Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagConsciousness

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
Tagged
, , , , , ,

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 ›

human rights
Circle of paper people holding hands on pink surface. Community, brotherhood concept. Society and support.
Type
post
Author
Richard W. Stevens
Date
March 13, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , ,

Love Thy Robot as Thyself

Academics worry about AI feelings, call for AI rights
Richard W. Stevens
March 13, 2023
6
Artificial Intelligence

Riffing on the popular fascination with AI (artificial intelligence) systems ChatGPT and Bing Chat, two authors in the Los Angeles Times recently declared: We are approaching an era of legitimate dispute about whether the most advanced AI systems have real desires and emotions and deserve substantial care and solicitude. The authors, Prof. Eric Schwitzgebel at UC Riverside, and Henry Shevlin, a senior researcher at the University of Cambridge, observed AI thinkers saying “large neural networks” might be “conscious,” the sophisticated chatbot LaMDA “might have real emotions,” and ordinary human users reportedly “falling in love” with chatbot Replika.  Reportedly, “some leading theorists contend that we already have the core technological ingredients for conscious machines.”  The authors argue that if or when Read More ›

hands-stockpack-adobe-stock
hands
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
March 10, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture
Tagged
, , , , , , , , , , ,

Observing and Communing

What human art and literature do that AI can't
Peter Biles
March 10, 2023
5
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

AI image generators like Midjourney or DALL-E are generally adept at capturing the accuracy of the human form. The concerns over copyright, job infringement, and general degradation of the visual arts via such AI are ongoing concerns for many artists and practitioners. However, a new New Yorker article by Kyle Chayka identifies a noticeable flaw in AI artwork: human hands. Missing the Big Picture Chayka begins by recalling an art class where he was asked to draw his own hand. It’s an assignment for beginners, and as behooves a novice, tempts the artist to focus more on the specific contours of the hand instead of the overall structure and form. The forest gets lost in the trees, so to speak. Read More ›

brain-psychology-mind-soul-and-hope-concept-art-3d-illustration-surreal-artwork-imagination-painting-conceptual-idea-stockpack-adobe-stock
Brain psychology mind soul and hope concept art, 3d illustration, surreal artwork, imagination painting, conceptual idea
Type
post
Author
News
Date
March 9, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , ,

Blake Lemoine and Robert J. Marks on the Mind Matters Podcast

Marks and Lemoine discuss sentience in AI and the question of the soul
News
March 9, 2023
1
Artificial Intelligence

Robert J. Marks, director of the Walter Bradley Center for Natural & Artificial Intelligence, sat down with former Google employee Blake Lemoine, who made headlines last year when he claimed AI can be “sentient.” The claim also led to his departure from Google. The two had a fascinating conversation, to say the least. In today’s episode, they discuss whether AI can indeed become sentient, the non-computability of certain human traits, and the question of the soul. Marks and Lemoine couldn’t differ more on these fundamental points. Whereas Lemoine thinks AI can be sentient, Marks firmly rejects such a notion. In addition, Lemoine’s materialistic worldview controls his understanding of the brain, while Marks defends the existence of the immaterial mind. While Read More ›

conceptual-art-concept-of-problem-mind-psychology-freedom-and-solution-surreal-painting-jigsaw-puzzle-on-human-head-stockpack-adobe-stock
Conceptual art, concept of problem mind psychology freedom and solution, surreal painting, jigsaw puzzle on human head.
Type
post
Author
Michael Egnor
Date
March 8, 2023
Categorized
Philosophy of Mind
Tagged
, , , , , , , , , , ,

Kenneth Miller on Consciousness and Evolution

Despite Miller's claims, neither human reason nor free will evolved because neither are generated by material processes
Michael Egnor
March 8, 2023
8
Philosophy of Mind

