Intro

On this, our 322nd Evolutionary Lens livestream, we discuss the Cartesian crisis, whether going to the moon is valuable, and college in the age of AI. Before the ads, we discuss the nature of knowledge, and whether paying attention all the time, to all the things, can backfire and make a personal less capable of comprehension. Later: why go to the moon? An op-ed writer at The Guardian says there’s no point—there’s nothing to see, no one to talk to. We discuss the value of science—not just in terms of what we become capable of doing, but also for the human values of awe and wonder, openness and curiosity. As humans, we must encourage discovery, innovation, and exploration; we cannot cave to the fearful, provincial, and bland. Finally: professors and students are in an arms race over AI. A better move would be to seek two wildly different educational modes: one in which no outside sources of knowledge are available at all (e.g. a remote site with no cell service), and classroom-based work that encourages engagement and learning from and with the AI.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Guardian op-ed: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/07/artemis-ii-space-travel-moon

NASA’s take: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nasa-answers-your-most-pressing-artemis-ii-questions/

TikTok video: https://x.com/LaNativePatriot/status/2042882244034076747

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