Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

CategoryEnvironment

beautiful-autumn-tree-with-mushrooms-and-moss-in-forest-stockpack-adobe-stock
Beautiful autumn tree with mushrooms and moss in forest
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post
Author
Wesley J. Smith
Date
October 31, 2023
Categorized
Environment
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The Anti-Human “Rights of Nature” Movement

Environmentalism is growing increasingly antii-human. Just look at what Milwaukee County did.
Wesley J. Smith
October 31, 2023
3
Environment

Environmentalism is growing increasingly anti-human. The “nature rights” movement epitomizes the misanthropy. If the suppose rights of Nature (with a capital N) were ever enforced legally–human thriving would be throttled by elevating the entire natural world to quasi-personhood status deserving — at minimum — equal consideration with humans. Moreover, nature rights laws generally allow anyone to sue to enforce nature’s supposed rights, which would mean that human enterprise would be subject to lawfare by the most extreme environmentalists. Milwaukee County has jumped on the bandwagon. From a formal “Resolution Supporting the Nature Rights Movement:” WHEREAS, major bodies of water within Milwaukee County, including the Menominee River, Milwaukee River, and Fox River as well as Lake Michigan, provide essential biodiversity and wildlife habitats; andWHEREAS, these Read More ›

top-view-on-blue-ocean-waves-nature-background-stockpack-adobe-stock
Top view on blue ocean waves. Nature background.
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post
Author
Wesley J. Smith
Date
October 15, 2023
Categorized
Environment
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The United Nations is Considering Granting “Ocean Rights”

Why is granting “rights” to oceans becoming a thing?
Wesley J. Smith
October 15, 2023
5
Environment

The “international world order” is increasingly radical in its environmental engagement and anti-human in the policies it promotes. In the great cause of “saving the planet,” scientific precepts and empirical analyses are being cast aside in favor of a neo-earth religious mysticism. Latest case in point. Environmentalist ideologues were invited to promote a plan to grant “rights” to “the Ocean” (singular, with a capital O) at the recently concluded 2023 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. “Ocean rights,” Wesley? Are they kidding? I wish. “Ocean rights” is a subset of the “nature rights” movement that elevates “Nature” (with a capital N) above human thriving and pursues a quasi-earth religion approach to managing the natural world. The “rights of nature” Read More ›

psychology-stockpack-adobe-stock
Psychology.
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post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
September 16, 2023
Categorized
Cosmology, Environment, Human exceptionalism
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Theoretical Physicist Admits That Humans Are Unique

In his forthcoming book, Marcelo Gleiser challenges us to acknowledge our responsibility to save the planet
Denyse O'Leary
September 16, 2023
6
Cosmology, Environment, Human exceptionalism

Yesterday, I noted a new book by Durham University philosophy professor Philip Goff, Why? The Purpose of the Universe (Oxford University Press, 2023). Notwithstanding his choice of topic, Goff is a panpsychist, not an intelligent design theorist. He originally tried approaching the massive evidence for the fine-tuning of the universe by supposing that there must be a very large number of flopped universes out there (multiverse theory). But he realized that that assumption is simply pulled out of thin air. We have no evidence for the existence or conditions of any other universe. So he is now working with the assumption that the universe is itself conscious in some sense. Significantly, Goff is given a respectful hearing despite having touched Read More ›

aerial-view-of-farming-tractor-plowing-and-spraying-on-field-stockpack-adobe-stock
Aerial view of farming tractor plowing and spraying on field
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post
Author
News
Date
August 28, 2023
Categorized
Environment
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Are Synthetic Pesticides Actually Good for Crops?

