thejdizzler
29d ago
I have to keep reading unfortunately because it's for book club. Other people seem to be enjoying it, so will have to see what they say.
thejdizzler
29d ago
Maybe old news to this forum, but I stumbled upon two articles. The first is a Harvard professor using Claude to write a paper that second year graduate student could, and the second is a Less Wrong post about how Go players have disempowered themselves to AI.
I bit the AI bullet finally a couple weeks ago: first using it to help me fix up my software package that had some pretty annoying bugs, and later to help me make a couple Anki add-ons I had sitting in my brain. Even the free version of Claude is very good, and although it made mistakes, at least for coding, it's as least as smart as me and works 100s of times faster and doesn't need to take breaks. With some back and forth I can get it to make something functional it a tenth of the time it would take me to do it by myself. This is almost exactly the experience the Harvard Physics Professor has with trying to get Claude to write the theoretical physics paper: it takes about two weeks of back and forth, but eventually Claude manages to produce what the author and other experts think is a pretty solid paper, in 20x the time as a graduate student.
This is all great for experienced faculty: at least in theoretical disciplines they can already greatly speed-up the research process without spending more or time on pesky grad students with the bonus that Claude doesn't mind if you're mean to it. For younger faculty, postdocs, and graduates students not so much. Not only do these students/researchers not have the experience or knowledge to critique Claude in the way to actually produce usable research, the fact that more experienced faculty can use AI in this way means that there's less demand for educated individuals in general, and slowly but probably surely, the pyramid scheme of Academia will collapse.
Which brings me to the second article. In contrast to chess, which has been a "solved" game for a long time and thus has had time to develop antibodies against heavy AI/computer use, the Go world has been taken completely by storm by AlphaGo, which has led to rampant cheating with AI and rapid deskilling of the player-base. The author of the article highlights that this was a choice made by the community, both not to punish cheaters, and to care more about abstract values like ranking and points rather than having fun or development of some kind of genuine skill.
How does this relate to the first article? I worry that this Harvard professor is missing the large scale implications of wide-spread adaption of his AI practices on the university system, and how on emphasis on one aspect of the system (solving problems efficiently) can destroy the whole thing if not left unchecked. Many people both inside and outside academia take the purpose of the academy to be the generation of new knowledge, mainly in the form of research papers. This is certainly its most important role, at least to society at large. But academia also needs to perform two other key functions: disseminate that knowledge to industry/the general public so it can actually be used by society, and to reproduce itself so knowledge can continue to be generated. AI puts both of these secondary functions in grave danger.
Consider two scenarios. In the first, AI agents get no better than they are now at solving scientific problems. In this case they are still useful to higher level faculty in producing novel research output. Due to enhanced productivity at the top, there is a lesser need for graduate students, postdocs and younger faculty, and the ones that do remain in the system receive inferior training because of heavy reliance on AI to pass coursework and generate their own novel research questions. Over time as traditionally trained professors retire the effectiveness of the system declines because the new professors aren't as competent and are thus unable to use AI as effectively. In the long-term output shrinks, and less knowledge is able to be translated to the general public.
In the second scenario AI continues to improve its capabilities. In this scenario research output continues to go up indefinitely, but we begin to lose the ability to comprehend what much of it means or how much of it can be applied. Academia basically stops needing to exist at all, and we are reliant on the proper alignment of AI to get anything of value out of the research it performs.
In both scenarios, academia has basically signed its own death wish. For the reward of extremely high-productivity for very AI-savvy professors over the next few years, the system that brought us so many world-altering discoveries will basically be dismantled. Like the Go players who have seen all enjoyment and skill taken out of the game by heavy AI use, I think we are going to see the same in academia, except at the very top. And if you're not effectively training students to take your place, the system can't last very much longer.
Luckily being in biology I still have quite a bit of time left before AI can automate away my hands, but this whole thing has made me very personally scared.
thejdizzler
1mo ago
Starting Blood Meridian. Surprisingly readable given what I've heard, but comically over the top violence and McCarthy's disregard for useful grammar objects, especially quotation marks, grinds my gears just as much as it did when I read The Road for a class in undergrad. Otherwise listening to HP 3 in Italian and reading a light Spanish book about a love triangle between three roommates.
thejdizzler
1mo ago
I'm coming to realize this as well. When I do a single thing at a time almost anything is relaxing.
