Gurteen Knowledge Letter: Issue 297 - March 2025

Gurteen Knowledge Letter
Issue 297 – March 2025

After more than 25 years, I’m beginning the process of shutting down my primary website, gurteen.com. Built on old Lotus Notes technology, it’s remarkable that it has lasted this long. However, maintaining it has become increasingly complex, and it is showing its age.

While the site isn’t fully closed yet, it is nearly there. Visitors are now being redirected to my Conversational Leadership website. As for the gurteen.com domain, I haven’t decided what to do with it yet.

Thank you to everyone who has visited and supported the site over the years.

1. Can We Contain AI?
   Why AI and biotech are harder to regulate than past technologies
2. Street Epistemology in Action
   How Peter Boghossian uses dialogue to challenge beliefs with respect
3. Exploring Audio
   Trying out voice-cloned intros for select posts in my blook
4. AI and Human Thought
   Is AI eroding our critical thinking?
5. A New Place to Post
   Bluesky feels more like the Twitter I used to enjoy
6. Help Keep My Work Alive
7. Unsubscribe
8. Gurteen Knowledge Letter

I've recently finished reading The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman, and it has helped me think more about the future impact of AI and the challenge of keeping it under control. Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, examines how artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and other emerging technologies are advancing at an unprecedented pace—changing society in ways that are both promising and risky.

A key argument in his book is that these technologies, unlike past innovations, are difficult to contain. AI and biotech are decentralized and scalable, making regulation a significant challenge. Suleyman warns that without urgent action, we may lose control over these powerful tools before we fully understand their consequences.

I've put together a summary of the book's main insights, which you can read here. I highly recommend it if you're interested in how AI might shape the future—and what we can do about it.

Peter Boghossian has been called a modern-day Socrates for his commitment to questioning deeply held beliefs through respectful dialogue. His Street Epistemology method encourages people to examine their beliefs not through debate but through thoughtful, open-ended conversations that promote intellectual humility and self-reflection.

Unlike traditional academics, he takes his work beyond the classroom, engaging people in public spaces—parks, campuses, and city squares. His goal isn’t to persuade or argue but to help others examine why they believe what they do.

Through open conversations with people from all backgrounds, he encourages critical thinking and self-reflection. Many of his sessions have been recorded and are worth watching to see how respectful dialogue can lead to deeper understanding. Rather than trying to change minds, he promotes honest inquiry and thoughtful discussion.

You can check out Street Epistemology and watch his videos to see his method in action. He is also active on Substack.

I am always experimenting with new features for my blook, and I've recently added short (2 -3 minutes) audio introductions to a few of my posts. I've scripted the introductions and then used a cloned version of my voice to read them out loud. Here are some examples:

• Obliquity in a Complex World
• Speak with Less Conviction
• Speak Last

What do you think?

I have written about how AI can be a powerful tool for enhancing critical thinking, but it also comes with potential risks. As we increasingly rely on artificial intelligence for cognitive tasks, many people worry that our ability to think critically may weaken over time.

These two articles explore this concern in more detail:

• Critical Thinking in the Age of Generative AI
• Is AI eroding our critical thinking?

I’ve been on Twitter (now X) for years, regularly browsing and posting. Lately, though, it’s felt less valuable—fewer people posting, less relevant content. So, I’ve moved to Bluesky, where I’m now active daily. It feels like Twitter in its early days, which I enjoy.

I post two main types of content: material from my blook on Conversational Leadership and posts or reposts reflecting my broader interests in science, cosmology, religion, and more.

If that sounds interesting, you can follow me on Bluesky here.

Help Keep My Work Alive
For almost 25 years, I’ve been sharing the Gurteen Knowledge Letter each month, and many of you have been reading it for five years or more. My Knowledge Café also reached a milestone, celebrating its 20th anniversary in September 2022.

If my work has made a difference to you, I’d be grateful if you could consider supporting it. A small monthly donation or any one-off contribution would greatly help cover some of my website hosting costs.

Thank you to the 50+ patrons who already support me – your generosity means a lot.

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Gurteen Knowledge Letter

The Gurteen Knowledge Letter is a free monthly email newsletter designed to inspire thinking around Conversational Leadership and Knowledge Management. You can explore the archive of past issues here.

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David Gurteen
Gurteen Knowledge
Fleet, United Kingdom