Josh Gilder thinks that government policies relating to pesticides are leading to declining crop yields
News
August 28, 2023
2
Environment

Starting with the premise that any substance can be poisonous depending on the dose, Josh Gilder, founding partner of Reach Global Strategies argues that government policies related to synthetic pesticides, GMOs, and organic farming is reducing years of massive gains in agricultural production and is leading to declining crop yields and malnutrition. (REGISTER NOW FOR COSM 2023) COSM is an exclusive national summit on the technologies remaking the world as we know it. The mission of the conference is to stimulate debate and deliberation amongst industry leaders, illuminating the synergy between Seattle and the world and providing a scene of civilized conversation and exchange. (REGISTER NOW FOR COSM 2023) We’ve been sharing a number of lectures from past COSM conferences. This Read More ›

diversity-and-inclusion-hands-of-peace-women-uniting-for-social-justice-stockpack-adobe-stock
diversity and inclusion hands of peace. women uniting for social justice
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post
Author
Wesley J. Smith
Date
August 16, 2023
Categorized
Environment, Human exceptionalism
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Humanity is Not a Terminal Illness

Anti-humanism has been part of the environmentalist movement for decades
Wesley J. Smith
August 16, 2023
4
Environment, Human exceptionalism

Anti-humanism has been part of the environmentalist movement for decades. For example, as far back as the 1970s, Canadian green radical David Suzuki denigrated humans as “maggots” that walk around “defecating on the planet.” When offered a chance to take that back in an interview ten years ago, Suzuki refused. Even the staid David Attenborough proclaimed us to be “a plague on the earth.” This deep misanthropy continues to spread. Now, a new book — Homo Ecophagus — argues that we are a “cancer” that will make ourselves extinct. From an interview of the author Dr. Warren Hern, in Slate: It’s not an analogy; nobody ever died from an analogy. It’s a diagnosis, and that’s different. The diagnosis is the same as the hypothesis. . . . This Read More ›

yosemite-firefall-stockpack-adobe-stock
Yosemite Firefall
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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 ›

instagram-filter-himalaya-mountains-nepal-stockpack-adobe-stock
instagram filter Himalaya mountains nepal
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post
Author
News
Date
May 12, 2023
Categorized
Addiction, Environment
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Boy Scouts and Tech Addiction

You can't mimic the reality compared to what you see on the screen
News
May 12, 2023
2
Addiction, Environment

The Boy Scouts of America once enjoyed a booming membership. But over the last decade especially, due to some policy changes, abuse scandals, and a giant lawsuit, the once great organization has seen a colossal decline. In last week’s podcast, Robert J. Marks sat down with former Boy Scout leader and his cousin Kent Marks. Together they talked about the tragic decline in the Boy Scouts program, which coincides with the enduring need to help boys navigate the many distractions and difficulties of growing up in a digitally mediated world. Today, Kent continues to lead boys on wilderness expeditions and believes that getting guys away from the screens and into the beauty of the outdoors is a key to their Read More ›

wheat-field-ears-of-golden-wheat-closeup-harvest-concept-stockpack-adobe-stock
Wheat field. Ears of golden wheat closeup. Harvest concept
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post
Author
News
Date
November 14, 2022
Categorized
Economics, Environment
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Pesticides Bad, organics good! But how do we know it’s true?

Thinking that pesticides are bad and organic is good is thinking is ingrained into our common wisdom. Few question it
News
November 14, 2022
4
Economics, Environment

Josh Gilder, who worked with the State Department and was a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan (1911–2004 ), opened by quoting the 16th century Swiss alchemist Paracelsus, who reportedly said “The dose makes the poison.” For example, a very small amount of arsenic will have “no detectable physiological effect on you whatsoever,” whereas drinking too much water can kill you. (Recall the woman who tragically died in the “Hold your Wee for a Wii” contest.) The body produces electricity but “you get hit by a lightning bolt, you’re dead,” Gilder explained. These and innumerable other examples confirm the wisdom of Paracelsus.The relevance for us today, Gilder explained, is that many chemicals that are regulated or even banned — due to their Read More ›

human-hand-is-holding-electric-car-charging-connect-to-electric-car-stockpack-adobe-stock
Human hand is holding Electric Car Charging connect to Electric car
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post
Author
News
Date
September 13, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Environment, Self-Driving Cars
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Cars of the Future Will Offer “Electrifying” Rides — Guaranteed

Electric car expert Tony Posawatz will be speaking about new industry developments at COSM 2022
News
September 13, 2022
4
Business and Finance, Environment, Self-Driving Cars

