Mind Matters
Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis
Latest Articles
Abstract Reasoning in Human Ancestors: Earlier Than Thought?
Researchers say, bone tools were being mass produced 1.5 million years ago in the in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania
Bioethicists Get Legacy of Terri Schiavo Death Wrong
Some bioethicists complain that her protracted starvation death has powered pro-life forces into political prominence
Should the Iconic Stanford Prison Experiment Study Be Retracted?
Within six months of the death of the famous sociologist who devised it, long-simmering questions have risen to the surface
AI in Biology: The Future AI Didn’t Predict
It doesn’t look like the past. Physical systems that evolve over time but don’t follow a fixed formula have always presented a deep challenge to AI
NYT on COVID: Not “Badly Misled.” One of the Worst Misleaders!
The Times writer smears legitimate doubt by associating it with unnamed questionable persons and causes — that works if people don’t know the story
AI in Biology: The Disease Connection — When Proteins Go Wrong
Some of the most crucial proteins for human health—the ones we need to understand most urgently—are the very ones that AI has the hardest time modeling
Could Robots Be Programmed to Feel Ordinary Love?
The question is a bit more complex than we might at first think, as the British TV series Humans demonstrates
Medical Support for “Gender-Affirming Care” Is Cracking
Amid stubborn denials, a new article in a prominent journal admits that the “science” is far from settled and recommends caution, not enthusiasm
Today’s Startups Are Doing Much Worse Than Those of the Past
The percentage of startups profitable at IPO time has steadily declined since the 1980s and most valuable ones take longer to become profitable
Even the Tiniest Brain in Nature Is Not Simple
Researchers have found that the worm with smallest known brain shows some surprisingly complex behaviors
Monday Micro Softy 18: The Twin Paradox
It’s not Einstein’s Twin Paradox but it will certainly set you thinking anyway
An Infinite Past Universe Rules Out Free Will. But Here’s a Catch
Such a universe is not logically possible, says Daniel Witt. That’s the “turtles all the way down” problem
In Moral Terms, Are Microbes More Important Than People?
Jeff Sebo advocates widening the moral circle to include, plants, microbes, and computers in a sort of radical equality
A Materialist Neuroscientist Makes a Case for Free Will, Cont’d
When Mitchell tries to construct a naturalistic model of will, he is drifting away from the common experience of will that motivated the whole discussion
How to Build an AI Company: Advice from a Seasoned Entrepreneur
In the podcast, Copps emphasized the necessity of remaining flexible and open to change: “Don’t be married to your idea.”
Terminator Genisys Review, Part 3: Genisys’ Fatal Flaw
Terminator Genisys was seen in the industry as so bad that another sequel was proposed that effectively wiped this timeline from the canon
Researchers Ask: When Are Children Conscious Before Birth?
Human consciousness in general is acknowledged to be a Hard Problem and prenatal consciousness is a subset of that
AI in Biology: So Is This the End of the Experiment? No.
But a continuing challenge is that many of the most biologically important proteins don’t adopt a single stable structure. Their functions depend on structural fluidity
A Materialist Neuroscientist Makes a Case for Free Will
Kevin Mitchell makes a good case though his book is not equally persuasive on every point
No End in Sight for AI’s Invasion into Higher Education
Teaching students to write is to teach them to think
Briefs
New Angel Studios documentary: Live Not by Lies
Facebook (Meta) tries censoring exposé — its popularity explodes
Anniversary of Terry Schiavo’s court-ordered starvation death
Jay Bhattacharya thinks science can accommodate reasoned dissent
NR editors decry the residential schools “mass graves” claims
Princeton scholars discuss Covid failures honestly in new book
Testing an AI “reasoning” model on a divisive public issue
When end-of-life lucidity struggles with delirium…
Chatbot offers info on a legal case — too bad it’s mostly fiction
The U.S. government has been funding European journalism too
Videos
Science Uprising 10: Asking the Impolite Questions About AI
Is It Really the End for Silicon Valley or Just a Reboot?
COSM 2021: Kai-Fu Lee Tries His Hand at Future Casting
