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Mission

The mission of the Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence at Discovery Institute is to explore the benefits as well as the challenges raised by artificial intelligence (AI) in light of the enduring truth of human exceptionalism. People know at a fundamental level that they are not machines. But faulty thinking can cause people to assent to views that in their heart of hearts they know to be untrue. The Bradley Center seeks to help individuals—and our society at large—to realize that we are not machines while at the same time helping to put machines (especially computers and AI) in proper perspective. Learn More

Walter Bradley

About Walter Bradley

Walter Bradley is my hero because the impact of his life will be celebrated in perpetuity. I want a heritage like that. But ironically such a goal cannot be achieved by making it a goal. ⋮ Read More …

Articles & Podcasts

The Dragon’s Deception: Conspiracy Theories and False Numbers

Heather Zeiger
April 5, 2020
Since totalitarian movements exist in a world which itself is nontotalitarian, they are forced to resort to what we commonly regard as propaganda.Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, p. 342 U.S. Intelligence reports that China has misrepresented the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak …

If Your Brain Were Cut in Half, Would You Still Be One Person?

News
April 4, 2020
In a recent podcast, “Splitting the Brain and Staying You”, Robert J. Marks asked Dr. Michael Egnor, “If you lose all four of your limbs, are you still you? Most people would say yes. What if your brain were cut into two pieces? Would you still be you?” What makes us unique, single human …
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The Turing Test is Dead. Long Live The Lovelace Test

Robert J. Marks
April 2, 2020
The Turing test, developed by Alan Turing in 1950, is a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour indistinguishable from a human. Many think that Turing’s proposal for intelligence, especially creativity, has been proven inadequate. Is the Lovelace test a better alternative? …

Bingecast: Jonathan Sackier on Healing the Brain

Robert J. Marks
March 26, 2020
The brain can also both adapt and heal itself. How can we facilitate this healing in patients with brain challenges? Can this healing be accelerated without brain surgery? Using stimulation to the tongue can result in incredible changes to brain functions. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Jonathan Sackier …

Michael Egnor on Whether People in Comas Can Think

Michael Egnor
March 19, 2020
If you’re in a coma, can you still think? Some fascinating neuroscience research sheds light on the brain function of those in comas. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Michael Egnor discuss comas, brain function, and types of thought. Show Notes 00:29 | Introducing Dr. Michael Egnor, Professor of …
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