After forty years in the car business, professional engineer Tony Posawatz, is optimistic about the future of electric vehicles (EVs). At Forbes, he was mooted to replace Elon Musk at Tesla in 2018. Well, one thing Posawatz would not do is jump into an expensive catfight with… Twitter. He is wholly focused on ACES, as it is called: Autonomous, Connected, Electric & Shared vehicles, as the future of private transportation. Go here to get the Early Adopter rate before September 15. Current CEO of Invictus iCAR, a consulting firm that specializes in making cars leaner, meaner, and greener, Posawatz describes himself as “known for championing award-winning products and electrifying rides.” His interests and achievements span many automotive areas: “His product/general Read More ›

stack-of-ether-or-ethereum-coins-eth-coinnew-virtual-moneyphysical-coins-cryptocurrency-mining-and-trading-concept-stockpack-adobe-stock
Stack of ether or ethereum coins. ETH Coin.New Virtual Money.Physical coins. Cryptocurrency mining and trading concept.
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post
Author
News
Date
September 13, 2022
Categorized
Cryptocurrency, Environment
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Ethereum Moves From Mining to Staking This Month

As there came to be more and more “eth” in the world, the puzzles computers had to solve got very much harder, consuming vast energy resources
News
September 13, 2022
15
Cryptocurrency, Environment

In this first part of “Staking and Liquidity on Web3”, the fifth episode of the podcast series between computer engineering prof Robert J. Marks and engineers Austin Egbert and Adam Goad, look at upcoming changes in mining — how cryptocurrency is produced. In Episode 4, the discussion centered on what a decentralized crypto financial system would look like and on challenging new concepts like flash loans and smart contracts. Dr. Marks is the director of the Walter Bradley Center. https://mindmatters.ai/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Mind-Matters-203-Adam-Goad-Austin-Egbert.mp3 A partial transcript, notes, and Additional Resources follow. Robert J. Marks: Like gold, cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Ethereum is mined, at least so far. Mining becomes harder and harder as more gold is mined… finding fresh gold deposits becomes more Read More ›

Chinese microchip
Macro image of a motherboard with the inscription
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post
Author
News
Date
September 12, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Economics, Environment, Ethics, Politics
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How Safe Is Our Tech If It Depends on Non-Free Nations?

Europe’s energy woes, in the wake of the Russia–Ukraine war, should spur us to take the question seriously
News
September 12, 2022
4
Business and Finance, Economics, Environment, Ethics, Politics

Keith Krach, former chairman and CEO of Docusign, the app that enables you to conveniently buy a house in Delaware while selling one in Oregon, is speaking at COSM (November 9–11 in Seattle). Docusign was of immense help during the COVID pandemic when in-person transactions were often impractical, illegal, or just impossible. Go here to get the Early Adopter rate before September 15. Krach, former Under Secretary of State and current Chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University, has been thinking a good deal about our future and new technology. He is committed to the importance of rehoming technology Americans need in the United States, as he told Fierce Electronics recently: Our adversaries, starting with the Read More ›

humanoid-head-as-concept-for-artificial-intelligence-future-generations-of-humans-technology-singularity-cyberlife-and-digitally-created-personas-stockpack-adobe-stock
humanoid head as concept for Artificial Intelligence, future generations of humans, technology singularity, cyberlife and digitally created personas
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post
Author
News
Date
August 4, 2022
Categorized
Biology, Environment, Ethics
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Could We Really Increase Human IQ via Genetic Engineering?

One suggested approach is to only implant “intelligent” human embryos and discard the rest, to avoid editing individual genes
News
August 4, 2022
4
Biology, Environment, Ethics

At Big Think, we have been told by the managing editor, in a tone of considerable confidence: Because intelligence is such a strong genetic trait, rapidly advancing genetics research could result in the ability to create a class of super-intelligent humans one-thousand times higher in IQ than today’s most brilliant thinkers. Stephen Hsu, Vice-President for Research and Professor of Theoretical Physics at Michigan State University, believes we are only a decade away from identifying the many thousands of genetic variants that control for intelligence. These variants, called alleles, could then be selected for by the parents of a soon-to-be-conceived child, and possibly genetic engineering could be done on adults to boost their intelligence. Orion Jones, “Genetic Engineering Will Create Super-Intelligent Read More ›

statue-of-gaia-stockpack-adobe-stock
Statue of Gaia
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post
Author
News
Date
July 31, 2022
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Philosophy of Mind, Religion
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Pioneer Environmentalist: Cyborgs Will Rule the Planet

