Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagArts & Culture

galactic-space-elements-of-this-image-furnished-by-nasa-stockpack-adobe-stock
Galactic Space Elements of this image furnished by NASA
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
June 10, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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The Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Part 3

This movie isn't the best in the trilogy, but it should be doing better than it is at the box office
Gary Varner
June 10, 2023
9
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Previously, we talked about how Rocket Raccoon was injured during a fight with Adam Warlock, and this event sent the Guardians on a quest to save their friend. They manage to fix Rocket, and along the way, the viewer learns about the raccoon’s past. However, now that Rocket has healed from his injuries, Peter, Gamora, and Groot must save Nebula, Mantis, and Drax from the High Evolutionary, since they snuck onto his ship. The High Evolutionary demands that Peter trade Rocket for the three stowaways and sends Peter his coordinates. Peter hatches a plan with the remaining Guardians and some of his fellow Ravagers from the previous films. Meanwhile, Mantis, Nebula, and Drax discover there are children in cages inside Read More ›

one-ring-to-rule-them-all-stockpack-adobe-stock
One Ring to Rule Them All
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post
Author
News
Date
May 24, 2023
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Arts & Culture
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Amazon Can’t Quit Cashing Tolkiens

Will Tolkien's original vision get lost in the details, CGI, and cash cow maneuvers?
News
May 24, 2023
2
Arts & Culture

Amazon is now working on a massively multiplayer online (MMO) video game adaptation of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings universe, which will be unrelated to the Prime TV show Rings of Power. Todd Spangler at Variety reports, Last year, Amazon Games cut a deal with Embracer-owned studio Crystal Dynamics for a new multiplatform title in the “Tomb Raider” series . Hartmann praised the Embracer team as “excellent collaborators.” “The world of Middle-earth continues to prove an endlessly fertile ground for creators, and Amazon Games has a passion for building immersive, compelling worlds and publishing games for a global audience,” said Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode, Embracer’s division that houses Middle-earth Enterprises. “We’re taking every care to deliver an MMO which will do justice Read More ›

audiobook-education-smartphone-screen-with-audiobook-application-on-paper-books-black-background-ebook-e-learning-electronic-internet-mobility-concept-stockpack-adobe-stock
Audiobook education. Smartphone screen with audiobook application on paper books black background. Ebook e learning electronic internet mobility concept.
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post
Author
News
Date
May 23, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture
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Audiobook Voice Actor: Storytelling Should Stay Human

Handing the narrative baton to a machine can bankrupt stories of their human element
News
May 23, 2023
2
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

New AI systems have carved inroads into many industries, not least of all those involving voice and audio. Now the audiobook business is in trouble; since AI has the increasingly good ability to mimic the human voice and generate words, many voice actors and readers have watched the demand for their contributions steadily fall. According to a report from Tech Explore, voice actor Tanya Eby, who has been in the business for 20 years, has seen her workload drop “by half.” Several of her colleagues report similar trends in their own work. AI startups like DeepZen, based in London, cheapen audiobook projects tremendously, making it a challenge for human actors to stay viable. DeepZen technology takes several different human voices Read More ›

office-building-top-view-background-in-retro-style-colors-manhattan-buildings-of-new-york-city-center-wall-street-stockpack-adobe-stock
Office building top view background in retro style colors. Manhattan buildings of New York City center - Wall street
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
May 21, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Transhumanism
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HBO’s “Succession” Goes Transhumanist

The popular show about a family owned media empire hints at the desire to live forever
Peter Biles
May 21, 2023
3
Arts & Culture, Transhumanism

[Warning: Spoilers Ahead] The highly-watched HBO show “Succession” tells the story of a media empire ruled by a cantankerous, manipulative businessman, Logan Roy, and his three children who are hardly any better. Most of the show is a commentary on the corrupting effects of wealth and the power dynamics involved in the media empire’s core leadership. In the dramatic fourth season, Logan Roy dies from what seems to be a stroke while he’s flying to Norway to discuss a giant merger deal with another media mogul. From there, the three Roy children, Kendall, Roman, and Shiv (along with a half-brother Connor who doesn’t care as much about his place in the kingdom) scramble to figure out the leadership, direction, and Read More ›

futuristic-dystopian-city-with-flying-cars-and-dark-green-atmosphere-digital-3d-illustration-stockpack-adobe-stock
Futuristic dystopian city with flying cars and dark green atmosphere - digital 3d illustration
Type
post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
May 20, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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Ghost in the Shell, Part 3

