The Power of Prediction
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In this episode of EasyPrey, host Chris Parker interviews Carissa Valise, philosopher and author of 'Prophecy, Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future,' to explore the evolving role of prediction in society—from ancient oracles to modern AI. Valise argues that predictions, especially those about human behavior, are not neutral forecasts but often power plays disguised as facts. She warns that AI-driven predictions can become self-fulfilling prophecies, particularly in areas like insurance, criminal justice, and healthcare, where they can unjustly penalize individuals based on biased or incomplete data. The episode emphasizes the danger of treating algorithmic predictions as inevitable truths, urging listeners to see them instead as invitations to resist and shape the future. Valise advocates for embracing uncertainty, reclaiming analog experiences, and fostering human connection as antidotes to the seductive but deceptive authority of predictive systems.
Predictions about human behavior are not neutral—they often serve power and profit, not truth.
Self-fulfilling prophecies emerge when predictions influence decisions, erasing data on what could have been.
AI’s 'sycophantic' nature reinforces biases and discourages truth-seeking, making it dangerous for science and ethics.
We should treat predictions not as commands but as invitations to defiance and collective action.
Reclaiming analog experiences—bookshops, street conversations, nature—can restore agency and serendipity.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Rise of Predictive Power: From Oracles to AI
“The future isn't something to be predicted, it's something to be shaped.”
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: When Prediction Becomes Control
“If we're not triaging the person, of course they're not going to recover because we didn't actually provide any medical care for them.”
AI as the New Oracle: Superstition in the Digital Age
“We are building a very Kafkaesque system in which we know we are ruled by algorithms but there are no rules as such because it's just pattern matching.”
Reclaiming Agency: The Power of Uncertainty and Serendipity
“Uncertainty is a good thing, that this is exciting, that this is an opportunity to intervene in your future.”
A Call to Action: Defy Predictions, Shape the Future
The episode concludes with practical advice: question predictions, demand transparency, choose better tools, and prioritize human relationships. Valise urges listeners to see predictions not as destiny but as invitations to build a better world.
“The future isn't something to be predicted, it's something to be shaped.”
“We should interpret predictions not as orders to obey or kind of false facts to believe but as invitations for defiance.”
“Uncertainty is a good thing, that this is exciting, that this is an opportunity to intervene in your future.”
Host
Guest
Carissa Valise
person
Chris Parker
person
EasyPrey Podcast
media
Oxford University
organization
Oracle of Delphi
organization
Hannah Arendt
person
Lambda
other
LeMond
person
Franz Kafka
person
Proton Foundation
organization
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