In one of his last pieces, James Lovelock, famous for the Gaia Hypotheses argues that half-human/half-machines will be vastly superior to humans
News
July 31, 2022
6
Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Philosophy of Mind, Religion

It might seem odd that a pioneer figure in the environment awareness movement would embrace part-human/part-machine cyborgs. But in 2019, James Lovelock (1919–2022) — one of the originators of the Gaia Hypothesis (that the whole planet can be thought of as a single organism) — wrote that cyborgs would inherit the Earth in the “coming age of hyperintelligence.” Nautilus draws attention to his thoughts on the topic, in recognition of his death on July 26 at 103. In an essay adapted from Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence (2019), Lovelock writes, Our reign as sole understanders of the cosmos is rapidly coming to an end. We should not be afraid of this. The revolution that has just begun may be Read More ›

alien-planet-with-moons-stockpack-adobe-stock
Alien Planet with Moons
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post
Author
News
Date
June 25, 2022
Categorized
Environment, Science Fiction
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Could Real Planets Be Like the Sci-Fi Ones?

The hive mind works well on Earth. Could global consciousness work on Pandora in Avatar (2009)?
News
June 25, 2022
7
Environment, Science Fiction

Last month we looked at some really strange planets astronomers have discovered outside our solar system. Which prompts a question: Could some of the odd planets known to science fiction exist in the actual universe, given its laws? How about Tatooine from Star Wars which orbits “two scorching suns”? Part of a binary star system, the planet orbited two scorching suns, resulting in the world lacking the necessary surface water to sustain large populations. As a result, many residents of the planet instead drew water from the atmosphere via moisture farms. The planet also had little surface vegetation. It was the homeworld to the native Jawa and Tusken Raider species and of Anakin and Luke Skywalker, who would go on Read More ›

ai-machine-learning-hands-of-robot-and-human-touching-on-big-data-network-connection-background-science-and-artificial-intelligence-technology-innovation-and-futuristic-stockpack-adobe-stock
AI, Machine learning, Hands of robot and human touching on big data network connection background, Science and artificial intelligence technology, innovation and futuristic.
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
June 25, 2022
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Science Fiction
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Transcendence Review, Part 2: Spoonful of Water with the Nanotech

When Will — now an AI — “possesses” a tradesman so that he can touch his wife Evelyn again, Evelyn begins to have second thoughts…
Gary Varner
June 25, 2022
7
Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Science Fiction

Last Saturday, we reviewed reviewed the first half of Transcendence (2014); now, wrapping up, here are some final thoughts. Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) builds her now-AI husband Will (Johnny Depp) his facility, and he begins a variety of experiments using nanotech for rejuvenation. Things seem to be going well enough until a construction worker is mugged outside the facility. Will witnesses the mugging through the cameras and Evelyn has the man brought inside where Will heals his wounds using the tech developed on site. Things seem to be going well… at first. But two problems arise. First, Will allows a video of him healing the man to circulate so that he can attract others to the facility. Second, he puts a Read More ›

data-stockpack-adobe-stock
Data.
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post
Author
News
Date
June 2, 2022
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Physics, Science
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World’s Fastest Computer Breaks Into the Exascale

How fast? “If each person on Earth completed one calculation per second, it would take more than 4 years to do what an exascale computer can do in 1 second.”
News
June 2, 2022
4
Artificial Intelligence, Environment, Physics, Science

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee announced earlier this week that its Frontier Supercomputer, having broken the exascale barrier, is the world’s fastest. It can do more than a quintillion calculations per second: The Frontier supercomputer at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory earned the top ranking today as the world’s fastest on the 59th TOP500 list, with 1.1 exaflops of performance. The system is the first to achieve an unprecedented level of computing performance known as exascale, a threshold of a quintillion calculations per second. Frontier features a theoretical peak performance of 2 exaflops, or two quintillion calculations per second, making it ten times more powerful than ORNL’s Summit system. News, “Frontier supercomputer Read More ›

multiracial-group-with-black-african-american-caucasian-and-asian-hands-holding-each-other-wrist-in-tolerance-unity-love-and-anti-racism-concept-stockpack-adobe-stock
multiracial group with black african American Caucasian and Asian hands holding each other wrist in tolerance unity love and anti racism concept
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 22, 2022
Categorized
Environment, Ethics, Philosophy of Mind
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Prof: We Shouldn’t Necessarily Value Humans Over Other Animals