thejdizzler
1mo ago
I forgot to mention it. It's still in my routine, it's just kind of stagnated at 5 mins when I wake up/5 minutes when I go to sleep/breaks throughout the work day. It's something I would like to spend more time on, but I have to get over this attitude of always needing to be "productive"/in motion. The ideal goal would be sitting for 30 minutes in the morning and doing a 30 minute walking meditation in the evening and spending a bit more time on it during the weekends.
thejdizzler
1mo ago
Yea but I'm the one who has to express that not her, it hurts my self esteem to be rejected (mainly kidding).
thejdizzler
1mo ago
- Work. Paper was published! Feeling a bit anxious about work because of the possibility that we don't have microscopes when I get back from the UK and just poor time management in general
- Fitness: Did 2x tempo sessions last week and hit 57 miles with some biking. Did not make it to the gym: will be better about that this week.
- Intellectual Stuff: Novel clearing is going well, and writing my Italian update for this month.
- Finances: Nothing to report
- Dating. Brazilian women is "too overwhelmed" by living in a new country to be in a relationship, which is such bullshit because she just changed all her hinge photos. I just wish people would be honest when they rejected me. Anyway, have a date with someone else this weekend and a third person the weekend after.
- Tarot. No session this week
- Socializing: EA meetup, Spanish Happy Hour, various parties. Again too much socialization.
- Screen time: 1.4 hours phone. Getting that last little bit below an hour is proving to be a big challenge.
- Mental health: feeling bad because of rejection and poor time management at work.
thejdizzler
1mo ago
- Work. Paper was accepted! Avoided being put on a jury yesterday which was huge because I have a ton of work to do before I go to the UK/Germany this summer.
- Fitness: Did 2x tempo sessions last week and hit 54 miles (again). Hit the gym twice and sauna-ed twice too. This week planning something similar.
- Intellectual Stuff: Finished After Virtue which I didn't like, and getting back on track with finishing various novels to clear my currently reading. Planning on getting at least one but hopefully two blog posts this month.
- Finances: spent 3.3k last month and had a 9% savings rate, which is not too bad. Hoping my progress isn't wiped out by our few months of extra rent (June and July) but will just have to eat out a little less.
- Dating. Third date with the Brazilian girl was disappointing. We went to the gym together and then she basically ran away when the line for ice cream was too long after. A bunch of red flags also came up during the week between the second and third dates so there is not much desire for a fourth date from my end, especially as there's another girl who wants to go on a date this weekend.
- Tarot. No session this week
- Socializing: EA meetup, party and various dinners. Too much socialization once again.
- Screen time: 1.1 hours phone. Getting that last little bit below an hour is proving to be a big challenge.
- Mental health: sleeping well and feeling good.
thejdizzler
1mo ago
She's Brazilian but she's also American. She also knows Italian. A very sexy combination for me
thejdizzler
1mo ago
- Work. Caved and used Claude to help me fix my code. It found the big bug in about 2 seconds, and helped me fix some other problems, although not without me having to do some trouble-shooting. I'm definitely impressed, but this thing seems to me much more like a very smart junior dev than an actual genius.
- Fitness: Did 2x tempo sessions last week and hit 54 miles. Also went to the gym once which was great Weight is still in the 170s and not really budging much. Planning on maintaining calories and upping the gym and mileage a bit.
- Intellectual Stuff: Have completely fallen off the wagon with all of this. Think this is because I'm just completely overwhelmed with work and exercise.
- Finances: I should be a hair under 3k this month, and that's with flights to Germany and a new Oura ring payed for. Will update with specifics next week.
- Dating. Second date on Friday went really well too. I ended up having sex with this girl which broke a pretty long dry spell. Have another date this weekend and excited to see where it goes.
- Tarot. No session this week
- Socializing: Artscape in Baltimore this past weekend and hike with my roommate. Again too much socialization.
- Screen time: 1.2 hours phone. Definitely noticing a very strong relationship between screen time and energy levels.
- Mental health: sleeping well and feeling good.
New Year's Resolution check ins:
- Work. Submitted manuscript last Friday and hoping it makes it through review quickly (it's a revision, so it should).
- Fitness: Did 2x tempo sessions last week and hit 50 miles. Weight is still mid 170s, but I'm in a mild (300-500) calorie deficit every day, so this should start to change a bit in the coming weeks.
- Intellectual Stuff: Haven't been meditating as much as I would like. One more meeting for After Virtue. Also fallen off the wagon a little on blog posts and language learning. I blame work.
