Mind Matters | Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

Latest Articles

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Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 24, 2026

Categorized
Paleontology, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Joseph Campbell (1904-1987), Kiona N. Smith, Margaret Boone Rappaport, Neanderthal brain, Neanderthal dentistry, Neanderthal religion, Neanderthal tools, Neanderthals and modern humans, Owen Jarus, Patrick McNamara, Sophie Berdugo, Villaescusa Fernández}

We need to catch up with the Neanderthals!

_{A number of interesting new findings and discussions have appeared — on everything from their dentistry to bear worship} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 24, 2026

5

Paleontology, Philosophy of Mind}

Family of ancient Neanderthal people in cave close-up, man, woman and child with long matted hair dressed in animal skins

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post

Gary Varner
Date
May 23, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, aliens, Bots, god, Kubrick, Reality, Spielberg}

AI: Artificial Intelligence Review Part 11: Along Came the Glitter Bots

_{It’s boring and pretentious to the point of being obnoxious} _{Gary Varner
May 23, 2026

7

Artificial Intelligence}

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 22, 2026

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Bill Newsome, Concepts vs. percepts, corpus callosum, Featured, Michael Egnor, Split brain research (and unity of mind), Yair Pinto}

Do People With Split Brains Have Back Door Communications?

_{Some neuroscientists think that split brain communications can thus be explained that way. Michael Egnor disagrees} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 22, 2026

7

Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind}

A secret garden back door with a whimsical outdoor retreat.

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 20, 2026

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Featured, Michael Egnor, Popular Mechanics, Roger Sperry (1913–1994), Split brain research}

The Astonishing Fact That Split Brain Patients Reveal

_{Perception (what we take in from the world around us) can be split but conception (ideas) are not split. And no one has two minds} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 20, 2026

5

Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind}

image illustrates striking representation of human mind, divided into two contrasting halves. One side features blue brain against pink background, while other s orange brain yellow

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post

Peter Biles
Date
May 19, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Education

Tagged
AI, Colleges, Culture, education, Gen Z, Tech}

AI Got Booed Off the Stage

_{Graduating seniors don't all approve of the technology's growing presence in society} _{Peter Biles
May 19, 2026

3

Artificial Intelligence, Education}

Gradution Cap with Confetti Background, Graduation Day Concept. Generative Ai

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Robert J. Marks
Date
May 19, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Cell biology, Environment

Tagged
Featured, Human brain organoids, Organoid intelligence}

Organoid Intelligence?: That’s AI Powered by Pizza and Beer

_{It may help us address environmental impact issues posed by AI} _{Robert J. Marks
May 19, 2026

3

Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Cell biology, Environment}

Glass of beer and pizza on wooden table. Beer and food concept. Ale.

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post

Kenneth Francis
Date
May 19, 2026

Categorized
Cell biology

Tagged
brain, mind, Movie, Nanotechnology, Special effects}

A Fantastic Voyage into the Brain but Not the Mind

_{The movie's special effects show how the biological elements of the human body work} _{Kenneth Francis
May 19, 2026

6

Cell biology}

3d rendered illustration of the human brain anatomy

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Robert J. Marks
Date
May 18, 2026

Categorized
Logic, Mathematics, Probability

Tagged
Monday Microsofties}

Monday Microsofty 79: The Last Digits in Fermat’s Last Theorem

_{Did Andrew Wiles really prove Fermat’s Last Theorem? Today we offer you a chance to decide} _{Robert J. Marks
May 18, 2026

7

Logic, Mathematics, Probability}

Mathematician Deciphers Mathematical Equations Defining the Universe's Structure

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News
Date
May 17, 2026

Categorized
Cosmology, Media

Tagged
Arno Penzias, Carl Sagan, Francis Crick (1916–2004), Freeman Dyson, George Lemaitre, Georges Lemaître (1894-1966), Guillermo Gonzalez, James Watson, Kurt Godel, Michel-Yves Bollore, Nobel Laureate, Olivier Bonnassies, Pierre Laplace, Robert Wilson, Steven Weinberg (1933– 2021), Trofim Lysenko}

God, The Science, The Evidence: The Dawn of a Revolution

_{The book sets out the reasons for thinking that the universe is the creation of a rational supernatural being, as traditional religion and philosophy have attested} _{News
May 17, 2026

13

Cosmology, Media}

Nebula and galaxies in space. Space many light years far from the Earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

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post

Kenneth Francis
Date
May 17, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, Behaviour, Future, Science Faction, Subconscious, tv}

A Long Night’s Journey into the Dark Side of AI

_{Like AI, the subconscious mind can process a vast amount of information.} _{Kenneth Francis
May 17, 2026

