Mind Matters | Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

_{Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis}

Person uses laptop interacting with AI virtual assistant. AI head graphic overlay laptop keyboard. Concept of AI prompt engineering, LLM. Person types on keyboard to communicate with virtual

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 3, 2026

Categorized
Artificial general intelligence (AGI), Artificial Intelligence, Evolution, Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Claude (Anthropic chatbot), Gary Marcus, Richard Dawkins}

Who Expected Richard Dawkins To Blow Up Darwinism?

_{To the astonishment and dismay of a computer pro who once admired him, Dawkins, who has a materialist view of human consciousness, has convinced himself that a chatbot is conscious} _{Denyse O'Leary
May 3, 2026

5

Artificial general intelligence (AGI), Artificial Intelligence, Evolution, Philosophy of Mind}

If this is what happens when people think that human consciousness has a purely material evolutionary origin, it is a strong argument for the opposite view.

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post

Gary Varner
Date
May 2, 2026}

AI: Artificial Intelligence Review Part 8

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post

Gary Varner
Date
May 2, 2026}

Human brain illuminated by intense lightning strikes in dark clouds.

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 1, 2026}

Near-Death Experiences: Do Brain Jolts Really Explain Them?

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 1, 2026}

Latest Articles

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post

Peter Biles
Date
April 30, 2026}

AI is Forcing the Return of Writing by Hand in the Classroom

_{Sometimes, the old ways are still the best ways} _{Peter Biles
April 30, 2026

3}

Fountain pen placed on the white paper opaque. Communication to business transactions, education, work, suitable as a background image.

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post

Gary Varner
Date
April 30, 2026

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Book, George Berkeley, god, Kenneth Francis, mind, Philosophy, science, Solipsism, theology}

Thoughts on Theology in Science by Kenneth Francis: Berkeley Vs Solipsism

_{A fascinating book that covers a variety of topics from quantum theory to the dream life of spiders.} _{Gary Varner
April 30, 2026

7

Philosophy of Mind}

Back view of businessman suit standing at office looking at night city through panoramic window. Generative AI

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
April 29, 2026

Categorized
Cosmology, Intelligent Design, Philosophy

Tagged
Carl Sagan (1934–1996), David Berlinski, Featured, Fred Hoyle (1915–2001), John Keats (1795–1821), Jonathan Witt, Larry Krauss, Stephen Meyer, The Story of Everything (film), Timothy McGrew}

How Do You Cram the Universe Into A Story — and Keep it Focused?

_{Philosopher Stephen Meyer narrates the film but never gets in the story’s way} _{Denyse O'Leary
April 29, 2026

4

Cosmology, Intelligent Design, Philosophy}

Colorful space galaxy cloud nebula. Stary night cosmos. Universe spiral science astronomy. Supernova background wallpaper

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post

Kenneth Francis
Date
April 29, 2026

Categorized
Language

Tagged
Broadcast media, Buzzwords, Language, The Press}

The Scourge of Buzzwords

_{Surely the ‘chattering classes’ can be more creative with their language?} _{Kenneth Francis
April 29, 2026

7

Language}

The concept of news. Folded stack of Newspapers on laptop

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post

Robert J. Marks
Date
April 27, 2026

Categorized
Crime

Tagged
Clergyman, Crime, Gun, Mechanic, Policeman}

Micro Softy 76: The Smoking Gun

_{Inside the room were a physician, a mechanic, a clergyman, and a gun.} _{Robert J. Marks
April 27, 2026

10

Crime}

3d printed 9mm ghost gun pistol illegal untraceable firearm concept

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post

Wesley J. Smith
Date
April 26, 2026

Categorized
Ethics

Tagged
Mental illness, Mother, Suicide clinic, Switzerland}

Suicide Clinic Helping Grieving Mother Die Promotes Death-on-Demand Culture

_{She attempted to take her own life after her son died four years ago.} _{Wesley J. Smith
April 26, 2026

3

Ethics}

Sad tired woman touching face having headache or depression

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post

Gary Varner
Date
April 25, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, Kubrick, Propaganda, Robots, Speilberg}

AI: Artificial Intelligence Review Part 7

_{The powers that be have created a robot that can trick people.} _{Gary Varner
April 25, 2026

7

Artificial Intelligence}

White smart phone with Hands holding Jail Bars on screen

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post

Wesley J. Smith
Date
April 24, 2026

Categorized
Ethics

Tagged
Committee hearing, Disabled people, Euthanasia, HHS, Law, RFK Jr}

RFK Jr. Calls Assisted Suicide Laws ‘Abhorrent’

_{It targets people with disabilities and people who are struggling in their lives.} _{Wesley J. Smith
April 24, 2026

2

Ethics}

Legs of disabled person.

