

#2184 - Sara Imari Walker
127 snips Aug 7, 2024
Sara Imari Walker, an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist, dives into the origins of life and artificial intelligence. She discusses assembly theory and its implications for understanding extraterrestrial life forms. The conversation shifts to rethinking intelligence, challenging human-centric views with examples from marine life. Ethical dilemmas surrounding artificial life and the potential for advanced civilizations are explored, culminating in reflections on human connection in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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Assembly Theory
- Assembly theory posits that the universe doesn't generate complex objects for free.
- Abundant, complex objects are likely created by life, including non-biological things.
Defining Life
- The conventional definition of life, a self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution, has limitations.
- Life likely involves universal physics principles and shouldn't be restricted to chemical phenomena.
Technology as Life
- Technology could be considered a life form that humans birth.
- Cities, with their complex systems and flows, resemble living organisms, integrating individual efforts.