Kenneth Miller is a biologist at Brown University who has been very active in his written and vocal support for Darwin’s theory of evolution. He’s neither a materialist nor an atheist – he is a Catholic, and in being one of the rare Darwinists who doesn’t subscribe wholeheartedly to the materialist/atheist paradigm, he allows himself to be used as a token theist by the Darwinists. It helps his career, no doubt, but doesn’t advance the truth. Not an admirable place to be. Miller’s New Book and What it Misses In his 2018 book The Human Instinct: How We Evolved To Have Reason, Consciousness, and Free Will, Miller manages a feat uncommon even for Darwinists – even the title of the Read More ›

mature-woman-having-scones-with-orange-jam-stockpack-adobe-stock
Mature woman having scones with orange jam
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
March 7, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , , ,

AI and “Qualia,” the Ability to Experience

Robert J. Marks writes on AI's limits in new article at Salvo
Peter Biles
March 7, 2023
3
Artificial Intelligence

Robert J. Marks wrote an article for the Spring Issue of Salvo Magazine on AI, covering his ideas on its “non-computability” in the areas of love, empathy, and creativity. The Quality of Qualia I was particularly intrigued by Marks’s thoughts on qualia, a term used to describe the multifaceted realm of sensory experience. We often report on AI’s inability to be creative here at Mind Matters, but what about experiencing the world through touch, smell, and sight? Qualia is related to the mystery of consciousness, another non-computable feature of human life, and according to Marks, is far out of the purview of AI capabilities. Marks writes about the experience of biting into an orange as an example: If the experience Read More ›

students-making-notes-stockpack-adobe-stock
Students making notes
Type
post
Author
Gary Smith
Date
March 6, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , , , , ,

Learning to Communicate

Why writing skills are so important, especially in today's artificial world
Gary Smith
March 6, 2023
6
Artificial Intelligence

Educators have been shaken by fears that students will use ChatGTP and other large language models (LLMs) to answer questions and write essays. LLMs are indeed astonishing good at finding facts and generating coherent essays — although the alleged facts are sometimes false and the essays are sometimes tedious BS supported by fake references. I am more optimistic than most. I am hopeful that LLMs will be a catalyst for a widespread discussion of our educational goals. What might students learn in schools that will be useful long after they graduate? There are many worthy goals, but critical thinking and communication skills should be high on any list. I’ve written elsewhere about how critical thinking abilities are important for students Read More ›

earth-at-night-from-outer-space-with-city-lights-on-north-america-continent-3d-rendering-illustration-earth-map-texture-provided-by-nasa-energy-consumption-electricity-industry-ecology-concepts-stockpack-adobe-stock
Earth at night from outer space with city lights on North America continent. 3D rendering illustration. Earth map texture provided by Nasa. Energy consumption, electricity, industry, ecology concepts.
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
March 3, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , , , ,

Robert J. Marks on The Laura Ingraham Show

In response to those who believe AI will take over the world, Marks says, "Look at history."
Peter Biles
March 3, 2023
3
Artificial Intelligence

Robert J. Marks, director of Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center, recently appeared on a podcast episode with Fox News host Laura Ingraham to talk about artificial intelligence, tech, and Dr. Marks’s book Non-Computable You: What You Do That AI Never Will. Ingraham prefaced the conversation with some thoughts on the rapidly evolving technological world we find ourselves in, and the changes such developments are inflicting on society. In response to the futurism and unbounded optimism in AI systems like ChatGPT that many modern figures hold, Marks said that what computers do is strictly algorithmic, This leads us to the idea of whether or not there are non-computable characteristics of human beings, and I think there is growing evidence that there Read More ›

person on the precipice
Man standing in a high place looking up in wonder to the Milky Way galaxy. Small silhouette of a man under the Milky Way and the magical starry sky. Concept of human smallness.
Type
post
Author
News
Date
March 2, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , ,