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post

Wesley J. Smith
Date
April 23, 2026

Categorized
Ethics

Tagged
Animals, Bill, Coexistence, Euthanasia, Public safety}

Activists Want Fewer Animal — but More Human — Deaths by Euthanasia

_{Dangerous animals that have attacked humans should be euthanized.} _{Wesley J. Smith
April 23, 2026

4

Ethics}

Ferocious Brown Bear Lunging Towards the Camera With Bared Teeth

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post

Kenneth Francis
Date
April 22, 2026

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind

Tagged
Apathy, Civilization, Clones, Groupthink, Hive mind, Normies}

The Colonized Hive Mind

_{Most thinking people have all seen the hive-mind types staring blankly into their iPhones.} _{Kenneth Francis
April 22, 2026

7

Philosophy of Mind}

Queen bee in bee hive laying eggs

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post

Wesley J. Smith
Date
April 20, 2026

Categorized
Ethics

Tagged
Abortion, Baby, Bioethicists, Body part, Medical establishment, The Lancet}

Bioethicists Argue That an Unborn Baby is Merely a ‘Gestator’s’ Body Part

_{This ongoing debate is acutely relevant to future abortion public policy.} _{Wesley J. Smith
April 20, 2026

4

Ethics}

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post

Robert J. Marks
Date
April 20, 2026

Categorized
Logic

Tagged
Grandfather's clock, NASA, Pendulum, Song, Time}

Micro Softy 75: Horology: Not What You Think

_{Early longcase clocks are known today as grandfather clocks.} _{Robert J. Marks
April 20, 2026

10

Logic}

Time concept. Hi-res digitally generated image.

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post

William A. Dembski
Date
April 19, 2026

Categorized
Cosmology

Tagged
Charity, Information, Language, Natural question, Universe}

The Universe Doesn’t Do Charity: Bad News for Cosmic Bargain Hunters

_{William A. Dembski
April 19, 2026

16

Cosmology}

Nebula and galaxies in space. Abstract cosmos background

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post

Gary Varner
Date
April 18, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, Kubrick, Pinocchio, Robots, Spielberg}

AI Artificial intelligence Review Part 6: Kubrick Doesn’t Know Pinocchio?

_{Classic fairy tales, in general, are supposed to be at the forefront of the audience’s mind.} _{Gary Varner
April 18, 2026

6

Artificial Intelligence}

Pinocchio

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post

Wesley J. Smith
Date
April 16, 2026

Categorized
Ethics

Tagged
Autistic teenager, ethics, Euthanizia, Joyless, Netherlands, Psychiatrists}

Autistic Teenager Euthanized in the Netherlands

_{The boy, aged between 16 and 18, had described his life as “joyless.”} _{Wesley J. Smith
April 16, 2026

2

Ethics}

Euthanasia or mercy killing. Malpractice medicine. Syringe with needle and ampules set for assisted death. Bloody red closeup macro. Ethic or criminal debates poster of doctor assisted suicide

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post

Peter Biles
Date
April 15, 2026}

College Closures Are Getting More Common

_{What’s the state of higher education halfway through the 2020s?} _{Peter Biles
April 15, 2026

3}

A vibrant and dynamic university campus during autumn, with students walking, chatting, and studying, capturing the essence of academic life and the pursuit of knowledge

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post

Jeffrey Funk
Date
April 14, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
$35 trillion bubble, AI bots, Experiment, Global survey, hype, Job cuts}

The Great AI Experiment Continues

_{When will the disappointing results be recognized?} _{Jeffrey Funk
April 14, 2026

6

Artificial Intelligence}

AIdriven chatbots assisting customer service, automated communication, concept

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post

Robert J. Marks
Date
April 13, 2026

Categorized
Logic

Tagged
Logical illusions, Optical illusions, Stairs, Surreal, The Cretan Paradox}

Micro Softy 74: The Cretan Paradox & Logical Illusions

_{Around and around we go in a cyclic logical illusion.} _{Robert J. Marks
April 13, 2026