- Finances: We found a third roommate to start in September. Europe travel will be a big expense, but it'll be nice not to skimp super hard for most of the rest of the year.
- Dating. Date went really well on Sunday and am seeing the girl again on Friday!
- Tarot. No session this week
- Socializing: feeling a bit overbooked with social events, so aiming to cut back a little bit. I've had a dinner or hang out every night this week and it's just been way too much.
- Screen time: 1.33 hours phone again. Definitely noticing a very strong relationship between screen time and energy levels.
- Mental health: feeling very tired but also very wired which is not good.
How goes it @FtttG, @self_made_human @birb_cromble @falling-star @Tollund_Man4 ?
thejdizzler
2mo ago
They also have the smallest remaining oil stockpiles, so it's possible Hormuz is finally hitting them.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
- Work. Going to resubmit second manuscript this week as soon as protein database gets approved. Very excited to be done.
- Fitness: Did a DEXA scan yesterday and found out all the extra weight I've gained in the past few years has been fat. I am up from 14 % body fat (the healthy hunter gatherer percentage) to 25%. This alone explains many health issues and lack of running performance. Will keep the forum update as to my progress, but planning on losing this gradually over the course of 6 months. Goal is to get back to 150.
- Intellectual Stuff: Meditating consistently at least once a day now for 5 minutes. Reading Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and am thinking about getting into film more!
- Finances: Third roommate is still not locked down. Spending on track for a pretty conservative month. I will have some European travel this summer, but that should only set me back a few months.
- Dating. Really would like to stop watching porn. Going on a date on Sunday afternoon.
- Tarot. Great session on Monday night. My old roommate seems to be doing much better now!
- Socializing: visited my friend Dhruv in Florida for the weekend.
- Screen time: 1.33 hours phone! Would like to be consistently under 1: the only thing holding me back is travel and porn.
- Mental health: feeling excited and motivated.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
Share price of fixed income will always go down slightly when the market is rising. The share price isn't what you care about, it's the monthly dividend.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
I'd be interested!
thejdizzler
2mo ago
It's sitting in my Fidelity account still as a combination of index funds, CDs, and cash. I'm going to buy a house with it once I get a job post PhD.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
- Work. Job interview went well, although I'm not sure the start date is going to line up how I hope. Otherwise, wrapping up the resubmission for second first author paper (some drama there), and plugging away on my final paper.
- Fitness: Started running again, and going to start Norwegian singles/doubles next week.
- Intellectual Stuff: Plugging away at After Virtue. Discussed the Pacific War trilogy with my friend Dylan last night which was also very fruitful. Meditating consistently at least once a day now.
- Finances: Third roommate is still not locked down. Spending last month was only 2.6k, which led me to have an almost 30% savings rate!
- Dating. Nothing to report.
- Tarot. No session this week
- Socializing: Spanish happy hour and watching the Kinetic Sculpture race
- Screen time: 1 hour phone! Now do my PC haha.
- Mental health: feeling excited
How goes it @FtttG, @self_made_human @bird_crombie @falling-star @Tollund_Man4 ?
thejdizzler
2mo ago
Think I've learned from endurance exercise that the most important thing really is just putting in the time. Details can be important, but what matters in this case is just sitting more.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
I've also been investing! I have a blend between individual stock picks, index funds and fixed income. I was originally investing in individual CDs, which are about the same as a HYSA, but I've since diversified to some high-yield bonds and ETFs. Happy to chat more if you want!
thejdizzler
2mo ago
I am following the mind illuminated instructions. In the morning sitting for 15 minutes and focusing on the breath. In the evening doing a walking meditation where I focus on the soles of my feet when I walk.
Have really noticed how off the rails my mind is while doing it!
thejdizzler
2mo ago
Have been doing it more consistently these past few days.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
I have been training seriously since I was 10 in various endurance sports. In high school and college this was about 10 hours a week with lifting and cross training etc. I do about the same now. Starting from zero, it would probably take a few years of this to be ready for the marathon.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
I have not, but the parents still live there so logistics should be much easier.
Boston is my default every year now because all my MIT alumni track friends do it so it's a good way to stay in touch. It is unfortunately at an annoying time of year (I wish it was a bit later or a bit earlier) which makes it hard to do other fast marathons.
thejdizzler
2mo ago
Congrats! That's a real solid time, hope you auto qualified for next year!
I'm looking forward to Chicago in the fall where it'll be completely flat. Hoping to feel a lot better in miles 20-24 (miles 24-26 are always terrible).
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