Time for Artificial General Intelligence? Not So Fast, OpenAI

OpenAI CEO is ambitious about the company's direction, but are his hopes profoundly misguided?
News
March 2, 2023
2
Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is ambitious about his company’s future, promising the world that they are developing “artificial general intelligence” (AGI) that will supposedly compete with human intelligence, per a recent Futurism piece. However, the ambition is misguided. Or more than that, the ambition is simply delusional. AI is “not even close” to attaining the creativity and intelligence of human beings, and Altman shouldn’t be parading OpenAI products as if it is. Victor Tangermann writes, In reality, however, LLMs have a very long way to go until they’re able to compete with the intellect of a human being — which is why several experts are calling foul on Altman’s recent blog post, calling it meaningless and misleading. After all, AGI Read More ›

artificial-intelligence-sentient-ai-thinking-for-itself-using-computational-data-and-a-human-like-sense-of-consciousness-and-conscience-generative-ai-stockpack-adobe-stock
Artificial intelligence - sentient AI thinking for itself using computational data and a human-like sense of consciousness and conscience. Generative AI
Type
post
Author
News
Date
March 1, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , , , ,

Ex-Googler Blake Lemoine Still Thinks AI is Sentient

Lemoine posits that because AI can appear to act anxious and stressed, it can be assumed to be sentient
News
March 1, 2023
1
Artificial Intelligence

Blake Lemoine, who formerly worked for Google, has doubled down on his claim that AI systems like LaMDA and Chat-GPT are “sentient.” Lemoine went public on his thoughts on sentience in The Washington Post last June with his bold claim, and since parting ways with Google, has not backed down on his beliefs. Lemoine posits that because AI can appear to act anxious and stressed, it can be assumed to be sentient. Maggie Harrison writes at Futurism, An interesting theory, but still not wholly convincing, considering that chatbots are designed to emulate human conversation — and thus, human stories. Breaking under stress is a common narrative arc; this particular aspect of machine behavior, while fascinating, seems less indicative of sentience, Read More ›

cyborg eye
Human android cyborg eye futuristic control protection personal internet security access.Concept robot dna system, future scientific technology innovation science. Blue polygonal vector
Type
post
Author
Peter Biles
Date
February 28, 2023
Categorized
Arts & Culture
Tagged
, , , , , , , ,

Klara and the Sun: A Review

The sci-fi bestseller asks us: can machines become humans?
Peter Biles
February 28, 2023
5
Arts & Culture

Klara and the Sun is novelist Kazuo Ishiguro’s latest novel, a dystopian story told through the lens of an “artificial friend” (AF) named Klara. Ishiguro is known for his provocative speculative fiction, including the novels Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day. Klara and the Sun similarly alludes to a dark, post-industrial, futuristic world, but it is told through the innocent lens of an artificial mind, highlighting the vestiges of human behavior and brokenness in ways that perhaps an “ordinary” narrator might not be able to manage. The novel starts out with Klara on display in a store waiting to be purchased. Eventually, she’s chosen by a girl named Josie and her mother, and thus begins her Read More ›

artfcal
Type
post
Author
Gary Smith
Date
February 27, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , ,

Let’s Take the “I” Out of AI

Large language models, though impressive, are not the solution. They may well be the catalyst for calamity.
Gary Smith
February 27, 2023
7
Artificial Intelligence

When OpenAI’s text generator, ChatGPT, was released to the public this past November, the initial reaction was widespread astonishment. Marc Andreessen described it as, “Pure, absolute, indescribable magic.” Bill Gates said that the creation of ChatGPT was as important as the creation of the internet. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, said that, “ChatGPT is one of the greatest things ever created in the computing industry.” Conversations with ChatGPT are, indeed, very much like conversations with a super-intelligent human. For many, it seems that the 70-year search for a computer program that could rival or surpass human intelligence has finally paid off. Perhaps we are close to the long-anticipated singularity where computers improve rapidly and autonomously, leaving humans far behind, Read More ›

Screenshot 2023-02-24 133413 Robert Marks take 2
Type
post
Author
News
Date
February 24, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , , ,