11

Logic}

Lost and confused man walks puzzled on a penrose triangle. Perplexed person looks disoriented ahead, don't know which way to choose. Surreal and conceptual scene, mental maze, optical illusion

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post

Gary Varner
Date
April 11, 2026

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence

Tagged
AI, Bait-and-switch, emotions, Logic, Spielberg}

AI: Artificial Intelligence Review Part 5

_{“Nobody knows what ‘real’ really means.”} _{Gary Varner
April 11, 2026

7

Artificial Intelligence}

Male Portrait With Illuminated Brain Having Enlightment Moment, Blue Background

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post

Wesley J. Smith
Date
April 10, 2026

Categorized
Ethics

Tagged
Canada, ethics, Euthanasisa, Legalization, Mental illness}

Allow Euthanasia for the Mentally Ill or They Will Commit Suicide

_{The result will be more mentally ill Canadians dying by suicide.} _{Wesley J. Smith
April 10, 2026

2

Ethics}

Podcast

3d rendering of neuron cells with glowing in human brain

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podcast

Mihretu Guta
Date
April 17, 2026}

Mirror Neurons and the Philosophy of Mind

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podcast

Mihretu Guta
Date
April 17, 2026}

Briefs

Physicist proposes new consciousness theory that explains NDEs

Type: brief; News
Date: November 26, 2025
Categorized: Cosmology, Panpsychism, Physics
Tagged: Maria Strømme, Near-death experiences, William Hunter

Google offers new way to check for AI deepfakes

Type: brief; News
Date: November 25, 2025
Categorized: Artificial Intelligence, Business and Finance, Law, Politics
Tagged: Deepfakes, Deepfakes (detecting deepfakes), Matt Novak

Philosopher: Free will hypothesis survives test of predictions

Type: brief; Denyse O'Leary
Date: November 19, 2025
Categorized: Free will
Tagged: Kirk Durston, Naturalism and free will, Sabine Hossenfelder

Nvidia’s earnings call rattles “whole financial world” — but why?

Type: brief; News
Date: November 19, 2025
Categorized: Business and Finance, Large Language Models (LLMs)
Tagged: Gary Smith, Graphical process units (GPUs), Jeffrey Funk on AI bubble, Nvidia, OpenAI economics, Victor Tangermann

If OpenAI fails, would the tech industry suffer?

Type: brief; News
Date: November 18, 2025
Categorized: Business and Finance, Large Language Models (LLMs)
Tagged: Gary Smith (on AI bubble), OpenAI economics

The “Anthropocene” geological epoch is dead, as an idea

Type: brief; News
Date: November 18, 2025
Categorized: Politics, Science
Tagged: Anthropocene epoch proposal, Eugene F. Stoermer, Holocene epoch, Paul J Crutzen, Ville Lähde

Researcher argues that chimpanzees show rationality too

Type: brief; Denyse O'Leary
Date: November 17, 2025
Categorized: Animal mind, Human exceptionalism
Tagged: Chimpanzees, Hanna Schleihauf, Michelle Starr, Reasoning

Tech industry layoffs continue; AI’s role remains unclear

Type: brief; News
Date: November 11, 2025
Categorized: Artificial Intelligence, Business and Finance, Work
Tagged: AI and job loss, Joe WIlkins

Researchers sometimes “add” copy just to get published

Type: brief; News
Date: November 11, 2025
Categorized: Chemistry, Peer Review
Tagged: Dalmeet Singh Chawla, Frédérique Bordignon

Videos

Robot Women 2

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Denyse O'Leary
Date
September 21, 2022}

Science Uprising 10: Asking the Impolite Questions About AI

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post

Denyse O'Leary
Date
September 21, 2022}

Aerial view over Cupertino in Bay Area, California on a sunny day.

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News
Date
February 11, 2022}

Is It Really the End for Silicon Valley or Just a Reboot?

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post

News
Date
February 11, 2022}

Robots dancing in the park. Artificial intelligence industry in China.

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post

Heather Zeiger
Date
November 12, 2021}

COSM 2021: Kai-Fu Lee Tries His Hand at Future Casting

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post

Heather Zeiger
Date
November 12, 2021}

Empty cinema hall with red seats. Movie theatre

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post

Caitlin Cory
Date
October 21, 2021}

Ari Emanuel, COSM 2021: Movie Nite’s Changed; It’s Not Just COVID

_{Type
post

Caitlin Cory
Date
October 21, 2021}