9

Artificial Intelligence}

Concept of propaganda and fake news, TV addiction. A lot of retro TV in dark room with spiral illusion effect on screens. Politicians manipulate the population. Created with Generative AI

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post

Robert J. Marks
Date
May 16, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Media

Tagged
AI hype, Citation bluffing, Featured, Small-silo ignorance}

When AI Headlines Sound Apocalyptic or Miraculous, Time to Slow Down

_{Most authors of AI hype articles have never taken a foundational computer science course, have never written code, and have never run AI software} _{Robert J. Marks
May 16, 2026

5

Artificial Intelligence, Media}

AI Bubble risk and Economic technology bubbles fear and Artificial intelligence overhyped Stock market speculation and overvalued technologies economy as inflated speculative valuation of Tech.

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post

Gary Varner
Date
May 16, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, Reality, Rene Descartes, Spielberg, Turing Test}

AI Artificial Intelligence Part 10: Mocking Descartes

_{The philosopher was trying to establish how a man can know whether or not he exists} _{Gary Varner
May 16, 2026

6

Artificial Intelligence}

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Wesley J. Smith
Date
May 15, 2026

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Atheism, BBC interview, Determined, free will, mind, Theism}

Another ‘Scientific’ Attack on Free Will

_{We know free will exists because we each experience it every day.} _{Wesley J. Smith
May 15, 2026

5

Philosophy of Mind}

A choice of two ways. Woman at a crossroads.

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 14, 2026

Categorized
Evolution, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Featured, Royal Society}

What Is Consciousness Actually Supposed To Do?

_{The Royal Society offers sixteen theories of the evolutionary function of consciousness. The trouble is, it's not clear what consciousness even is} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 14, 2026

17

Evolution, Philosophy of Mind}

Domestic parrot in a cage looks at its reflection in the mirror. Beautiful parrot, close-up, selective focus, pet. Parrot and mirror. Colored bird

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post

Richard W. Stevens
Date
May 13, 2026

Categorized
Law

Tagged
AI, ID, Law, Licence, phones, Police state, Privacy}

“Please Say Your Phone License Number and Look Into the Camera”

_{Serious FCC proposal would require licenses to buy phones; AI talk-control is next.} _{Richard W. Stevens
May 13, 2026

5

Law}

Close up of a man using mobile smart phone

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post

Kenneth Francis
Date
May 12, 2026

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Atheism, god, meaning, mind, Morality, reason}

Understanding the Atheist’s Mind

_{Naturalism is the belief that everything in the universe is a blind accident, with no ultimate purpose.} _{Kenneth Francis
May 12, 2026

12

Philosophy of Mind}

Goal to success for level up with person climbing on route slope to mountain peak.human performance limit concepts.growth mindset and motivation.generative ai technology

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post

Robert J. Marks
Date
May 11, 2026

Categorized
Probability

Tagged
Monday Microsofties}

Monday Microsofty 78: Card Sharks That Bite Harder

_{You can beat the odds in some card games if you understand probability theory. Try your chances!} _{Robert J. Marks
May 11, 2026

6

Probability}

A close up of a blackjack dealer's hands in a casino, very shallow depth of field

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Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 10, 2026

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Censorship, Media, Politics

Tagged
George Orwell (1903–1950), Jonathan Turley, Matt Johnson, Prevention of Literature (1946), totalitarianism}

Orwell: Totalitarianism Starts As an Internal Mental State

_{While the scene has certainly changed in the last eighty years, the effort to control information is still vigorous} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 10, 2026

5

Arts & Culture, Censorship, Media, Politics}

The interpretation of democracy and authoritarianism. generative AI

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Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 9, 2026

Categorized
Censorship, Education, Large Language Models (LLMs)

Tagged
chatbots, Featured, George Orwell (1903–1950), Julia (1984 character), Matt Johnson, Nineteen Eighty Four (1949), Winston Smith (1984 character), Yohei Igarashi}

The Surest Way to Squelch Intellectual Freedom: Make It Impossible

_{As reading and writing skills plummet, the chatbot may turn out to be a bigger enemy of intellectual freedom than the censor} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 9, 2026

4

Censorship, Education, Large Language Models (LLMs)}

a digital photorealistic illustration from an eye-level perspective Imagine a dystopian cityscape with towering screens displaying Big Brothers

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post

Gary Varner
Date
May 9, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, Hijacking, Manhattan, Mysterious figure, Reality, Speilberg}

AI: Artificial intelligence Review Part 9

_{David’s hijacking of the aircraft provides him with a distraction, and he escapes.} _{Gary Varner
May 9, 2026

6

Artificial Intelligence}

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