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The History of the Future

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Manage episode 496986463 series 2333472
Content provided by Brad Harris. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Brad Harris or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Why did we stop believing in utopia?

By the late 19th century, many Americans had come to believe that the future would be defined by peace, prosperity, and moral progress. But over the next century, optimism gave way to fear—war, nuclear weapons, and runaway technology began to reshape our vision of what was possible.

In this episode of Context, we explore how our ideas about the future have evolved—from Edward Bellamy’s best-seller Looking Backward (1888), to H.G. Wells’ The Shape of Things to Come (1933), to The Terminator series (1984), and finally to Brian Christian’s The Alignment Problem (2020). Along the way, we trace the rise of techno-utopianism, the shock of dystopian realism, and the ethical dilemmas now posed by artificial intelligence.

The history of the future has never mattered more.

To support the show and access bonus episodes, join me on Patreon or subscribe through Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

  continue reading

39 episodes

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The History of the Future

Context with Brad Harris

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Manage episode 496986463 series 2333472
Content provided by Brad Harris. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Brad Harris or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Why did we stop believing in utopia?

By the late 19th century, many Americans had come to believe that the future would be defined by peace, prosperity, and moral progress. But over the next century, optimism gave way to fear—war, nuclear weapons, and runaway technology began to reshape our vision of what was possible.

In this episode of Context, we explore how our ideas about the future have evolved—from Edward Bellamy’s best-seller Looking Backward (1888), to H.G. Wells’ The Shape of Things to Come (1933), to The Terminator series (1984), and finally to Brian Christian’s The Alignment Problem (2020). Along the way, we trace the rise of techno-utopianism, the shock of dystopian realism, and the ethical dilemmas now posed by artificial intelligence.

The history of the future has never mattered more.

To support the show and access bonus episodes, join me on Patreon or subscribe through Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

  continue reading

39 episodes

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