Dr. Thomas Furness started the RATLAB, which was designed to explore innovative ideas in technology. All the employees are RATs (Rocking and Thinking). Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss the uses of virtual reality and other exciting new ideas in technology. Show Notes Additional Resources
What are the implications of artificial intelligence on theology? Will AI replace God? Robert J. Marks and Dr. John Lennox discuss artificial intelligence, theology, and Dr. Lennox’s book 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity. Show Notes Additional Resources
Much of the hype over artificial general intelligence seems to be based on false assumptions and presuppositions. Will robots become human? Robert J. Marks and Dr. John Lennox discuss artificial general intelligence, transhumanism, and Dr. Lennox’s book 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity. Show Notes Additional Resources
What will be the effects of artificial intelligence by the year 2084? Robert J. Marks and Dr. John Lennox discuss artificial general intelligence, threats and advantages of artificial intelligence, and Dr. Lennox’s book 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity. Show Notes Additional Resources
What do computer scientists say about the ability of machines to think? Alan Turing, the father of modern computer science, tackled the question in 1950 and proposed the Turing test as an answer. Is the Turing test important today? Can a deeper undertanding of intelligence be culled for the Turing test? Robert J. Marks discusses the Turing test, artificial intelligence, Read More ›
Experimenting with virtual reality led to the discovery of some unintended, but beneficial uses of VR. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss applications of virtual reality — including for pain management, medical training, and vision problems. Show Notes Additional Resources
Once virtual reality had been invented, new applications for it started appearing everywhere. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss the Human Interface Technology Lab, some of the applications of virtual reality, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Show Notes Additional Resources
The United States military had a major impact of the development of virtual reality. How did virtual reality even come to be invented? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss tactile displays, sensors, and the history of virtual reality. Show Notes Additional Resources
The late Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov offered a doctrine in contrast to the doctrine of Russian Army General Valery Gerasimov. Both doctrines were meant to improve the military stance of Russia on the world stage. Is Russia using these doctrines today? Robert J. Marks and Denise Simon discuss maskirovka, deepfakes, and the Primakov doctrine. Show Notes 00:48 | Introducing Read More ›
When one thinks of warfare, thoughts of killing people and breaking things come to mind. But there are also psychological aspects of war. Robert J. Marks and Denise Simon discuss the Gerasimov doctrine, cyber warfare, and misinformation. Show Notes 00:34 | Introducing Denise Simon, Senior Research / Intelligence Analyst for Foreign and Domestic Policy 01:24 | AI as part of Read More ›
Kurt Gödel toppled a tall tower of mathematical reasoning with publication of his work showing no formal system of math could be both complete and consistent. He also gave a mathematical proof of the existence of God. Is Gödel’s proof valid? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Selmer Bringsjord discuss mathematics, Kurt Gödel, and the ontological argument. Show Notes 01:05 | Read More ›
Recent discoveries about the brain have uncovered more of its complexity and changed what we thought we knew about it. Will more discoveries in the future change our views again? Robert J. Marks discusses neuroplasticity, restoring brain function through brain stimulation, and other fascinating discoveries about the human brain with Yuri Danilov. Show Notes 0:01:13 | Introducing Yuri Danilov, Senior Read More ›
Human biology is so finely tuned that less than a kilobyte of information can stop the world. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Daniel Andrés Díaz-Pachón discuss COVID-19, DNA, and information. Show Notes 01:09 | Introducing Dr. Daniel Andrés Díaz-Pachón, Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Biostatistics at the University of Miami and Senior Researcher at the Evolutionary Informatics Lab Read More ›
AI is starting to write and some of the copy reads quite well. Other writing is garbage. What’s the capability and limitation of writing by AI? Will AI ever write a novel that wins the Nobel Prize for Literature? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Selmer Bringsjord discuss creativity, artificial intelligence, and writing. Show Notes 00:37 | Introducing Selmer Bringsjord, Professor Read More ›
There are some who say immortality is available if we can upload our minds to a computer. This presupposes our minds are computable and can be duplicated by a computer. Are our minds computable? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Selmer Bringsjord discuss consciousness, cognition, and artificial intelligence. Show Notes 00:39 | Introducing Selmer Bringsjord, Professor — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Read More ›
The Turing test, developed by Alan Turing in 1950, is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour indistinguishable from a human. Many think that Turing’s proposal for intelligence, especially creativity, has been proven inadequate. Is the Lovelace test a better alternative? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Selmer Bringsjord discuss the Turing test, the Lovelace test, and machine Read More ›
The brain can also both adapt and heal itself. How can we facilitate this healing in patients with brain challenges? Can this healing be accelerated without brain surgery? Using stimulation to the tongue can result in incredible changes to brain functions. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Jonathan Sackier discuss brain trauma, healing and stimulation. Show Notes 01:11 | Introducing Dr. Read More ›
If you’re in a coma, can you still think? Some fascinating neuroscience research sheds light on the brain function of those in comas. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Michael Egnor discuss comas, brain function, and types of thought. Show Notes 00:29 | Introducing Dr. Michael Egnor, Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics at State University of New York, Stony Brook 00:58 Read More ›
If you lose all four of your limbs, are you still you? Most people would say yes. What if your brain were cut into two pieces? Would you still be you? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Michael Egnor discuss splitting the brain and the research of Roger Sperry. Show Notes 00:30 | Introducing Dr. Michael Egnor, Professor of Neurosurgery and Read More ›
There have been ongoing philosophical and theological arguments about free will vs. predestination. How do experiments on the human brain inform us on this question? Robert J. Marks discusses free will, free won’t, predestination, and the brain with Dr. Michael Egnor. Show Notes 00:40 | Introducing Dr. Michael Egnor, Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics at State University of New York, Read More ›