Robert J. Marks Appears On “The Agenda”

Watch Dr. Marks engage with two leading artificial intelligence thinkers on "The Agenda"
News
February 24, 2023
1
Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Robert J. Marks, director of the Walter Bradley Center, appeared on a segment of “The Agenda” recently to speak on the topic of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT. He was joined with Melanie Mitchell of the Sante Fe Institute and MIT’s Max Tegmark. Hosted by Steve Paikin, the three discussed the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human in a technological age, as well as the perennial question of consciousness. You can watch the entire conversation on YouTube: Dr. Marks had the opportunity to discuss some of the key themes he discusses in his book Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will, contending that AI, while it has benefits, does not Read More ›

human eye
close up view of human eye looking away in darkness, panoramic shot
Type
post
Author
News
Date
February 21, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , ,

“Non-Computable You” Reviewed in The Federalist

Marks explains what makes human beings unique, and therefore why no computer will ever match all human capabilities.
News
February 21, 2023
1
Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Robert J. Marks’ book Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will got a shout-out and a well-written review over at The Federalist today. David Weinberger writes, Ever wonder whether computers will one day be capable of doing everything that human beings can? If so, pick up the recent book by engineer and computer scientist Dr. Robert J. Marks: “Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will.” Marks explains what makes human beings unique, and therefore why no computer will ever match all human capabilities. To be sure, computers excel humans at many tasks — but only tasks that are “algorithmic,” or that entail step-by-step instructions to complete, such as calculating probabilities, retrieving information, or Read More ›

lightbult brain
Brain Flourescent Light Bulb
Type
post
Author
News
Date
February 14, 2023
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence
Tagged
, , , , , , , , , ,

Will AI Ever Achieve Consciousness?

A former Facebook executive thinks so, assuming progress will eventually get us there
News
February 14, 2023
2
Artificial Intelligence

John Carmack, a former Facebook executive who famously expressed doubts over Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious metaverse project, thinks AI is “on the cusp” of simulating the human brain. Per a report from Futurism, Carmack sat down with Dallas Innovates and talked about the possibilities of AI, as well as its prime obstacle: an inconvenient thing called consciousness. Carmack said, The thing we don’t yet have is sort of the consciousness, the associative memory, the things that have a life and goals and planning. I mean, forget human brains; we don’t even have things that can act like a mouse or a cat.” Despite the far-off dream of developing consciousness in AI, Carmack thinks it’s plausible, given the great strides we’ve seen Read More ›

lost-and-confused-man-walks-puzzled-on-a-penrose-triangle-perplexed-person-looks-disoriented-ahead-dont-know-which-way-to-choose-surreal-and-conceptual-scene-mental-maze-optical-illusion-stockpack-adobe-stock
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
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
January 8, 2023
Categorized
Mathematics, Philosophy of Mind, Physics
Tagged
, , , , , , , ,

Nobelist Roger Penrose Talks About His Impossible Triangle

At Closer to Truth, the mathematical physicist explains to Robert Lawrence Kuhn how he understands the relationship between mathematics, the mind, and the physical world
Denyse O'Leary
January 8, 2023
8
Mathematics, Philosophy of Mind, Physics

Last month, Robert Lawrence Kuhn interviewed eminent British mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose on the relationship between mathematics, the mind, and the physical universe (December 9, 2022/32:00 min). Penrose likes to illustrate the relationship between the three with an “impossible” triangle (see below). Here are a couple of transcribed selections from the first part of the discussion in Part 1*, concerning the Penrose Triangle, with some notes: Robert Lawrence Kuhn: Let’s start with your grand metaphysical framework, your three worlds — three mysteries: the physical world, the mental world, the platonic or mathematical world — each connected to the other two in your famous diagram of an equilateral triangle. What’s the origin of this vision of yours of foundational reality? Read More ›

evolving-soul-geometry-stockpack-adobe-stock
Evolving Soul Geometry
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
January 4, 2023
Categorized
Philosophy of Mind
Tagged
, , , , , , ,

