I, scientist with Balazs Kegl

Glen Reuschling, a retired electronics engineer, dives deep into the intriguing world of embodied AI and robotics. He discusses why embodied AI lags behind software-driven solutions and the philosophical implications of patterns in existence. The conversation shifts to the nature of randomness, exploring whether it's a conscious choice rather than mere chance. Glen also examines how engineered systems can achieve efficiency akin to insects through nested agency. Their dialogue challenges traditional views on agency, computation, and the design of intelligent systems.

In this engaging discussion, Michael Levin, a developmental biologist at Tufts University, delves into the fascinating interplay between Platonic patterns and biological systems. He challenges listeners to consider if mathematical structures might guide biology, as seen in cicada cycles. Levin posits that patterns themselves may possess agency, suggesting a new way to view consciousness in AI. He emphasizes the need for understanding and communicating with diverse minds, urging us to rethink the boundaries of organism and machine.

Another mind-blowing conversation, this time with Mark Solms, the neuropsychoanalist from the University of Cape Town, about his feeling-based theory of consciousness, how competing homeostatic needs lead to prioritization of responding to feelings, expressing these needs internally. At about the one hour mark, we go beyond and discuss how feelings can be understood as messages between hierarchical levels of conscious nested organisms.Mark's book: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Spring-Journey-Source-Consciousness/dp/0393542017A nine-episode conversation about the book: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMxiNrgE29RIKY3hzQQlFZzkH85xsB4VrRelated episodes:Kevin Mitchell: https://youtu.be/nqxq-BiCr-MMichael Levin: https://youtu.be/0nMXYdayQIUEmbodied AI: https://youtu.be/JZ8GTucClpMAlexander Ororbia: https://youtu.be/N83vBfz7_BIYogi Jaeger: https://youtu.be/5UJ4y2L2qpkBaudouin Saintyves: https://youtu.be/NmvzEpz9R84Laura Desiree Di Paolo: https://youtu.be/9txUwVtAOBkAnna Riedl: https://youtu.be/w2ZiSWZNQsgAnna Ciaunica: https://youtu.be/x1QHwhlCn-8Giuseppe Paolo: https://youtu.be/R7tEd65e2i800:00:00 Intro00:04:35 Feeling-based consciousness. Anatomy: brain-stem vs cortical models.00:20:43 The free energy principle and active inference. Do membranes exist? 00:41:00 The mechanisms of consciousness and the role of feeling. Prioritization of needs, voluntary actions, choice. Categorically different needs lead to qualia.01:00:19 Hierarchical levels of nested organisms and feelings as messages.01:27:46 Engineering consciousness. Is autopoiesis necessary?I, scientist blog: https://balazskegl.substack.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/balazskeglArtwork: DALL-EMusic: Bea Palya https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBDp3qcFZdU1yoWIRpMSaZw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest discussion, philosopher Alexander Bard delves into his upcoming book, compellingly exploring mysticism, transcendence, and the philosophy of time. He argues that pure experience and consciousness can't be reduced to mere computation. Bard contrasts Eastern and Western spiritual practices while emphasizing the importance of navigating ecstatic experiences without losing one's self. The conversation also touches on the nuances of addiction, drawing connections to childhood and personal transformation, advocating for a deeper understanding of mystical experiences.

Kevin Mitchell is a neuroscientist and geneticist at Trinity College Dublin, known for his work on free will and agency. He delves into the paradox of free agency amidst randomness, discussing how indeterminism allows for control. The conversation explores nested cognition, highlighting how subsystems in our brain can create conflicts, impacting mental health. Mitchell also examines the boundaries of self and collective agency, and the implications for artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for grounding in creating true agency.

Michael Levin, a developmental biologist at Tufts University, dives into groundbreaking ideas about cellular cognition and agency. He explores how cells act as decision-makers and shape their environments through electrical patterns. Levin discusses the competition between biological patterns and how this impacts development and regeneration. They also tackle the concepts of nested agencies, the interplay of memory and identity, and even propose a psychological theory of aging—framing it as a decline tied to the loss of goals. A thought-provoking conversation that challenges our understanding of life!

Meet my two wonderful colleagues with whom we wrote a position paper last year "A Call for Embodied AI". We talk about the limits of the current "internet AI" paradigm. We agree that singularity, if even a thing, is very far, LLMs will not lead there, but that social media AI is already an embodied AI that is seamlessly rewiring us.Paper: https://proceedings.mlr.press/v235/paolo24a.htmlRelated episodes: Yogi Jaeger: https://youtu.be/5UJ4y2L2qpkAnna Riedl: https://youtu.be/w2ZiSWZNQsgAnna Ciaunica: https://youtu.be/x1QHwhlCn-8Alexander Ororbia: https://youtu.be/N83vBfz7_BILaura Desire di Paolo: https://youtu.be/9txUwVtAOBk00:00:00 Intro.00:02:54 Why are we interested in embodied AI? Robotics and philosophy.00:12:10 The ingredients of embodied AI.00:15:30 Affordances. Seeing the world as a set of meanings rather than a set of objects. Who is setting the goals?00:28:29 Karl Friston's Free Energy Principle and Active Inference. Open and closed worlds. The hardware challenge. Filtering and relevance realization. Jaeger's non-computationality argument.00:39:36 Lecun's JEPA and our criticism: representation is not objective, it is transjective. Babies learn interactively. The importance of love (binding) and self-sacrifice. Levin's TAME. Multi-agent emergence.00:52:23 AGI. What do we want from AGI to be? Life? Slaves? Asimov's I, Robot, and the impossibility of propositional alignment.01:01:50 The issue with optimization: timescale. Levin's cognitive cones. The only answer is love.01:07:44 Social media AI. The Algorithm, feed, companies, advertisement. The subconscious of internet. The danger. How are they embodied? They are spirits. I want access to the Algorithm at an intermediate level. I, scientist blog: https://balazskegl.substack.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/balazskeglArtwork: DALL-EMusic: Bea Palya https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBDp3qcFZdU1yoWIRpMSaZw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexander Bard, a philosopher and futurist, dives deep into the complexities of technology's impact on humanity. He discusses the concepts of 'anaject' and 'hyperject,' exploring anonymity and heroic figures in society. Bard analyzes AI from an anthropological perspective, pointing out its lack of emotional intelligence and creativity. The conversation also touches on the dangers of misinformation in AI, the societal effects of consumer practices, and the need for more humane interactions with technology, all peppered with reflective insights.

Alexander Ororbia, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Rochester Institute of Technology and director of the Neural Adaptive Computing Laboratory, dives deep into intriguing concepts like identity and mortality. He discusses how internal regulatory structures define selfhood and what happens to identity when these structures are compromised. The idea of 'mortal computation' is explored, emphasizing how programmed decay can support system survival. Ororbia also highlights the future potential of organoids and maverick computing in understanding biomimetic intelligence.

In this engaging discussion, philosopher Alexander Bard explores profound topics intertwining technology, sexuality, and spirituality. He delves into yoga's evolution from physical practice to spiritual alignment and its implications for relationships. Archetypes in human dynamics reveal how individuality shapes communities, while rituals' significance in marking life's milestones underscores the connection between spirituality and sexuality. Bard also synthesizes insights from various philosophies, stressing the importance of purpose in both personal and collective journeys.