Person
Every book Sebastian Thrun recommended on podcasts
Sebastian Thrun appears on technology and philosophy podcasts, bringing a visionary perspective shaped by his background in robotics, machine learning, and education reform. Throughout his discussions, Thrun emphasizes the importance of human progress, personal growth, and practical interpersonal skills. On the Lex Fridman Podcast, Thrun offered clear book recommendations to listeners. He strongly recommended Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now as a vital text that captures the positive trajectory of human civilization and progress. Additionally, Thrun recommended Dale Carnegie's classic 1936 work, How to Win Friends and Influence People, praising it as a reliable, no-fail guide for mastering interpersonal connection, empathy, and social navigation. Beyond recommending outside works, Thrun also reflected on his own contributions to technical literature, mentioning his authored text Probabilistic Robotics as a survey-driven approach to machine learning and autonomous systems. By combining insights from classical self-improvement guides, modern philosophy on human flourishing, and his own technical writings, Thrun illustrates a well-rounded worldview that balances hard engineering with deep human empathy and optimism for the future.
Books recommended by Sebastian Thrun
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How to Win Friends and Influence People
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a classic self-help manual designed to improve interpersonal communication, business relations, and personal charisma.
Recommended“by the way there's a no-fail carnegie 1936 how to make friends and how to influence others has the entire pipe or just read it and you're done”
Where to get it
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Enlightenment Now
Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker is a data-driven defense of reason, science, humanism, and human progress, arguing that global living standards have steadily improved.
Recommended“Steven Pinker who as a very famous author and philosopher whom I really adore wrote a great book called enlightenment now and that's maybe the one book I would recommend”
Where to get it
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HOW TO STOP WORRYING & START LIVING
HOW TO STOP WORRYING & START LIVING by Dale Carnegie is a classic practical guide designed to help readers overcome chronic anxiety, master emotional control, and build a more peaceful, fulfilling life.
Recommended“by the way there's a no-fail carnegie 1936 how to make friends and how to influence others has the entire pipe”
Where to get it
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Probabilistic Robotics
Discussed“um prior to me working on self-driving cars I was a roboticist in a machine learning expert and I wrote books on robotics something called probabilistic robotics the survey methods driven kind of viewpoint of the world”
Where to get it
Books Sebastian Thrun wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Thrun: Flying Cars, Autonomous Vehicles, and Education | Lex Fridman Podcast | 2019-12-21 | 7 |