Parker's Pensées

Dr. Lenore Blum, mathematician, discusses the recent petition for AI researchers to study consciousness. They explore the Conscious Turing Machine model, pain and empathy in robots, information processing in the theater of consciousness, tacit knowledge in infants, and the limitations of AI and computational theories of mind.

Dr. Sven Nyholm discusses the ethics of technology and especially artificial intelligence, covering topics like instrumental vs. anthropological view of technology, technological determinism, ChatGPT and plagiarism, and exploring different perspectives on technology's agency and moral decisions.

Dr. Henry Taylor, a consciousness scholar from the University of Birmingham, dives deep into the philosophy of mind and consciousness. He navigates the intricate relationship between consciousness and personal identity while addressing ethical dilemmas posed by AI advancements. The conversation touches on historical philosophical perspectives and contemporary scientific debates, exploring how consciousness might be understood better through a blend of both fields. Taylor also reflects on the implications of synthetic biology and the ethical responsibilities tied to creating conscious beings.

Dr. Claudia Passos, an Assistant Professor of Bioethics with dual PhDs in psychology and philosophy, dives into the nuanced topic of consciousness in both infants and machines. She explores how we assess consciousness without verbal communication, discussing the challenges of infant pain perception and reflexive actions. The conversation also delves into philosophical theories of consciousness, including Integrated Information Theory, and raises ethical questions about AI's potential moral status. A fascinating blend of science and philosophy awaits!

Dr. Carlos Montemayor, an authority on the consciousness of non-linguistic human animals, dives deep into animal cognition. He explores whether animals, like bees and corvids, perceive time and make complex navigational decisions. The discussion even touches on canine intelligence and emotional bonds. Montemayor challenges the distinction between consciousness and intelligence, raising ethical questions about our treatment of conscious beings. The conversation highlights the diverse experiences of animals, emphasizing the need for a more profound understanding of their consciousness.

Dr. Garrett Mindt, a program director at the Center for the Future Mind, dives deep into the hard problem of consciousness. He explores integrated information theory and its implications for understanding reality and identity. The conversation addresses the ethical considerations of consciousness in AI, advocating for broad moral perspectives beyond human intelligence. They also ponder the nature of machine consciousness and question whether artificial entities can truly possess awareness, inviting listeners to rethink their notions of existence.

In episode 228 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Kenny Pearce and Dr. Sam Lebens to discuss which view of God better explains the creation we live in, Hassidic Idealism, wherein we live in God's mind, or Berklean Idealism, wherein the external world is separate from God's mind but intimately dependent on it. (Of course these options aren't the only ones!). This episode is the culmination of two other episodes, one with Dr. Lebens and one with Dr. Pearce. Check them out here for more background on the discussion from this episode: Pearce: https://youtu.be/1nTmoFyWuQo Lebens: https://youtu.be/iPF_WsIhKDg If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspensees Sub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/ Check out my blog posts: https://parkersettecase.com/ Check out my Parker's Pensées YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA Check out my other YouTube channel on my frogs and turtles: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParkerSettecase Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trendsettercase Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkers_pensees/0:00 - Do we live in God's mind? 4:44 - Can God create a world outside His Mind? 10:20 - Why Berkeleyan Idealism over Hassidic Idealism? 16:06 - Ontological Pluralism and Fictional Characters? 29:20 - Free Will and the Authorial Analogy 31:38 - How Many Stories is God telling right now? 37:17 - Contingency Arguments and Idealism 42:28 - God's Mental Causation on Hassidic vs. Berkeleyan Idealism 46:27 - Information Theory and God's Language 58:38 - Can you be a Classical Theists and an Idealist? 1:01:10 - Free Will, Pharaoh, Paul, and Divine Agency 1:08:40 - Simulation Hypothesis vs. Idealisms

In episode 227 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Greg Welty to discuss his new book on Alvin Plantinga in the P&R Great Thinkers series. We start off by discussing the nature of philosophy and Christian philosophy, then Dr. Welty gives us a brief intro to Plantinga and his thought, then we dive in deep on the logical and evidential problems of evil and recount the ways in which Alvin Plantinga sought to solve them. Read the forward, preface, and first chapter of the new book here: https://www.prpbooks.com/book/alvin-plantinga and grab the book here to support my podcast: https://amzn.to/3lbjxRL If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $3, $5 or more a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Come talk with the Pensées community on Discord: dsc.gg/parkerspensees Sub to my Substack to read my thoughts on my episodes: https://parknotes.substack.com/ Check out my blog posts: https://parkersettecase.com/ Check out my Parker's Pensées YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA Check out my other YouTube channel on my frogs and turtles: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParkerSettecase Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trendsettercase Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkers_pensees/0:00 - A thanks from me 3:17 - What is Philosophy? 7:00 - What is Christian Philosophy? 11:59 - Two Kinds of Christian Philosophers 15:49 - Who is Alvin Plantinga? 23:37 - Swinburne vs. Plantinga 32:26 - Logical Problem of Evil 41:26 - Theodicy vs. Defense? 52:00 - Evidential Problem of Evil 1:01:08 - O Felix Culpa Theodicy 1:13:40 - Supporting the Claim "God Exists"

In this engaging discussion, Dr. David Talcott, author of a forthcoming book on Plato, explores the profound influence of Plato's philosophy on modern thought. They dive into Plato's critiques of materialism and the nature of reality, highlighting the significance of beauty and eternal truths. The dialogue also touches on the relationship between Plato and Socrates, the complexities of interpreting their works, and the interplay between spirituality and materialism in Platonic thought. A captivating journey into ancient wisdom for contemporary minds!

Dr. Mike Huemer, a philosopher renowned for his meta-philosophy critiques, discusses the nuances of philosophy today. He humorously examines the difficulty in defining the discipline while tackling the complexities of the Ship of Theseus and the challenges of identity. The talk contrasts analytic and continental philosophies, questioning their accessibility and relevance. Additionally, Huemer reflects on the disconnect in modern philosophical practice versus its foundational essence as the 'love of wisdom,' all while navigating humor and academia.