Lex Fridman Podcast #106 – Matt Botvinick: Neuroscience, Psychology, and AI at DeepMind
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Jul 3, 2020 Matt Botvinick, Director of Neuroscience Research at DeepMind, bridges neuroscience and AI with his expertise in cognitive psychology. He discusses how much of the brain remains a mystery and the environmental factors shaping cognition. The conversation delves into the prefrontal cortex's adaptability, the complexities of neuronal communication, and insights into meta-reinforcement learning. Botvinick also raises intriguing questions about AI's potential for human connection and the ethical implications of creating emotionally aware machines.
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Brain Understanding
- We understand the brain's high-level functions, but the neuronal mechanisms remain foggy.
- We've gotten better at identifying the brain's computations, but not how they're implemented.
Neuroscience and Psychology
- Neuroscience should study the brain's purpose, which is producing adaptive behavior from inputs.
- Psychology complements neuroscience by exploring the structure of behavior, while the latter seeks underlying mechanisms.
Genetics Metaphor
- Matt Botvinick uses the history of genetics to illustrate the value of metaphors in science.
- Mendelian genetics, with its concept of genes, predated the physical understanding of DNA.
