Focused Discussion Meetup on Bureaucracy as an Alignment Problem

in Arlington. Also, Bryan Caplan's Capla-Con later in August.

Author

John Bennett
July 31, 2023

All,

We have a few events to offer in the next few weeks, a focused discussion meetup this Saturday, August 5th, and Bryan Caplan’s informal Board Game convention the weekend of August 12-13th.

Discussion Meetup - Bureaucracy as an Alignment Problem

August's Focused Discussion will be on the topic: Bureaucracy as an Alignment Problem. Governments, corporations, and NGOs are large non-human actors with often inscrutable goals, engaged in competition with each other, that constrain human choices. Are they already artificially intelligent agents in some meaningful ways? What can we apply from our experience with such institutions to AI alignment problems?

This event will be at my (John Bennett’s) apartment in Arlington, since overlooking the Pentagon felt thematically appropriate. Call or text at 202-495-1332 to gain access to the building if the entrance facing Columbia Pike is closed.

As with Ben's events in Herndon, the discussion will happen from about 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. You can arrive as early as 6:30 PM; there will be an informal social before and after the dedicated discussion. Some snacks and refreshments will be provided. Feel free to bring your own, but that's not expected.

I'm about a mile and a half from both the Clarendon and Pentagon City metro stops, if you come early we can arrange pick-ups. Some nearby blocks restrict parking, but parking is unrestricted on 9th St, Veitch St, and 6th St.

Capla-Con - Informal Board Game Convention

In lieu of a board game afternoon in August, we're pointing everyone at Bryan Caplan's Capla-Con. He gets a good mix of economists, board game nerds, and even some rationalists in from out of town. I went last year, it was a lot of fun, with many familiar faces from our crowd. His description follows:

Capla-Con, my annual two-day festival of nerdity is at Carow Hall on the GMU campus this year. The whole GMU econ department and our friends and well-wishers are welcome. Open house format, noon-midnight both days.

Come play board games, party games, role-playing games, and LARPs, do karaoke and sing-alongs, talk to old friends, and make new friends. If you're our friend, you're invited. So are your friends and family, and their friends and family, ad infinitum! As always at my events, kids of all ages are super welcome.

This year it will be on GMU's main campus in Fairfax. Looks like parking is available for $9 per day nearby, or in the neighborhood several blocks away. Carpooling is encouraged, see our post on Facebook to coordinate:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/605023464809227/posts/668413698470203/

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