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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.com/p/charles-mann Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJ8uKF Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DkU7I9 Follow Charles Mann: https://twitter.com/CharlesCMann Follow me: https://twitter.com/dwarkesh_sp TIMESTAMPS 0:00:00 Preview 0:01:04 Epidemically Alternate Realities 0:01:29 Weak Points in Empires 0:04:32 Slave Revolts 0:09:47 Slavery Ban 0:13:50 Contingency & The Pyramids 0:19:17 Teotihuacan 0:21:06 New Book Thesis 0:26:24 Gender Ratios and Silicon Valley 0:32:19 Technological Stupidity in the New World 0:42:28 Religious Demoralization 0:44:28 Critiques of Civilization Collapse Theories 0:49:30 Virginia Company + Hubris 0:53:56 China’s Silver Trade 1:03:28 Wizards vs. Prophets 1:08:20 In Defense of Regulatory Delays 0:12:51 Geoengineering 0:17:16 Finding New Wizards 0:19:11 Agroforestry is Underrated 1:19:11 Longtermism & Free Markets

Charles C. MannguestDwarkesh Patelhost
Sep 14, 20221h 32mWatch on YouTube ↗

CHAPTERS

  1. 1:04 – 1:29

    Epidemically Alternate Realities

  2. 1:29 – 4:32

    Weak Points in Empires

  3. 4:32 – 9:47

    Slave Revolts

  4. 9:47 – 12:51

    Slavery Ban

  5. 12:51 – 13:50

    Geoengineering

  6. 13:50 – 17:16

    Contingency & The Pyramids

  7. 17:16 – 19:11

    Finding New Wizards

  8. 19:11 – 19:17

    Agroforestry is Underrated

  9. 19:17 – 21:06

    Teotihuacan

  10. 21:06 – 26:24

    New Book Thesis

  11. 26:24 – 32:19

    Gender Ratios and Silicon Valley

  12. 32:19 – 42:28

    Technological Stupidity in the New World

  13. 42:28 – 44:28

    Religious Demoralization

  14. 44:28 – 49:30

    Critiques of Civilization Collapse Theories

  15. 49:30 – 53:56

    Virginia Company + Hubris

  16. 53:56 – 1:03:28

    China’s Silver Trade

  17. 1:03:28 – 1:08:20

    Wizards vs. Prophets

  18. 1:08:20 – 1:19:11

    In Defense of Regulatory Delays

  19. 1:19:11 – 1:32:29

    Longtermism & Free Markets

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