[Linkpost] “Beware Epistemic Collapse” by Ben Norman

This is a link post. If an intelligence explosion occurs, the vast majority of people will be confused, misled, and epistemically disempowered – with no agency over the future. Unless we try to change this. Introduction While knowledge is invisible[1], it defines and shapes the world around us. It dictates how we decide what is true, and how we take action on such truths. It is undeniable that the advent of superintelligent AI systems would irreversibly change how we relate to knowledge on both an individual and societal level. MacAskill and Moorhouse refer to this as epistemic disruption in their paper “Preparing for the Intelligence Explosion”. When defining the intelligence explosion, they use the analogy of a compressed century. What if all the scientific, social, philosophical, and political advancements of the 21st century were compressed into just 10 years? MacAskill compares humanity's situation to: "A mediaeval king suddenly needing to [...] ---Outline:(00:24) Introduction(02:54) Could AI Really Help Solve This?(06:36) More Drivers of Destabilisation(07:54) The New Underclass of Those Who Do Not Wish to Enhance(10:06) The World From a Normal Human's Perspective(12:54) Preventing Epistemic Collapse(14:48) Conclusion(15:29) Acknowledgements--- First published: August 18th, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/YoGw4Hg5ndzaosmHL/beware-epistemic-collapse Linkpost URL:https://futuresonder.substack.com/p/beware-epistemic-collapse --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

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