Rational Optimization \\w Elias Schlie cover art

Rational Optimization \w Elias Schlie

Rational Optimization \w Elias Schlie

Written by: Elias Schlie
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About this listen

Hi, I'm Elias. 👋 I love progress and feel joy when my knowledge and capabilities expand. I want to understand the mysteries of reality, travel the stars, and enhance my cognitive and physical abilities to levels that we can't even imagine right now. AI is likely the biggest existential risk that humanity currently faces, so I decided to dedicate myself to making it safer. Currently, I'm finishing my Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence Bachelor's (1 year faster & Summa Cum Laude) and am starting to do my own research on the side.Elias Schlie Philosophy Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Personal diary - July 2025
    Aug 7 2025

    This month, I built AI agents, I moved, I fasted, and I hiked. In this podcast, I share the stories that I experienced and the insights I found.

    YouTube version

    My website: eliasschlie.com


    Quick Stats 📊⏱️ Total focused work: 288 hours and 46 minutes🗓️ That’s an average of 9 hours and 57 minutes every single day — weekends included!
    💾 Full breakdown publicly available here: eliasschlie.com


    What I spent my time on 🧠

    • 🚀 Deep dive into AI agents and language model tooling (esp. langchain + agents)

    • 🧪 Built a custom MCP server to connect LLMs with Obsidian for persistent memory scaffolding

    • 🧭 Personal reflection on direction, meaning, and intrinsic values (inspired by valuism)

    • 💬 Developing systems for better conversations and group dynamics

    • 📚 Listening to high-signal content during breaks to stay immersed in key problems


    Main Achievements 🏆

    ✅ Built and shipped my own MCP server — clean, simple, and powerful

    ✅ Reached a new level of clarity on what I value and why it matters

    ✅ Used fasting as a powerful tool to reset and return to deep focus

    ✅ Refined my approach to learning through better break design and structured reflection

    ✅ Pushed physical + mental boundaries with a 50h fast + night hike — reminder of agency over mind and body

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    50 mins
  • Personal Diary - Jun 2025
    Jul 7 2025

    **June 2025: The Month I Started Building**


    Quick Stats 📊

    ⏱️ Total focused work: \~300 hours

    🗓️ That’s 9 hours and 49 minutes every day (including weekends)

    💾 Full work log published at [https://github.com/EliasSchlie/Working\_Hours](https://github.com/EliasSchlie/Working_Hours)


    What I spent my time on ⚡

    * Finished exams for 9 university courses in Cognitive Science & AI (across three different semesters)

    * Deep work on AI agents, automation, and building new tools

    * Built foundational scripts for automating my note-taking (Obsidian) with LLMs and tools

    * Explored and prototyped AI agents for science (especially agents to automate news & paper summarization)

    * Researched and learned more about AI agent architectures and how to use tools/APIs for automation

    * Started serious learning in JavaScript/TypeScript and web development (CS50 Web, JavaScript fundamentals course)

    * Continued refining systems for both learning and building


    Main Achievements 🏆

    ✅ Completed 9 courses in about a month, with top or near-top grades in multiple cohorts

    ✅ Built the first versions of AI agents to automate my note-taking and science workflows

    ✅ Prototyped a system to automatically create and publish longevity science podcast episodes from new research papers

    ✅ Developed and used structured note-taking, now over 10,000 notes (“second brain”)

    ✅ Shifted from pure learning mode to building mode, exploring new personal systems for productivity

    ✅ Stayed consistent with high work hours, while keeping balance with gym, sauna, and friends

    ✅ Maintained strong intrinsic motivation—doing exactly what I’d do even if given €1 million


    ⁠YouTube⁠ version

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    26 mins
  • Google's new AI makes scientific discoveries: AlphaEvolve (DeepMind) & Implications for Longevity Science
    Jun 15 2025

    eliasschlie.com

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    15 mins
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