Open Questions
This is a list of questions to which I find current answers unsatisfactory. This list is inspired by several other similar lists by the likes of Gwern, Patrick Collins, Alex Guzey, Sam Enright, and Scott Alexander. It is important to note that just because an idea has one or several answers that does not mean that they are "satisfactory", and until a answer that is so is provided the question will remain listed here. Questions below are organized by field, and on occassion sub-field. Such as Mathematics > Algebraic Number Theory. Also note that I do not actively take requests on what goes here. However if shown a interesting question/problem I feel fits, it will likely end up here.
Process
Questions are added to the page > solutions are identified > I create a write up named "remarks on [solution]". > that entry is updated with the link to the remarks post and "(solved)" is added next to it.
Science & Technology
- What are the fundamental limits of computation?
- How do we achieve safe artificial general intelligence?
- What is the nature of consciousness?
Society & Economics
- How do we design institutions that remain beneficial over long time horizons?
- What are the most effective ways to reduce global poverty?
- How do we balance individual freedom with collective welfare?
Philosophy & Meaning
- What constitutes a life well-lived?
- How do we derive meaning in an apparently meaningless universe?
- What are our moral obligations to future generations?
This list is continuously updated as I encounter new puzzles and resolve old ones.
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Citation
Cited as:
Yotam, Kris. (May 2025). Open Questions. krisyotam.com. https://krisyotam.com/notes/random/open-questions
Or
@article{yotam2025open-questions,
title = "Open Questions",
author = "Yotam, Kris",
journal = "krisyotam.com",
year = "2025",
month = "May",
url = "https://krisyotam.com/notes/random/open-questions"
}