Name: Philosophy & Computational Complexity | Scott Aaronson @ UT Austin
Start: 2025-05-17T18:30:00-04:00
End: 2025-05-17T22:00:00-04:00
Location: The University of Texas at Austin

Main Event Page: https://lu.ma/complexity

# **WHAT ⭐️:**

​​• Guests will join us for a **live Q&A** discussion with [Professor Scott Aaronson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Aaronson) ([UT Austin](https://www.cs.utexas.edu/people/faculty-researchers/scott-aaronson) & OpenAI) on his influential essay: [Why Philosophers Should Care About Computational Complexity](https://arxiv.org/abs/1108.1791).
• More work from Scott Aaronson can be found on his site: [https://scottaaronson.blog](https://scottaaronson.blog/)
• Get a chance to directly ask Scott and our group your most burning questions in computing, AI, and philosophy!
​• **Catering:** Enjoy food, snacks, and beverages during our event!
​• **Hosted by** Addy from [ekkolapto.org](http://ekkolapto.org/). Previous hackathons and salons at [MIT](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy5dPSW_KkniuHpoLwlzkYcxhxn50Mn0T) and [FAU](https://youtu.be/Exdz2HKP7u0).
• **Sponsored by:**[ David Protein](https://davidprotein.com/), [Sylvum AI](https://sylvum.com/), [Longevity Global](https://longevitygl.org/), [FlatFace Fingerboards](https://www.flatfacefingerboards.com/).
• **Special thanks to Justin Taylor from Longevity Global!** Apply to join their vetted community of top researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs in the longevity and healthspan space: [https://longevitygl.org/join/](https://longevitygl.org/join/)

# **PRIZES 🏆:**

**To make things more fun, we like to add some extra prizes to our salons!**
• *Best Questions*, *Best Response*, and *Best Ideas* can win: **TWO FREE tickets** to [Longevity Global's Aging Code Summit & PitchFest](https://lu.ma/q529viww), a [full FlatFace Fingerboards complete](https://www.flatfacefingerboards.com/flatface-g15-premium-complete-33-6mm/), and more TBA!

# ​​**WHEN 🗓️:**

​​• **Saturday May 17th** from **5:30PM CDT** to **9PM CDT.**

# ​​**WHO 👀:**

​​• Students, researchers, professors, and founders passionate about fields of philosophy and logic, computer science and AI, math and physics, engineering, and cognitive science.
​​• A technical background is preferred but not required. Even if you think you are not a fit for this event, apply anyways!

# ​​**SCHEDULE 🗒️:**

​​• **5:30PM to 6PM:** Networking + Check-In.
• **6PM to 8:30PM:** Live Q&A with Professor Scott Aaronson as he discusses his influential essay "[Why Philosophers Should Care About Computational Complexity](https://arxiv.org/abs/1108.1791)".
• **8:30PM to 9PM:** Closing Remarks + Networking.

# ​**WHERE📍:**

​• Located at The University of Texas at Austin.

# PREVIOUS SALONS :

​​​​• Past Polymath Salons and discussions are uploaded for you to watch on the Ekkolápto channel: [https://www.youtube.com/@ekkolapto3](https://www.youtube.com/@ekkolapto3)

## PRESENTING POLYMATHS:

**Each vetted Polymath gets a chance to present and actively discuss their work at our salons:**
• Safal Aryal (Tufts University): [https://sites.google.com/view/safalaryal](https://sites.google.com/view/safalaryal)
• Dugan Hammock (UT Austin, Wolfram Institute, UMass Amherst, University of Tübingen): [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dugan-hammock-ba49b111a/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dugan-hammock-ba49b111a/)
• Dan Van Zant (Florida Atlantic University, Sylvum AI): [https://www.danielvanzant.com](https://www.danielvanzant.com/)
• TBA.

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Scott Aaronson is a theoretical computer scientist who holds the Schlumberger Centennial Chair at the University of Texas at Austin and founded its Quantum Information Center, where he studies the fundamental limits of quantum computation and complexity theory [scottaaronson.com](https://www.scottaaronson.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). His work—including protocols that enabled a 2025 breakthrough in certified quantum randomness—helped define “quantum supremacy” and earned him the 2020 ACM Prize in Computing [Department of Computer Science](https://www.cs.utexas.edu/news/2025/scott-aaronsons-protocol-powers-quantum-breakthrough-certified-randomness?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[ACM Awards](https://awards.acm.org/about/2020-acm-prize?utm_source=chatgpt.com). A gifted expositor, he created the online “Complexity Zoo” and writes the widely read blog *Shtetl-Optimized*, while also advancing practical safeguards such as digital watermarking for generative AI [Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/01/22/artificial-intelligence-university-of-texas-scott-aaronson?utm_source=chatgpt.com). After a research leave at OpenAI, Aaronson is now launching an AI-alignment group at UT Austin, continuing his cross-disciplinary engagement with philosophy, computing, and the future of intelligence [scottaaronson.blog](https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=8790&utm_source=chatgpt.com).

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Philosophy & Computational Complexity | Scott Aaronson @ UT Austin

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