Charles C. Mann - Americas Before Columbus & Scientific Wizardry
Charles C. Mann is the author of my favorite history books, including 1491: New Revelations of America before Columbus. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, and The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World.
We discuss why Native American civilizations collapsed, why he disagrees with Will MacAskill about longtermism, why there aren’t any successful slave revolts, how Bitcoin is like the Chinese Silver Trade, & how geoengineering can help us solve climate change.
Episode website + Transcript: https://www.dwarkeshpatel.c…
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Chapters (20)
Preview
1:04
Epidemically Alternate Realities
1:29
Weak Points in Empires
4:32
Slave Revolts
9:47
Slavery Ban
13:50
Contingency & The Pyramids
19:17
Teotihuacan
21:06
New Book Thesis
26:24
Gender Ratios and Silicon Valley
32:19
Technological Stupidity in the New World
42:28
Religious Demoralization
44:28
Critiques of Civilization Collapse Theories
49:30
Virginia Company + Hubris
53:56
China’s Silver Trade
1:03:28
Wizards vs. Prophets
1:08:20
In Defense of Regulatory Delays
12:51
Geoengineering
17:16
Finding New Wizards
19:11
Agroforestry is Underrated
1:19:11
Longtermism & Free Markets
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