personal story, exploring broader themes such as mythmaking, creativity, and the nature of friendship itself. Samuel and John discuss the genesis of the book, examining the impact of the world wars on both Tolkien and Lewis, and how those experiences shaped their worldviews and writing. Their conversation also explores the role of mythology and fantasy, the authors’ differing views on progress and disenchantment, and the influence of fame on their lives and relationship. They even venture into the idea of what modern mythmaking might look like today. Produced by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christopher Gates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Suno

    40 min

  8. APR 2

    Nadia Asparouhova on ANTIMEMETICS

    In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Nadia Asparouhova. Nadia is a writer and thinker who explores the ideas that suffuse the tech world. She is the author of Working in Public, a book about the culture of open source software, as well as the forthcoming Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading. Antimemetics is a fascinating exploration of why some ideas are far less likely to spread than others—and how understanding this phenomenon can help us think more deeply about society. Samuel and Nadia discuss her new book, diving into the concept of antimimetics, a taxonomy of antimemes, and how these ideas relate to public versus private communities. Their conversation covers supermemes—essentially the opposite of antimemes—as well as immunity to supermemes and even long-term thinking. More broadly, they touch on the tech world’s distinctiveness, tech as a social class, and the nature of philanthropy within the tech community. Produced by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christopher Gates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Suno

    40 min
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About

Welcome to The Orthogonal Bet, a podcast that explores the unconventional ideas and delightful patterns that shape our world. Hosted by Samuel Arbesman

Information

  • Creator
    Lux Capital
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lux Capital
  • Show Website
    The Orthogonal Bet

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