Social Conventions

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Discussion of Social Conventions on the Lex Fridman Podcast

Consciousness and Social Conventions

Yuval Noah Harari elaborates on consciousness in the context of social conventions, noting that our perceptions of consciousness in others, pets, and even AI are primarily based on social norms rather than objective proofs. He highlights how forming relationships with entities can lead to attributing consciousness to them, supported by social conventions 1.

Technical vs Political Truths

Balaji Srinivasan discusses the distinction between technical and political truths. He explains that many social conventions and accepted truths, like the value of currency or the legitimacy of political boundaries, are essentially political truths shaped by consensus and collective belief 2.

Language and Social Systems

Risto Miikkulainen discusses how social systems with established roles might have laid the groundwork for the development of language. These social structures allow for flexible role exchanges, which could be the foundation for more complex communication systems, highlighting the intertwining of social conventions and language evolution 3.

Consciousness and Social Conventions

Yuval and Lex discuss the role of social conventions in determining consciousness and how it applies to AI. They explore the idea that forming relationships with entities, whether human or artificial, can influence our perception of their consciousness. They also speculate on the potential legal implications of treating AI as conscious entities.
Lex Fridman Podcast
Yuval Noah Harari: Human Nature, Intelligence, Power, and Conspiracies | Lex Fridman Podcast #390
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Relevant Episodes

These discussions offer deep insights into how social conventions shape our understanding of consciousness, truth, and language.

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