As we may vibe Reflections on six weeks of coding with Claude

Sorry I [haven’t replied to your email / couldn’t make your event / have been ignoring your texts]. I’ve been vibecoding

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/as-we-may-...

Links and short notes, 2026-02-20 “Some kind of turning point,” Elon on Dwarkesh, a social network for AIs, and lots more

“Some kind of turning point,” Elon on Dwarkesh, a social network for AIs, and lots more in the latest links digest:

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/links-and-...

Progress for progressives The “party of science” must also embrace technology and economic growth

Progressives used to believe in progress. The old left was not just the party of science—it was a party of science, technology, and economic growth. Today’s progressives need to embrace all three if they want to become the champions of abundance

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/progress-f...

If people don't believe the hopeful future is possible, they won't even try to build it.

Enjoyed talking with @foundercoach.bsky.social about why I'm optimistic about technology as a force for good—and deeply skeptical about tech's default power dynamics.

No silver bullet Lessons about how to create safety from the history of fire

"I find the all-or-nothing thinking about AI safety counterproductive," writes TPN member @jasoncrawford.org.

"We should embrace every idea that can provide any increment of security. History suggests that the accumulation and combination of such incremental solutions is the path to resilience."

Links and short notes, 2026-01-26 The wisdom of Vitalik, Voices from 2099, ultrasound BCI, preventative MRIs, a browser written by AI, and much, much more

The wisdom of Vitalik, Voices from 2099, ultrasound BCI, preventative MRIs, a browser written by AI, and much, much more

Links and short notes, 2026-01-26: newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/links-and-...

No silver bullet Lessons about how to create safety from the history of fire

There is no silver bullet for risk. Safety is achieved through defense in depth, and through the orchestration of a wide variety of solutions.

Here's an example: the history of fire safety

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How to tame a complex system We can't predict or control them—but that doesn't matter

Nature is a complex system, we are told, and therefore unpredictable, uncontrollable, unruly. This is true but irrelevant: we can master nature in the ways that matter

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2025 in review What RPI and I were up to in the ninth year of this project

Everyone loves writing annual letters these days—so here’s mine, including my annual reading highlights:

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Thanks Eric!

The Techno-Humanist Manifesto, wrapup and publishing announcement Revised version to be published by MIT Press

My essay series The Techno-Humanist Manifesto has concluded, and you can read the whole thing online.

I’m pleased to announce that the series will be revised for publication as a book from MIT Press (expected early 2027)!

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/the-techno...

Links and short notes, 2025-12-19 Claude’s soul, industrial leapfrogging, slop from the 1700s, the genius of Jeff Dean, and much more

The links digest is back!

Claude’s soul, industrial leapfrogging, slop from the 1700s, the genius of Jeff Dean, and much more

Links and short notes, 2025-12-19: newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/links-and-...

In defense of slop When costs fall, average quality does too

When the cost of creation falls, the volume of production greatly expands, but the average quality necessarily falls. This overall process, however, will usher in a golden age of creativity and experimentation

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/in-defense...

Announcing Progress in Medicine, a high school summer career exploration program Help spread the word so talented teens can be inspired to tackle challenges in medicine, biotech, health policy, and longevity

Announcing a career exploration summer program for high school students: *Progress in Medicine*

Learn from experts and be inspired by heroic work from the past to build an even better future. Now accepting applications

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/announcing...

A healthy relationship with technology A dynamic, agentic framing on the challenges of progress

Instead of debating whether a technology is inherently good or bad, let’s discuss how to navigate new landscapes—and recognize the responsibility we all have to do so. A dynamic, agentic view of our relationship to technology, not a static, passive one

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The Grand Project Chapter 10 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

The Techno-Humanist Manifesto, Chapter 10: The Grand Project

Progress is a grand project for humanity: one with an illustrious past and a glorious future. And its heroes are the scientist, the inventor, and the founder

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The Spirit We Lost, part 2 Chapter 9 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

Flush with the grand success of reason and science to improve human life, the 20th century stumbled into some critical errors. The resulting crisis of optimism posed a mortal challenge to the idea of progress:

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/the-spirit...

Some people think Open Phil are luddites because we work on AGI safety, and others think we’re techno-utopians because we work on abundance and scientific progress. We’re neither. Here's why we think safety and accelerating progress go hand in hand: 🧵
www.openphilanthropy.org/research/wh...

The Spirit We Lost, part 1 Chapter 9 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

The 19th century enthusiastically celebrated inventive and industrial achievements: with parades and fireworks, in speeches and advertisements, in art and poetry, in World's Fairs.

From Chapter 9 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto: newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/the-spirit...

The Unlimited Horizon, part 2 Chapter 8 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

The Techno-Humanist Manifesto, Chapter 8: The Unlimited Horizon, part 2

We are all poor by the standards of the future. But there is no bold, ambitious vision of the future in mainstream culture. Here's one, based on mastery over all aspects of nature

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/the-unlimi...

Project manager – The Techno-Humanist Manifesto (book) | Notion Made with Notion, the all-in-one connected workspace with publishing capabilities.

Seeking a freelance project manager to help me publish and launch my book, The Techno-Humanist Manifesto.

Must have near-superhuman organizational skills and attention to detail. Experience with publishing projects is a bonus.

Apply here: rootsofprogress.notion.site/23e543614e97...

The Unlimited Horizon, part 1 Chapter 8 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

The Techno-Humanist Manifesto, Chapter 8: The Unlimited Horizon, part 1

Is industrial production the end of economic history? Or could AI usher in a fourth age of humanity—an intelligence age?

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/the-unlimi...

The Problem-Solving Animal, part 3 Chapter 7 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

The combinatorial vastness of possibility space means that solutions are out there. The structure of that space, and the power of intelligence to navigate it, means that we can find them.

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We're looking for people to project trends beyond current tools, but to do so in concrete ways in specific fields, rather than abstract speculation about how all of the economy or society will be transformed by a general tool that can do everything

The Problem-Solving Animal, part 2 Chapter 7 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

In part 1 of this chapter, I argued that economic growth is not limited by resources—because growth is not driven by resources, but by ideas. One might well ask, then: will we run out of ideas?

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Obviously AGI is a form of AI, but I think if you're too worried about that distinction you might not be approaching this from the angle we're looking for

Enlightenment Now: A summary The theme of Enlightenment Now is contained in its subtitle: it is that reason, science and humanism lead to progress. The corollary is: keep it up!

Steven Pinker's approach to humanism closely aligns with my own viewpoints on the world. (I may have a more favorable view of certain forms of collectivism though). Here's a great summary by @jasoncrawford.org of one of Pinker's books: "Enlightenment Now".
blog.rootsofprogress.org/enlightenmen...

We Want Your Stories About the AI Frontier “Intelligence Age” series will focus on future applications of artificial intelligence

The Roots of Progress Institute is seeking to commission stories for a new article series, “Intelligence Age,” on future applications of AI

We are looking for stories of ~3k words, and will pay $2 per word.

Details and apply within: newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/we-want-yo...

The Problem-Solving Animal, part 1 Chapter 7 of The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

As long as people have noticed progress, they have wondered: will we run out of natural resources? But there are no natural resources. All resources are artificial: the product of knowledge

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/the-proble...

Links and short notes, 2025-05-31 Fellowship deadline tomorrow! Edge Esmeralda next week! and lots more

The Roots of Progress fellowship deadline is tomorrow!

Also, I’ll be at Edge Esmeralda this coming week, find me there!

Plus many more announcements, links, charts and more in the latest links digest:

newsletter.rootsofprogress.org/p/links-and-...