There will always be a ghost in the shell
Gary Varner
May 20, 2023
7
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

In the previous review, Major had realized the horrible truth. Ninety-eight people died so she could live in her new body. Horrified by this, she retreats to the ocean just outside the city and floats under the water for some time. When she emerges from the depths, she finds Batou waiting for her on the boat. Major asks if he’s here to kill her, and in his own charming way, Batou says tells her he’s not. After a brief conversation, Major asks Batou to take her back to the city because she needs to know more. Batou agrees and the Major returns to shore only to be arrested by the Hanka cooperation’s men. After this, Hanka’s CEO, Cutter, discuss the Read More ›

detail-of-dante-alighieri-statue-stockpack-adobe-stock
detail of Dante Alighieri statue
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
May 14, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture
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Make Literature Human Again

Should the AI novel be embraced or avoided?
Peter Biles
May 14, 2023
5
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

I’ve been writing avidly since the first grade. Thumbing through a children’s nature magazine in the classroom one day, I discovered a crisp image of a red fox standing in the snow. I’d seen pictures of foxes before, but something stood out to me about this one to the point that I felt like I needed to write about it. If you’re looking for advice on owning foxes as pets, see my manual on the topic. (Full disclosure: my first-grade self was absolutely convinced having a fox for a pet is out of the question.) Years later, that fundamental impulse hasn’t left. Writing stories, novels, essays, news reports, and poetry has always been a fundamental way to try to do Read More ›

technology-in-human-and-machine-concept-as-advanced-tech-or-robots-taking-over-humanity-and-people-merging-with-a-cyborg-or-computers-idea-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Technology in human and machine concept as advanced tech or robots taking over humanity and people merging with a cyborg or computers idea
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
May 13, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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Ghost in the Shell, Part 2

What’s the harm in human hacking?
Gary Varner
May 13, 2023
6
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

In the first review of Ghost in the Shell, the Major had just escaped Kuze’s attempt to hack her mind and had found his location. She, Batou, and another member of Section 9 rushed off to find Kuze before he could escape. Major tracks Kuze’s signal to a Yakuza club, and after fighting some thugs, they find the source of the signal in the basement level of the club, but Kuze isn’t there. All he’s left behind is a hologram which threatens them and disappears. Major then realizes the basement has been rigged to blow and pushes Batou out of the room. However, she isn’t fast enough. Major is caught in the explosion, and Batou looses his eyes in the Read More ›

new-york-2077-stockpack-adobe-stock
New York 2077
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
May 6, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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Ghost in the Shell, Part 1

It's the remake of arguably one of the most influential sci-fi moves in the genre
Gary Varner
May 6, 2023
6
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

[Warning: Spoilers ahead] In the last review, we discussed Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. That got me thinking of another movie starring Scarlett Johansson, the 2017 remake of Ghost in the Shell. The original Ghost in the Shell is arguably one of the more influential sci-fi movies in the genre. The dramatic visuals found in The Matrix have been attributed to the 1995 anime, and given the culture’s increasing fascination with AI, the concepts discussed in the original and the remake are more relevant now than when the anime was first released. Sadly, the 2017 remake was bogged down in a trite controversy regarding race-swapping which is when a character’s race is changed to appeal to American audiences. Read More ›

tokyo
Aerial view of Tokyo cityscape with Fuji mountain in Japan.
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
May 4, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
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Novelist Haruki Murakami: Writing Involves Trust

Writing powerful literature is a human endeavor written for a human audience
Peter Biles
May 4, 2023
4
Arts & Culture

I just finished a book by the renowned Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami called Novelist as a Vocation. Murakami is the author of 1Q84, Norwegian Wood, and Kafka on the Shore, among many others. As a young novelist myself, I wanted to learn a professional’s thoughts on the trade and also get a sense of his philosophy of writing, which in the age of AI, feels increasingly valuable. Most of the book was composed during or before 2015 but was just published last year, and is basically a compendium of essays on the novel-writing process, how Murakami got started, and the broader literary landscape. Connecting With Readers Murakami’s thoughts on his readership and audience particularly stood out to me. He confesses Read More ›

man in flames
Man and flames, inspired by Fahrenheit 451. Gegenrative AI.
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
April 21, 2023
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Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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Revisiting Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

