Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

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milky-way-over-cordillera-huayhuash-stockpack-adobe-stock
Milky Way over Cordillera Huayhuash
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
June 25, 2023
Categorized
Mathematics, Science
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Is Mathematics an Illusion? Lawrence Krauss and Cormac McCarthy Discuss

McCarthy asked, "Would mathematics be here if we weren't?"
Peter Biles
June 25, 2023
3
Mathematics, Science

In December, physicist and author Lawrence Krauss interviewed the late American novelist Cormac McCarthy, who died on June 13th at the age of 89 in Santa Fe, N.M. McCarthy is famous for his remarkable fictional works like The Road and Blood Meridian, but he was also deeply fascinated with mathematics and science. Apparently, he enjoyed reading science more than he did fiction! He moved to Santa Fe from El Paso to be closer to the Santa Fe Institute, a science think tank where McCarthy would spend time speaking with various physicists, scientists, and mathematicians. His latest two novels, The Passenger and Stella Maris, are about a brother and sister who are both brilliant mathematicians. Towards the beginning of the interview, Read More ›

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Colorado river with desert landscape glowing in Utah near moab with moon
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
June 24, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
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Westworld: Episode 2 Review

The whole point of the show is to explore a theory of consciousness
Gary Varner
June 24, 2023
6
Arts & Culture

In episode one, several robots break down. It appears they are accessing memories thanks to an unexpected update, which causes the robots to glitch and seize up, unable to communicate. The updated robots are recalled and the worst of them are decommissioned. In episode two, Dolores wakes up, hearing Bernard’s voice in the middle of the night. She goes outside, and it’s later revealed that she finds a gun buried in the dirt. After we’ve seen Dolores rise from her bed thanks to Bernard’s call, we meet William. He and his future brother-in-law are visiting the park. This is William’s first time in Westworld, and he isn’t excited to be there. He’s humoring his future relative. Episode two continues in Read More ›

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Post-Human Dystopia - A Cybernetic Future in Neon
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
June 24, 2023
Categorized
Technocracy
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Jacques Ellul and the Technocratic Society

Unhappy is the society dominated by "technique"
Peter Biles
June 24, 2023
4
Technocracy

Jacques Ellul was a twentieth-century writer and philosopher who left us an abundance of riches on the impact of technology on our modern world, or what he called the “technological society.” I’ve been working through his book The Technological Society for a while now. It’s dense, slow reading, but is jam packed with insights. Aside from merely the proliferation and growth of technology in the West over the last century, Ellul notes that we’ve become a culture obsessed with “technique,” performing tasks for efficiency instead of intrinsic purpose, and training ourselves to relate to other people in like manner. What matters under technique’s domination is not morals or human dignity but about outcome and “results,” being bigger, better, and faster. Read More ›

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Secret bunker meeting
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post
Author
News
Date
June 23, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
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C.S. Lewis’s “That Hideous Strength” is Making the Rounds Again

NYT columnist Ross Douthat offers his two cents on the dystopian classic
News
June 23, 2023
3
Arts & Culture

Just last week, Mind Matters editor Peter Biles wrote about That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis, a dystopian novel about a fearsome technocracy trying to conquer humanity. New York Times also wanted in on the fun, too, apparently. Ross Douthat, the conservative voice of the Times’ opinion column, published his latest essay on Lewis’s harrowing tale, and examined its modern pertinence. Douthat acknowledges the possibility of a mega-powerful technocracy, but notes how Lewis believed that on the outside, such an organization may look like the face of progress and humanitarianism. Douthat writes, Crucially, almost nobody in Lewis’s invented organization has any idea that in the inner ring they’re contacting the dark powers. Most people think they’re working for humanitarianism and Read More ›

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Stack of Gold Coin on Black Background.
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post
Author
News
Date
June 23, 2023
Categorized
Economics
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George Gilder on the Eric Metaxas Show: Wealth is Knowledge

