Bryan Johnson handed his health decisions to an algorithm because it outperforms his own judgment. He explores what this means for free will and agency, then argues that accepting uncertainty, rather than panicking about not-knowing, is where freedom actually lives.
If we retold the origin story of the human race right now, what story would we tell? What are the rules of the game? And we're almost there on this. But one of the fundamental questions that arises is right now, I've said yes to an algorithm that runs my health and wellness because it's better at it than I am. And so then it raises this question, do I have free will? Do I know what free will experiences? If I have this interaction with this algorithm, what is that emergent free will? And how do I feel about it? Is it a prison or is it freedom? And so this is, I think, goes back to this not knowing and being okay, because most people get in that situation and they panic. What does it mean? Am I going to be scared? Can I have fun? Can I do this? And they just want everything to know. They want to know to satisfy. And it's hard to stop and say, I know nothing. I have all these swarming fears, and that's perfectly okay.
