Ruth Chang: how to make hard choices, decision making, philosophy, Derek Parfit, TED | Podcast

Video Description

Ruth Chang is a prominent philosopher known for her work in decision theory, practical reason, and moral philosophy. She is a professor at the University of Oxford, holding the Chair of Jurisprudence. She is well known for her theory of "hard choices," where she argues that many choices are not determined by objective reasons but instead involve values that are incommensurable. Her Ted Talk on the subject is at 10 million views. The podcast discussion delves into the inadequacy of the traditional trichotomous framework—better, worse, or equal—in evaluating values and making decisions. Chang argues for recognizing 'hard choices' as situations where options are qualitatively different yet equally viable, introducing the concept of 'par'. This idea is applied to various scenarios, from career decisions to healthcare dilemmas, and even the design of AI systems. Chang highlights the importance of human agency in making commitments when faced with hard choices, offering a framework to help individuals become the authors of their own lives. Furthermore, Chang shares insights about her current projects aimed at rectifying fundamental misunderstandings about value in AI design, advocating for a more nuanced and human-aligned approach to machine learning. The episode also touches on the philosophical influences of Derek Parfit and explores concepts like effective altruism, transformative experiences, and the value of commitment in living a meaningful life. Transcript: https://www.thendobetter.com/arts/2024/8/2/ruth-chang-making-hard-choices-philosophy-agency-commitment-derek-parfit-podcast Contents 00:36 Understanding Hard Choices 04:37 Applying Hard Choices to Careers 08:55 Rational Agency and Commitment 18:37 AI and Hard Choices 25:35 Philosophical Influences and Effective Altruism 45:34 Current Projects and Life Advice NEWSLETTER 📫My free newsletter covering arts, economics, sustainability, investing and podcasting curious thinkers. Sign up: https://benyeoh.substack.com/ PODCAST INFO Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3gJTSuo Spotify: https://sptfy.com/benyeoh Anchor: https://anchor.fm/benjamin-yeoh All links: https://pod.link/1562738506 GET IN TOUCH 🌍 Website: https://www.thendobetter.com/links 🐦 Twitter: @benyeohben ABOUT Ben is a writer, theatre maker, and investor. Ben makes long form conversation podcasts @Ben Yeoh Chats with comedians, actors, philosophers, economists, policy makers, authors, scientists, artists and a variety of top thinkers.