How can we read and remember the past with the influx of digital noise and distraction?
Peter Biles
April 21, 2023
5
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Which one was right, Brave New World or 1984? Are we living in a hedonistic mirage or a totalitarian face-stamping global regime? The conversation over prophetic twentieth-century texts often homes in on these two admirable books, but another classic dystopian novel pokes its head from behind the curtain, asking to be regarded: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. It’s the riotous, mega-talented sci-fi writer’s most famous work (though I’d argue not quite his best) and follows the life of a fireman, Guy Montag, whose main job is not to squelch housefires but to burn books, and the houses that hold them. This fireman is a member of a brigade tasked with the destruction of literature. With the destruction of meaning. In the Read More ›

lonely-man-in-red-jacket-standing-by-the-lake-in-winter-with-transparent-woman-figure-standing-next-to-him-stockpack-adobe-stock
Lonely man in red jacket standing by the lake in winter, with transparent woman figure standing next to him
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
April 17, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Free will
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Escape from Spiderhead and the Question of Love

Is love more than a chemical reaction and are humans more than machines made of meat?
Peter Biles
April 17, 2023
4
Arts & Culture, Free will

Brave New World, a speculative work by British writer Aldous Huxley, explores a society where people are conditioned via drugs and genetic engineering to live stable, highly pleasurable, but totally meaningless lives. One pop of a pill, and negative feelings like sadness, anger, or envy vanish. In the brave new world, “everyone belongs to everyone else,” and pleasure supplants purpose. A Story for Our Age That book was written in 1932. Fast forward to the twenty-first century and another fictional work, albeit shorter, goes arguably even deeper than Huxley’s magnum opus. The short story Escape from Spiderhead by George Saunders is about a group of inmates being tested by mood-altering drugs in a facility nicknamed “Spiderhead” for its nebulous layout. Read More ›

run down hospital
Interior of an abandoned hospital corridor. Generative AI
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
April 5, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
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The Last of Us, Episode 9

Getting to the central moral question of the entire series
Gary Varner
April 5, 2023
8
Arts & Culture

The episode begins with another flashback, showing how Ellie was born. Then, we see that Joel and Ellie have finally reached Salt Lake City, and once there, the writers retell some of the classic scenes from the game. During these scenes, it becomes evident that the two characters are much closer now. I’d say the writers did manage to successfully transition Joel and Ellie from an adversarial partnership to a father-daughter like relationship. Before long; however, the two are disoriented by a flash grenade, and Joel is knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, he sees Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies, standing in a doorway with armed guards around her. They made it to the medical facility after all, but Read More ›

library with arches
Custom library
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
April 4, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture
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From One Author to an AI

What might John Steinbeck think of AI writing a novel?
Peter Biles
April 4, 2023
4
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

John Steinbeck was among the most prominent literary figures of the twentieth century, responsible for works such as The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and The Pearl. East of Eden, arguably his best work, is a sprawling novel about two families in the Salinas Valley in California and is often interpreted as a modern-day retelling of the book of Genesis, particularly the story of Cain and Abel. If we were to ask Steinbeck today about AI’s ability to write a good novel, what might the celebrated writer say? Well, an interview with Steinbeck from Paris Review, while it doesn’t have anything to do with computers or artificial intelligence, does reveal a significant aspect of Steinbeck’s own philosophy of writing Read More ›

snow capped forests
Snow capped forest in the Pyrenees
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post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
March 31, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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The Last of Us, Episodes 7 & 8

Another flashback for the critics followed by cannibalism
Gary Varner
March 31, 2023
7
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

To be blunt, it’s probably best to merge the reviews of episodes seven and eight because episode seven is a complete waste of time. Basically, Ellie moves Joel to an abandoned house and tries to take care of him. He tells her she needs to go back to Tommy’s and let him die, and she almost does it, but then she has a flashback. During the commentary for episode seven, the writers mention that they wanted to make a connection between this flashback and Ellie’s decision to save Joel. But I think the truth is they were more interested in devoting another episode to fanservice for the critics. In this flashback, Ellie remembers Riley, her friend who was attacked with Read More ›

jinx from arcane
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post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
March 30, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
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The Moral Genius of Arcane

The show reveals how pursuing knowledge for the sake of greater manipulation, power, and control can open the floodgates of chaos
Peter Biles
March 30, 2023
4
Arts & Culture

