avantika
@avaa411
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cos @cosmos_inst • AI, philosophy, education, brain stuff 🧠 • prev @bainandcompany, @avataar, cognitive science @uva
NYC
Joined November 2013
Smith on parallel processing and the heightened ‘coefficient of static friction’ necessary to overcome when context-switching or starting from scratch: “a man commonly saunters a little in turning his hand from one sort of employment to another.. one who is compelled to change
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5) Ultimately, moral approbation arises not from utility alone, but also from sympathy. Smith concludes an impartial spectator approves an action based on motive and action — internal harmony and propriety — before consequence and outcome
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3) The deception of the aesthetic value of ‘conveniences’ that wealth enables drives industry and ambition. 4) And social progress — public spirit arises from an aesthetic appreciation of well-ordered societies more than from compassion alone
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2) Utility pleases an observer by perpetually suggesting to her the conveniency it’s designed to promote (subtle ux design principle embedded there)
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from adam smith’s theory of moral sentiments: 1) Utility is a principle source of beauty; the appearance of utility bestows beauty. This is in contrast to Kant, who believes that utility belongs to the good (useful), not the beautiful.
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“first they leveraged excess cars”, then they leveraged the idle capacity of the human mind
Uber will give its drivers in the US an option to make money by doing “digital tasks”. These short minute-long tasks can be done anytime including while idling for passengers: ▫️data-labelling (for AI training) ▫️uploading restaurant menus ▫️recording audio samples of
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some thinking abt the number 3 this weekend, some zeitgeist stuff, and lots of steps
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Great builders don’t just execute; they reflect. Congrats to the 2025-26 JS Mill Fellows. Set up by @Mercatus & @mbrendan1, the program supports entrepreneurs studying the philosophical foundations of markets, politics & society. Meet the fellows (incl. our CoS @avaa411!) →
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Brendan @AdamSmithHouse on a society increasingly run by an ecosystem of optimization logics — where the threat of totalitarian control may be less than that posed by the quiet nudging of human conduct toward predefined objectives (engagement, safety, compliance) — gradually
Yesterday, after a redeye from Austin, I gave the Adam Smith lecture at @AdamSmithHouse in Edinburgh. I had not realized just how much Adam Smith is the man for our 21st century moment. His "impartial spectator" reveals what's at stake when we outsource moral judgment to
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I am thrilled to be working with Avantika to stand up @cosmos_inst, the Academy for Philosopher-Builders. Our plans for 2026 are extremely ambitious. Reach out to @avaa411 to get coffee in NYC and get involved.
Delayed life update: so excited to share that I’ve joined @cosmos_inst as Chief of Staff in NYC, working with @mbrendan1 and team. If you’re interested in AI, philosophy, AI philosophy, or building systems for human flourishing, would love to chat☕️
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If this resonates: 🔹apply for a fast-grant: we back projects that advance truth-seeking and wire open inquiry & contestability into systems, preserve human autonomy, & resist central control 🔹come work with us: https://t.co/uLF4Z4IhVc 🔹pitch us an event or program
cosmos-institute.org
4f10c066-f369-41c0-8984-092ada32bde6
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Guiding aesthetics: 🔹cultivating virtue in the hearts & minds of those building humanity’s epistemic infrastructure 🔹construing humans as ends vs mere means in a complex system-level equation 🔹a focus on preserving fundamental human goods, like autonomy & self-direction, while
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This past year, we’ve: 🔹supported ~100 builders developing AI for human flourishing thru Cosmos Grants 🔹hosted 6 seminars & technical workshops in partnership with top universities & AI labs 🔹 launched the Human-Centered AI Lab @UniofOxford, incubated a decentralised AI
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