Gilder proclaims loud and clear that human knowledge and innovation are the keys to economic growth
News
June 23, 2023
1
Economics

George Gilder, economist, venture capitalist, and author of the new book Life After Capitalism, appeared on the Eric Metaxas Show to discuss his new title and the overarching story of his life. Gilder co-founded Discovery Institute, the parent organization of Mind Matters and the Bradley Center for Natural & Artificial Intelligence, and his 1980 book Wealth & Poverty strongly influenced the economic policy decisions of President Ronald Reagan. In this interview, Gilder speaks with Metaxas about his upbringing, his ascendancy into the public policy sphere, and the philosophy that underpins his life work. Gilder proclaims loud and clear that human knowledge and innovation are the keys to economic growth, and that this points to the fact that the activity of Read More ›

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Yosemite Firefall
Type
post
Author
Andrew McDiarmid
Date
June 23, 2023
Categorized
Environment
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John Muir and the Pleasures of Nature

The inventor-turned-naturalist can teach us the benefits of loving the natural world
Andrew McDiarmid
June 23, 2023
8
Environment

April 21 is John Muir’s birthday. Muir is typically remembered as one of America’s foremost naturalists, father of our national parks and a tireless defender of the wilderness. But he might very well have been none of those things. As a young man, Muir was gifted at building machines, and he was set to pursue a career in technology until everything went dark. Literally. Revisiting this little-known chapter of Muir’s life can inspire us to better navigate our own relationship to technology and give us a fresh reason to celebrate his work. In 1849, Muir left his homeland of Scotland and moved with his family to the backwoods of Wisconsin. Farm work, chores, and family Bible studies kept him busy Read More ›

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Illustration of abstract blue pink wireframe sound waves, visualization of frequency signals audio wavelengths, conceptual futuristic technology waveform background with copy space for text
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post
Author
News
Date
June 22, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
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Meta’s Weird New Speech AI

Scammers have already capitalized on this kind of technology. Is it a mistake for Meta to push for it?
News
June 22, 2023
3
Artificial Intelligence

Meta has announced a new AI system called Voicebox, a text to audio translator that can mimic the voice of loved ones. All you need is a mere two seconds of authentic audio and the bot will extrapolate whole sentences in that person’s voice. Meta noted the technology will be helpful for those who are visually impaired and who want to hear messages or texts read to them in a voice they know. A blog on the Meta site reads, Like generative systems for images and text, Voicebox creates outputs in a vast variety of styles, and it can create outputs from scratch as well as modify a sample it’s given. But instead of creating a picture or a passage Read More ›

equipment-and-medical-devices-in-modern-operating-room-stockpack-adobe-stock
equipment and medical devices in modern operating room
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post
Author
Wesley J. Smith
Date
June 22, 2023
Categorized
Ethics
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Medical Association is “Neutral” on Assisted Suicide

This is a matter of the gravest ethical concern
Wesley J. Smith
June 22, 2023
3
Ethics

How in the world can a medical association be neutral on granting doctors a license to kill or assist the suicide of their patients? This is a matter of the gravest medical ethical concern, an action, remember, that was strictly proscribed 2,500 years ago in the Hippocratic Oath. Utter Cowardice But yield to the pressures of the activists is what the UK’s Royal College of Surgeons has done, in an act of utter cowardice based on a survey answered by only 19 percent of its members. From the Daily Mail story: The Royal College of Surgeons is no longer opposed to assisted dying and is now ‘neutral’, it has been announced. The organisation’s council members voted after discussing survey results, which showed an appetite for change, a Read More ›

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Builders in work clothes install new roofing tools, roofing tools, electric drill and use them on new wooden roofs with metal sheets
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post
Author
News
Date
June 22, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
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The One Thing Only Humans Can Do

What makes human beings unique? Will artificial intelligence take over our jobs?
News
June 22, 2023
1
Artificial Intelligence

