Episode 78: “Our Robot Friends, Part II,” or Ted Chiang’s Exhalation

Our favorite education researcher joins us to talk about Ted Chiang’s collection Exhalation, which includes the story “The Life Cycle of Software Objects” which Chris read from in our earlier Robot Friends show. We discuss several stories in the collection, and marvel at Chiang’s ability to surface the BIG questions by tugging at a small speculation about what our future might hold. 

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2 comments

  1. Hi Jesse and Chris

I loved this podcast; it was a brilliant discussion of the pros and cons and development of AI. it was incredibly refreshing, especially given the unavoidable amount of AI slop slooshing around the internet. I am ordering a copy of Exhalation today. Having Justin Reich as a guest was a masterful stroke.

    It took me a while to track down a place where I could convey my appreciation, so I hope you get to read this, as I am posting from the darkest wettest reaches of Wales, where we have temperate rainforest and ferns growing in trees, and sheep everywhere. 

I enjoy your podcasts. While my interest lies primarily in Sci-fi, I may listen to some non sci-fi soon. Your take on the City and the City was reaffirming. It’s my favourite Mieville. 

Kind regards

Guy Williams

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