187 - Michael Levin: The New Era of Cognitive Biorobotics

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7

Michael Levin is a Distinguished Professor in the Biology Department at Tufts University, where he holds the Vannevar Bush endowed Chair, and he is also associate faculty at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. Michael and the Levin Lab work at the intersection of biology, artificial life, bioengineering, synthetic morphology, and cognitive science. Michael also appeared on the show in episode #151, which was all about synthetic life and collective intelligence. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss the nature of cognition, working with Daniel Dennett, how cognition can be realized by different structures and materials, how to define robots, a new class of robot called the Anthrobot, and whether or not we have moral obligations to biological robots.

The Levin Lab: https://drmichaellevin.org/

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:19 Introduction

02:14 What is Cognition?

08:01 On Working with Daniel Dennett

13:17 Gatekeeping in Cognitive Science 

25:15 The Multi-Realizability of Cognition 

31:30 What are Anthrobots? 

39:33 What Are Robots, Really?

59:53 Do We Have Moral Obligations to Biological Robots?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.