What makes human beings unique? Will artificial intelligence take over our jobs? The Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence, which publishes Mind Matters, was launched largely to respond to questions like these. In a panel discussion at the Dallas launch of the Bradley Center, Baylor Professor of Computer Engineering Robert J. Marks offered some thoughts on the evening’s topic, “Will ‘Smart’ Machines Take Over Our Jobs?” This is a great video to watch if you’re new to Mind Matters or are interested in learning more about the unique perspective of the Bradley Center. Marks doesn’t offer doomsday approximations of the future of AI, but neither does he disregard the challenges it poses. According to him, though, there’s one Read More ›

an-intricate-and-detailed-microscopic-view-of-a-nanotechnology-powered-environment-showcasing-nanobots-and-nanostructures-stockpack-adobe-stock
An intricate and detailed microscopic view of a nanotechnology-powered environment, showcasing nanobots and nanostructures
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post
Author
News
Date
June 21, 2023
Categorized
Robotics
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Using Nanorobotics to Kill Cancer

There are some major breakthroughs in nanotechnology that could hold great promise
News
June 21, 2023
1
Robotics

Shlomo Nedvetzki, CTO of Nanorobotics, discusses the panel “The New Nanocosm” at the COSM Technology Summit 2022, which explored emerging technologies that hold great promise for advancing human prosperity. Nedvetzki focused on nanorobotic machines that can target and kill individual cancer cells. There are some major breakthroughs in nanotechnology that could hold great promise. We’ve been sharing a number of lectures from past COSM conferences. This video is just one of many you can find at the Bradley Center’s YouTube page. There you’ll find several lectures, interviews, and panels dealing with issues that range from economics, Big Tech, and artificial intelligence. Notable speakers include 2022 Kyoto Prize winner Carver Mead, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, and George Gilder, co-founder of Discovery Institute and author of Beyond Capitalism: Read More ›

artificial-intelligence-robot-thinking-about-world-looking-at-the-city-futuristic-concept-stockpack-adobe-stock
Artificial intelligence, robot thinking about world, looking at the city. Futuristic concept.
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post
Author
Eric Holloway
Date
June 21, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
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Can AI Create its Own Information?

The simple answer is "no," but why? Eric Holloway explains
Eric Holloway
June 21, 2023
2
Artificial Intelligence

AI is amazing. It is all the rage these days. Companies everywhere are jumping on the AI bandwagon. No one wants to be left behind when true believers are raptured to the mainframe in the sky. What makes the AI work? The AI works because of information it gained from a human generated dataset. Let’s label the dataset D. We can measure the information in the dataset with Shannon entropy. Represent the information with H(D). When we train an AI with this data, we are applying a mathematical function to the dataset. This function is the training algorithm. Labelling the training algorithm T, then we represent training as T(D). The outcome of training is a new AI model. The model generates new data. We Read More ›

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COVID-19 coronavirus and crisis concept, US president Franklin`s eyes and face mask on 100 dollar money bill. Corona virus affects global stock market.
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post
Author
Wesley J. Smith
Date
June 20, 2023
Categorized
Technocracy
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Is the Public Health Technocracy Faltering?

Technocrats don’t rely on mandates but eagerly impose policies that render society less free
Wesley J. Smith
June 20, 2023
4
Technocracy

In February, I warned about a treaty being negotiated to empower the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic, which would trigger governments assuming mandatory emergency powers. From, “Transforming WHO into a Public-Health Technocracy“: The WHO director-general would be granted the power to “declare pandemics,” at which point emergency provisions of the treaty to impose public-health policies would go into effect. . . . The WHO would be able to dictate policies if international consensus were not obtained by a vote of the two presidents and four vice presidents of the WHO CA+. . . The International Court of Justice would also be granted decisive power. . . . It would centralize pandemic planning and response into itself. . . Read More ›

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Babel tower
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post
Author
News
Date
June 20, 2023
Categorized
Science
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Science After Babel

