Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagRené Descartes

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The concept of the human brain. The right creative hemisphere versus the left logical hemisphere. Education, science and medical concept, illustration.

The Left Brain Delusion: Are We Steamrolling Human Agency?

The two hemispheres of our brain really do see the world differently

Techno-futurists love to dream up visions of the future. Invariably, these are worlds where everything is under control—where every problem has a solution, and the future unfolds exactly as planned. We do seem to be moving toward some sort of centralized loss of agency. But what’s distinctive about the techno-futurist vision is the belief that this is not only inevitable but wonderful. Self-driving cars eliminate wasted time in traffic; smart cities like Songdo or Masdar City adjust every streetlight and service in real-time to optimize efficiency. AI-driven healthcare, like the tools developed by Google’s DeepMind, promises to  pinpoint diagnoses. Automated finance uses algorithms to manage our money and secure our futures. Everything works, all the time. But doomsday visions flip Read More ›

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A low angle view of a statue of Rene Descartes against the historic building exterior, showcasing its intricate architecture and craftsmanship.

Discussing the Cartesian Error

What impact did the ideas of the philosopher René Descartes have on our modern conception of the mind/body problem? In today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor digs deeper into his conversation with Dr. Joshua Farris, discussing Thomistic dualism, materialistic explanations for consciousness, and the inevitability of metaphysics.  Additional Resources