Search Our Writing:
Growing Young
February 1, 2023 | Hannah Turner BK ‘24
And those of us who know the struggle of adulting know that time is a precious resource and we use money nearly every day. The difficulty is not in teaching responsibility or wisdom, but in the dangerous implications we make about a human being’s value. When we view ourselves, those around us, or children as failures for not reaching certain goals, we deny our inherent worth.
The Case for AlphaZero: Openings and Pawn Progression
January 20, 2022 | By Timothy Han SM ‘22
On December 6, 2017, AlphaZero, a new chess program developed by Google, changed the world. AlphaZero made its world premier in a match against Stockfish, the most dominant algorithm in chess history. Ever since IBM’s DeepBlue defeated world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997, engines have reigned supreme over humans in the world of chess. Stockfish, the latest in a long line of formidable chess algorithms, could evaluate 70 million moves per second; AlphaZero could only manage 80,000. An open-source program that has been ceaselessly improved since its debut in 2004, Stockfish came armed with countless formulas, strategies, and even endgame sequences to plan for every contingency.
Exile: Transplanting and Sustaining
By Bradley Yam, SY ‘21. Bradley is majoring in Ethics, Politics & Economics and Computer Science.
In a time of chaos and uprooting, it is more essential than ever to ensure that we are transplanted well, and that we grow roots where we might end up: wherever that might be. What is the right balance to strike between listening to the math and listening to our hearts? How do we be the salt and light of the earth in a time ruled by fear, anxiety, loneliness and claustrophobia? I suggest that we might think of answers in two ways: transplanting and sustaining.
The Will Supreme
By Tommy Schacht, PC ‘21. Tommy is majoring in History.
There is a specter that haunts the globe; a spirit which infects the hearts and minds of billions around the world, informing and guiding their actions on a daily basis. This specter goes by many names, but there is one which I like to call it: optimism.
Upcoming Events:
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Weekly Meetings
THURSDAYS 5-7PM, Branford College Trumbull Room
Discuss with us what it means to think Christianly and write for our publication.
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Philosophy of Everyday Life Seminar
THURSDAY SEPT 11TH 6:15-7:45PM, Elm Institute
Join us at the Elm Institute for a private version of the Elm’s popular seminar “The Philosophy of Everyday Life”. Readings will be focused on Friendship. No prior reading required. Food provided.
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Divinity School Private Archival Tour
THURSDAY SEPT 18th, 9AM, Yale Divinity School
We will be looking at the Yale Divinity School’s missionary collection, specifically focusing on letters from international ecumenical movements from America to China. We will be looking at how these relate to our theme of freidnship in a more nuanced way. We will be walking up from cross-campus at 8:30 am, but you can also meet at the YDS gates at 9 am.
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William Blake Private Exhibition Tour
THURSDAY OCT 2ND, TIME TBA
Peter Wicks of the Elm Institute will guide us through the traveling exhibition ‘William Blake: Burning Bright’ at Yale Center for British Art. No previous experience with art or William Blake required.