Read an excerpt of a new book by mathematician and philosopher David Berlinski
News
June 20, 2023
6
Science

By David Berlinski Editor’s note: We are delighted to welcome Science After Babel, the latest book from mathematician and philosopher David Berlinski. This article is adapted from the book’s Introduction. The scientific revolution began in the 16th century, and it began in Europe. No one knows why it happened nor why it happened where it happened, but when it happened, everything changed.  Until the day before yesterday, the imperial architects of the scientific revolution were well satisfied and sleek as seals. An immense tower was going up before their very eyes. The physicists imagined that shortly it would reach the sky; the biologists were satisfied that it had left the ground; and only the theologians were heard to observe that it Read More ›

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Problem of television addiction. Mixed media
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post
Author
News
Date
June 19, 2023
Categorized
Technology
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Jack Dorsey: Just Read Some Science Fiction and You’ll See Where We Are

The former Twitter CEO opens up about his thoughts on Apple's new mixed reality headset
News
June 19, 2023
2
Technology

Last week, Apple announced the Vision Pro headset, a virtual reality set that is designed to “blend” physical and digital life into a unitary experience. The headset, from all appearances, looks sleeker and less clunky that Meta’s VR headsets. Users will, for the remarkably low price of $3,499 (that was a joke) will be able to have apps appear in the room in front of them, transforming everyday environments into a “personal theater.” Not everyone is stoked about the announcement, however. Mark Zuckerberg isn’t too happy about it, for obvious reasons. He’s been trying to break ground in the VR headset game for years, now. However, Jack Dorsey, former CEO and co-founder of Twitter, raised his own concerns about the Read More ›

industrial-pollution-at-sunset-with-smokestacks-emitting-smoke-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
industrial pollution at sunset with smokestacks emitting smoke. Generative AI
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post
Author
News
Date
June 19, 2023
Categorized
Transhumanism
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Two Writers on Transhumanist Trends

Paul Kingsnorth and Mary Harrington discuss the modern urge to throw off all natural limits
News
June 19, 2023
1
Transhumanism

This is a conversation from a year ago but nevertheless remains radically pertinent today. Paul Kingsnorth and Mary Harrington, both who have written on various modern trends to try and transcend bodily limits, sat down on the Rebel Wisdom YouTube channel to have a chat. Both have written for the online magazine UnHerd, but up until this point, had never interacted with each other. Kingsnorth is a former environmentalist who became disillusioned with the movement and eventually converted to Orthodox Christianity. He is also a novelist and currently lives a simple life in Ireland. Harrington is a contributing editor of UnHerd and writes on feminism, politics, and other pressing cultural issues. Both believe that the urge to throw off human Read More ›

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The robot guard on the dark garbage dump: A surreal 3D scenery
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post
Author
Andrew McDiarmid
Date
June 19, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
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AI Could Take Us Over, But Not In the Way You Might Expect

Revisiting last year's article from tech critic Andrew McDiarmid
Andrew McDiarmid
June 19, 2023
5
Artificial Intelligence

As I reported last year, there’s been a lot of talk about a singularity in the last decade. That’s the point when machine intelligence (AI) exceeds human intelligence and begins to rule humanity and eventually the entire universe. It’s a scary proposition to be sure, but we can rest easy on that front, because it’s not going to happen. The futurists assume there’s a bridge between narrow applications of AI and the general intelligence humans possess. But no such bridge exists. As Erik J. Larson explains in his book The Myth of Artificial Intelligence, we’re not even on the right road to such a bridge. You can also take George Gilder’s word for it. One of the most influential thinkers on technology and economics Read More ›

the-flow-of-time-a-close-up-portrait-of-an-incomplete-humanoid-android-covered-in-white-porcelain-skin-blue-eyes-and-glowing-internal-parts-stockpack-adobe-stock
The Flow of Time: A Close-Up Portrait of an Incomplete Humanoid Android Covered in White Porcelain Skin, Blue Eyes, and Glowing Internal Parts.
Type
post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
June 18, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture

Westworld: Episode 1 Review

Westworld asks if a robot were to become conscious, how could it happen?
Gary Varner
June 18, 2023
6
Arts & Culture

The HBO series Westworld is known for having an incredible first season and a lousy second. In fact, the second season was said to be so bad, I personally disengaged from the series altogether and only found out it had four seasons when I began writing these reviews. We certainly won’t be going over all four seasons, but I do want to talk about the first season because it explores the question of consciousness in some depth. Westworld asks if a robot were to become conscious, how could it happen? What could a programmer do to accomplish this task? Dr. Robert J. Marks discusses Qualia in great detail. Westworld tries to tell a story explaining how this quality could come Read More ›

view-from-space-of-orbiting-mother-earth-view-of-china-south-east-asia-india-stockpack-adobe-stock
View from space of orbiting mother earth; view of China, South East Asia, India
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
June 18, 2023
Categorized
Economics
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You Can’t Have Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet…or Can You?

Busting the myths of population growth and economic scarcity
Peter Biles
June 18, 2023
3
Economics

Wired recently came out with an interview with economics data analyst Gaya Herrington proclaiming the doom of humanity if we don’t “shift the paradigm” NOW. Herrington said, Very succinctly, we are at a now-or-never moment. What we do in the next five to 10 years will determine the welfare levels of humanity for the rest of the century. There are so many tipping points approaching, in terms of climate, in terms of biodiversity. So—change our current paradigm, or our welfare must decline. The Planet Can’t Sustain Rapid Growth Much Longer | WIRED Population alarmism is not a new chipmunk at the park. It’s been burrowing its nose into the popular imagination for decades now. But is the hype merited? Are we really Read More ›

forest-in-fog-with-mist-fairy-spooky-looking-woods-in-a-misty-day-cold-foggy-morning-in-horror-forest-with-trees-stockpack-adobe-stock
Forest in fog with mist. Fairy spooky looking woods in a misty day. Cold foggy morning in horror forest with trees
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
June 17, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Transhumanism
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That Hideous Strength, A.K.A. Transhumanism

C.S. Lewis's classic science fiction tale is about the temptation to reject being human
Peter Biles
June 17, 2023
7
Arts & Culture, Transhumanism

C.S. Lewis’s 1946 science fiction novel That Hideous Strength is almost eighty years old now. Written during the throes of World War II, the novel is the culmination of Lewis’s cosmic trilogy, preluded by Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra. There are hosts of other articles attending to the prescience of Lewis’s terrifying novel, and for good reason; That Hideous Strength is a warning against using technology to dehumanize people and ultimately cripple the world into submission. It’s a great book as a novel, but it seems especially appropriate to revisit in lieu of the growing interest in transhumanism and the rapid acceleration of AI development. It feels like much of the talk on AI in recent months involves Read More ›

beautiful-single-white-cloud-isolated-over-black-background-stockpack-adobe-stock
Beautiful Single white cloud isolated over black background
Type
post
Author
News
Date
June 16, 2023
Categorized
Technology
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A Cloud of Converging Technologies

We are entering the roaring 2020s, technologically speaking
News
June 16, 2023
1
Technology

We are on the cusp of a Roaring 2020s. Mark Mills, author of The Cloud Revolution: How the Convergence of New Technologies Will Unleash the Next Economic Boom and a Roaring 2020s, proposes that the convergence of revolutions in three technology spheres is unleashing the next great economic boom: the means for accessing and propagating information, the machines that represent the means of production, and the materials domain from which we fabricate everything that exists. Watch him explain and defend his ideas in this informative lecture from the 2022 COSM Conference. We’ve been sharing a number of lectures from past COSM conferences. This video is just one of many you can find at the Bradley Center’s YouTube page. There you’ll find Read More ›