Brain Scientist: Consciousness Didn’t Evolve. It Creates Evolution

With a tremor in his voice, Donald Hoffman tells Robert Lawrence Kuhn that even the Big Bang must be understood in a universe where consciousness is fundamental
Denyse O'Leary
January 4, 2023
10
Philosophy of Mind

In a recent episode of Closer to Truth, Robert Lawrence Kuhn interviewed University of California cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman on a challenging topic, “Why did consciousness emerge? (7:41 min, December 10, 2022): There was a time when there was no consciousness in our universe. Now there is. What caused consciousness to emerge? Did consciousness develop in the same way that, say, the liver or the eye developed, by random mutation and fitness selection during evolution? Inner experience seems to be radically different from anything else. Are we fooling ourselves? Donald Hoffman is the author of Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See and coauthor of Observer Mechanics: A Formal Theory Of Perception (Norton, 2000) A partial transcript and some Read More ›

zen-garden-meditation-stone-background-with-stone-and-lines-in-sand-for-relaxation-balance-and-harmony-spirituality-or-spa-wellness-stockpack-adobe-stock
zen garden meditation stone background with stone and lines in sand for relaxation balance and harmony spirituality or spa wellness
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
January 1, 2023
Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Science
Tagged
, , , , , , , , ,

Philosopher: I Accept Dualism But Don’t Believe in the Soul

David Chalmers, whose background is in physics, talks to Robert Lawrence Kuhn at Closer to Truth about his struggle to accept that the mind is immaterial
Denyse O'Leary
January 1, 2023
10
Philosophy of Mind, Science

David Chalmers, the New York University philosopher who coined the term “Hard Problem of Consciousness” was willing to take the risk of openly identifying as a dualist — that is, he believes that, on evidence, the human mind is immaterial. On that view, widely accepted worldwide, the human being has a dual nature: a material body and an immaterial mind. But Chalmers draws the line at believing in the existence of a soul. Here is his discussion at Closer to Truth with Robert Lawrence Kuhn, “Is the ‘Soul’ Immortal?” (May 4, 2021, 9:06 min): The claim that human beings have or are an ‘immortal soul’ goes back to the ancient Greeks, if not further. In a pre-scientific world, it would Read More ›

a-salesperson-working-in-an-office-on-a-virtual-call-stockpack-unsplash
A salesperson working in an office on a virtual call
Type
podcast
Author
Wesley J. Smith and Robert J. Marks
Date
November 10, 2022
Tagged
, , , , , , , , , , ,

Can a Computer Be a Person?

Wesley J. Smith and Robert J. Marks
November 10, 2022
1

Are we on the verge of the era of machines? Is AI destined to supplant most human endeavors and activities? Can a computer be deemed a person? And if so, should that computer be granted rights as part of the moral community? Will we ever attain immortality by uploading our minds into computers as transhumanists predict? And what the heck Read More ›

quantum-nuclear-fusion-entanglement-3d-representation-stockpack-adobe-stock
Quantum Nuclear Fusion Entanglement, 3d Representation
Type
post
Author
News
Date
November 6, 2022
Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Physics
Tagged
, , , ,

As Conscious Observers, Do We Help Create Our World?

That’s the big question in quantum mechanics, as science communicator Elizabeth Fernandez explains
News
November 6, 2022
4
Philosophy of Mind, Physics

Elizabeth Fernandez asks whether there is “something unique” about the fact that we are conscious observers of our world. Interesting question. Inanimate objects don’t “observe” anything. If the inanimate objects are equipment that we have designed and produced, they may record observations for us that our senses could not make on their own. But they are still our observations because we can understand and interpret them. What about a dog’s observations? Along the lines of what he understands, they may be pretty good. He can pick up the scent of a hare with considerable precision and he is likely quite conscious of what that means and what to do abut it. But dog consciousness has its limits. He not only Read More ›