Scholar

David Wood

H-index: 16
Medicine 66%
Economics 14%
dw-2.bsky.social
In or near Oxford on Friday 17th October? Consider joining me at the Oxford Biohacking Society where I'll be speaking on "Transhumanism for Human Enhancement and Radical Longevity".
dw-2.bsky.social
An excellent but chilling analysis of deep flaws in human nature, their terrible impact on democracy, and mechanisms to counter those evils. The real question isn't why has the US pandered to Tr*mp. It's why didn't a disaster like Tr*mp happen earlier www.theunpopulist.net/p/why-is-the...
Why Is the American Experiment in Trouble? Simple: A Demagogue Has Ignited the ‘Dark Passions’ of the People
Liberalism’s real failure is that it assumes far too sunny a view of human nature, three recent books suggest
www.theunpopulist.net
dw-2.bsky.social
What are the risks involved with various approaches to AI safety? Which AI governance initiatives around the world are the most promising? With plenty of "aha" moments, the recording of yesterday's London Futurists webinar is now available www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADx...
dw-2.bsky.social
I'm anticipating a high-insight conversation tomorrow (Saturday 4th October) at the London Futurists webinar on "Options for the future of global AI governance". To register to attend visit www.meetup.com/london-futur...
dw-2.bsky.social
"AI solving longevity(?): the huge opportunities and the huge risks" - my slides are now ready for SEMAL, the 23rd International Congress of Anti-Aging Medicine and Medical Aesthetics, in Madrid, the day after TransVision 2025 madrid2025.semal.org
dw-2.bsky.social
There are lots of good topics and speakers on the agenda for Day 1 of "Biostasis in the UK" tomorrow (Saturday). The session I'm probably most anticipating is "An update on the legal aspects of cryonics with an emphasis on the new UK right-to-die legislation"
dw-2.bsky.social
"A close look at her DNA revealed gene variants that protected her heart and brain cells from disease and dementia. She had low levels of inflammation throughout her body, which reduced her risk of cancer and diabetes, and efficient cholesterol and fat metabolism"
dw-2.bsky.social
"'The common rule is that as we age we become sicker, but she was an exception and we wanted to understand why,' said Dr Manel Esteller at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Barcelona. 'For the first time, we’ve been able to separate being old from being sick.'"
dw-2.bsky.social
Learning from unusually healthy supercentenarians: "If we could figure out which specific genes are associated with extreme human longevity and healthy old age it could provide clues about interventions that allow everyone to live longer, healthier lives" www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Supercentenarian gives scientists insight on secrets of healthy old age
Tests on Maria Branyas Morera, who was world’s oldest person before she died aged 117, gave doctors a trove of discoveries
www.theguardian.com
dw-2.bsky.social
"Hunger strike held outside London AI lab to ‘stop humans being crushed like ants’" - as reported in London's Metro newspaper. Includes a 2 minute interview with the hunger strikers metro.co.uk/2025/09/24/h...
'I went on hunger strike to stop the AI race'
Coordinated hunger strikes have called on Big Tech to stop developing 'vastly superhuman' artificial intelligence which could destroy us.
metro.co.uk
dw-2.bsky.social
Multiple standing ovations, thoroughly deserved. This is America the beautiful, America the free youtu.be/c1tjh_ZO_tY
Jimmy Kimmel is Back!
YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live
youtu.be
dw-2.bsky.social
I'm all set for my talk at TransVision Madrid International Longevity Summit next week. My topic is "The Longevity Dividend Paradox - And how we can solve it". I'll review four factors that dissuade politicians from pursuing the longevity dividend - and how to transcend them
dw-2.bsky.social
I'm looking forward to catalysing a spirited conversation with three expert panellists this Thursday at Venture Café London - as part of a cracking event, "Accelerating Healthy Longevity: From Code to Clinic" venturecafelondon.org/event/ventur...
dw-2.bsky.social
Many thanks to our two speakers for a really thoughtful discussion. A recording of this webinar is now available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm2T...
dw-2.bsky.social
Starting in two hours time today - at noon UK time, 9pm in Melbourne, Australia - a live webinar, "Invitation to Collaborate: Existential Risk InfoHub". For more information and to register to attend see www.meetup.com/london-futur...
dw-2.bsky.social
Keeping that additional information out of the book makes the book itself more accessible and easier to read. It also makes it easier for people to prioritize exploring the sections where they have the most questions. See ifanyonebuildsit.com/resources
Online Resources | If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies | If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies
Supplementary materials and extended discussions for the book If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares
ifanyonebuildsit.com
dw-2.bsky.social
By the way, to answer the critics who say the IABIED book lacks rigour or substance: there are extensive online additional discussions with extra rigour and substance - including a draft international treaty.
dw-2.bsky.social
One measure of the value of a book is the number of points in it where I think to myself, "That's a great argument / example / parable; I look forward to including it in my own conversations with people in the future". On that score, IABIED is among the best books I've ever read
dw-2.bsky.social
In or near Seoul on Thursday (25th Sept)? Want to find out more about DeSci (decentralized science), the Bio Protocol, and how co-scientists like Aubrai can accelerate youngevity research? Then consider attending bio/acc V4 ("Synthetic Seoul") luma.com/BIOxSEOUL
bio/acc V4: Synthetic Seoul · Luma
As the Korean proverb goes "밥이 약보다 낫다". Food is better than medicine. Stake your stack, crypto nomad and biohackers - prevention devours the cure. bio/acc is a…
luma.com
dw-2.bsky.social
In conclusion, I encourage *everyone* to take the time to read the book in its entirety, and to savour its arguments. No topic is more urgent than figuring out how to avoid ASI being built using current methods and processes. That's the case IABIED makes, and it makes it well.
dw-2.bsky.social
On checking online reviews, it's evident that not every reader is persuaded. Looking more closely at these negative reviews, I suspect these critics have read IABIED in only a cursory manner, searching for points they can cherry pick to bolster their pre-existing prejudices.
dw-2.bsky.social
The writing is generally clear and hard-hitting. I wonder if some of the strength of various parables will fly over the heads of some readers. But I hope to be pleasantly surprised by what politicians (and their advisors) actually take away from reading the book.
dw-2.bsky.social
As for the overall line of argument in the book, at no point did I feel it was mistaken or forced. At a few points, I anticipated more details than were actually provided, but I see that there are extensive additional background materials available online ifanyonebuildsit.com/resources
Online Resources | If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies | If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies
Supplementary materials and extended discussions for the book If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares
ifanyonebuildsit.com
dw-2.bsky.social
One measure of the value of a book is the number of points in it where I think to myself, "That's a great argument / example / parable; I look forward to including it in my own conversations with people in the future". On that score, IABIED is among the best books I've ever read
dw-2.bsky.social
Here's a better version of the image, that includes two more categories of risk, plus some improved wording

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