The 2021 show Arcane, based on the video game League of Legends, is fantastic. The animation style, writing, and world-building all merit its 100 percent scored rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Apart from its entertainment value, which is formidable, Arcane explores the pertinent themes of power, progress, and the promises and pitfalls of technological advancement. It does this without heavy-handedness, “instructing by delighting,” in the words of C.S. Lewis. A Powerful Civilization and a Chaotic Underworld The story takes place in the utopian city of Piltover, which prides itself on its innovations in science, technology, and infrastructure. On the lower edges of the city lies the unruly Zaun, an oppressed underworld overrun with crime and an addictive drug called “Shimmer.” The Read More ›

clock
Business times concept people walking overlay with time clock
Type
post
Author
News
Date
March 29, 2023
Categorized
Technology
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It’s About Time

The cliche phrase "time is money" needs to be subverted by better metaphors, according to Odell
News
March 29, 2023
2
Technology

Artist and writer Jenny Odell, author of the new book Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock, was recently interviewed by Wired. Odell’s 2019 book is called How to Do Nothing. In the interview, Odell discussed how the invention of the clock has altered the way people think about time, labor, and productivity. The cliche phrase “time is money” needs to be subverted by better metaphors, according to Odell, ones that emphasize meaning instead of mere activity. When she was asked how she avoided productivity “burnout” in her own writing life, Odell responded, If you’re not thinking of time as money, the other thing that you could be trying to find is meaning. That’s ultimately what I want out Read More ›

wyoming glory
Grand Tetons peak at sunrise with snake river overlook in Wyoming, US
Type
post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
March 25, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction
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The Last of Us, Episode 6

A tale of zombies and...communism?
Gary Varner
March 25, 2023
10
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Episode six starts out strong. We meet an elderly couple who has been living alone in Wyoming. Joel and Ellie break into their cabin and ask for directions in the rudest way possible—at gun point—which is a little over the top, and even the actors playing the couple seem to know it. As Joel sits beside the old pair, holding a gun and acting dour, the elderly man chats with him, sporting a bemused grin. Joel and Ellie get the directions they need and soon come across a group of men and women on horseback who hold them at gunpoint and check to see if they’re infected. Once it becomes clear that Joel and Ellie are fine, the riders ask Read More ›

looking at art
Rear view of a guy in his 30s looking at an art exhibition
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post
Author
News
Date
March 21, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture
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Artists and Writers Unite Against AI

New Guardian article highlights the artists and writers pushing back against AI
News
March 21, 2023
2
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

A new article from The Guardian covers the struggle of artists, writers, and other “creatives” who are pushing back against AI systems like Midjourney and ChatGPT, which they purport is starting to replace their viability. Betsy Reed writes, Poetry may still be a hard nut for AI to crack convincingly, but among the first to face a genuine threat to their livelihoods are photographers and designers. Generative software can produce images at the touch of the button, while sites like the popular NightCafe make “original”, data-derived artwork in response to a few simple verbal prompts. The first line of defence is a growing movement of visual artists and image agencies who are now “opting out” of allowing their work to Read More ›

woman reading book
a woman is reading a book and holding coffee
Type
post
Author
News
Date
March 17, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture
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ChatGPT and Personal Consciousness

AI vs. the human voice in literature and the arts
News
March 17, 2023
2
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

This week, Peter Biles, Writer & Editor for Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, wrote a piece for Salvo on ChatGPT and the uniqueness of the human voice in literature and the arts. Biles cites Christina Bieber Lake, professor of English at Wheaton College, from her book Beyond the Story: American Literary Fiction and the Limits of Materialism. Bieber Lake pushes back against the reductionistic worldview of Darwinistic materialism, appealing to the personal nature of the human being and the relationships we share together. Since a computer fails to practice personal consciousness, it also fails to create meaningful literature, which always involves two persons––one person speaking to another. Biles also cites Robert J. Marks’s essential book on the topic Read More ›

wheelchair-for-physical-assistance-at-nursing-home-close-up-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
wheelchair for physical assistance at nursing home, close up. Generative AI
Type
post
Author
Gary Varner
Date
March 16, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
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The Last of Us, Episode 3 (Part 3)

Romanticizing a murder-suicide distracts us from the story and suggests an approval of euthanasia
Gary Varner
March 16, 2023
7
Arts & Culture

In the previous review, we discussed the love story of Bill and Frank, and how it must’ve only been written to appease the critics because, while it stirred some controversy, it contributed nothing to the plot. We started out following Joel and Ellie across the countryside, but then, we were unexpectedly forced to watch an approximately forty-minute flashback that literally showed Bill and Frank’s entire cliché and boring life together. And before we can return to the real story, we must see how the two meet their untimely end. This final sequence starts out with Bill getting into a gunfight with some raiders who are all dying horribly at the hands of Bill’s various traps. At first, Bill seems to Read More ›