New York University environmentalism prof Jeff Sebo argues that humans are not always rational and that some animals display mental qualities so we aren’t exceptional
Denyse O'Leary
May 22, 2022
5
Environment, Ethics, Philosophy of Mind

New York University environmentalism prof Jeff Sebo, co-author of Chimpanzee Rights (2018), sees human exceptionalism (the idea that there is something unique about human beings) as a danger to humans and other life forms. He does not think that we should necessarily prioritize humans over animals: Most humans take this idea of human exceptionalism for granted. And it makes sense that we do, since we benefit from the notion that we matter more than other animals. But this statement is still worth critically assessing. Can we really justify the idea that some lives carry more ethical weight than others in general, and that human lives carry more ethical weight than nonhuman lives in particular? And even if so, does it Read More ›

algae-biofuel-tube-in-biotech-laboratory-photobioreactor-in-lab-algae-fuel-biofuel-industry-stockpack-adobe-stock
algae biofuel tube in biotech laboratory, Photobioreactor in lab algae fuel biofuel industry
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post
Author
News
Date
May 19, 2022
Categorized
Environment, Global Technology
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Researchers Fuel a Microprocessor Using Power From Seaweed

When they photosynthesize, algae produce a current that can be captured and used to power a small device
News
May 19, 2022
3
Environment, Global Technology

It may seem odd that algae (seaweed) can power an electronic device. Cambridge researchers recently powered a microprocessor continuously for over a year using a common type of blue-green algae (Synechocystis), providing them with light and water. They suggest that algae might be able to provide power to small devices. Here’s how it works: Some advantages of algae, according to the researchers: ● Because algae use light as their energy source to produce a tiny electrical current, they don’t “run down,” like batteries. ● Systems for using algae to produce current can be made from “common, inexpensive and largely recyclable materials” according to the researchers, Paulo Bombelli et al., who developed the test device. Its main use is seen to Read More ›

Pinterest Logo Icon Around Earth. Popular App Concept.
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post
Author
Caitlin Bassett
Date
April 12, 2022
Categorized
Censorship, Environment, Social Media
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Pinterest Bans Climate Change “Misinformation”

Pinterest might be the first company to implement such a strict ban, but what if it's not the last?
Caitlin Bassett
April 12, 2022
6
Censorship, Environment, Social Media

Last week, Pinterest banned climate change misinformation from its platform, becoming the first major social media company to do so outright. The policy raises free speech concerns. Since not all scientists agree on the nature of climate change, what causes it, and what the solutions are, how is the issue to be discussed if alternate points of view are banned from public platforms? Pinterest is an image-sharing social media site, where users share ideas that they can “pin” to their own boards on everything from recipes to interior design to fashion. On April 6, Pinterest announced their new climate misinformation policy, aimed at “remov[ing] content that may harm the public’s well-being, safety or trust.” As of the policy announcement, any Read More ›

empty-colored-carbonated-drink-bottles-plastic-waste-stockpack-adobe-stock
Empty colored carbonated drink bottles. Plastic waste
Type
post
Author
News
Date
March 29, 2022
Categorized
Economics, Environment
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Urban Mining: Turning Urban Waste Into Valuable Products

Renowned synthetic chemist Jim Tour shows how we can turn discarded plastics into graphene, a product useful in industry
News
March 29, 2022
4
Economics, Environment

There’s a gold mine, so to speak, in the garbage but it takes a gifted chemist to develop processes that turn the trash to valuable industrial materials. At COSM 2021, James Tour talked about his team’s work in developing such processes: The Nanotech Revolution: Our Zero-Waste Energy Future (November 11, 2021) Dr. Jim Tour, Professor of Chemistry at Rice University, gives a riveting tour of how waste products can be converted to graphene, an extremely valuable material with a host of useful applications—from medical applications to new strong and lightweight materials to an energy source for zero CO2 emissions. Tour and his team have developed methods for turning carbon waste into graphene, an allotrope of carbon that can be stacked Read More ›