Does science have to stay within a materialistic framework? It turns out, materialism itself isn’t science — it’s philosophy. In this episode, Pat Flynn interviews Brian Krouse, Angus Menuge, and Robert J. Marks about alternatives to materialism and how scientific exploration leads us to deeper questions that science alone can never answer. Additional Resources Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science Ranked #1 on Amazon.com in New Releases in Cognitive Psychology Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Brian Krouse at Discovery.org Angus J. L. Menuge at Discovery.org Podcast …
Is the mind more than the brain? If so, what’s the difference? In today’s episode, Pat Flynn interviews the editors of the brand-new book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. Together, they discuss different perspectives on the mind-brain problem, consciousness, and the limits of materialism. Additional Resources Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science Ranked #1 on Amazon.com in New Releases in Cognitive Psychology Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Brian Krouse at Discovery.org Angus J. L. Menuge at Discovery.org Podcast …
Is your mind the same thing as your brain? Or are there aspects of mind that are external to the biology of the brain?
Robert J. Marks
September 25, 2023
Editor’s note: We are delighted to welcome the new book from Discovery Institute Press, Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science, edited by Angus J. Menuge, Brian R. Krouse, and Robert J. Marks. Below is an excerpt from the Introduction. Look for more information at MindingtheBrain.org. Is your mind the same thing as your brain? Or are there aspects of mind that are external to the biology of the brain? This question, referred to as the mind-body problem or the mind-brain problem, has been debated for centuries and has captivated curious minds since the dawn of human contemplation. What is the relationship between our mental life and physical body? Intuition suggests our subjective experience of the world is tightly bound up with our …
The federal government determines how the radio spectrum is used and who can use it. Turns out, renting out the spectrum to private companies is a billion-dollar business. The spectrum business goes to the highest bidder. But what problems does that pose in the long run? Google engineer Andrew Clegg discusses this and more with Dr. Robert J. Marks and Austin Egbert in today’s podcast. Additional Resources The United States Radio Frequency Spectrum Chart Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Austin Egbert at IEEE Xplore Pentagon, telecom industry’s battle over spectrum symptomatic of a troubled system Podcast …
Usually Robert Marks does the interviewing, but today, the script is flipped. In this episode, we revisit the press tour Dr. Marks went on to promote the seminal ideas of his 2022 book Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will, which is about artificial intelligence and the non-computable traits (like creativity and emotional sentience) that make human beings unique. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Why Computers Will Never Understand What They are Doing Hear Bill’s podcasts at www.BillMeyerShow.com Dr. Robert Marks – Can AI predict school shooters? Dr. Robert Marks on AI Podcast …
Right now, there are electromagnetic signals bouncing off and passing through you. But what happens when the radio spectrum gets overused and starts filling up? That’s the question addressed in today’s episode with Robert J. Marks, research scientist Austin Egbert, and special guest, Google engineer Andrew Clegg. Resources The United States Radio Frequency Spectrum Chart Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Austin Egbert at IEEE Xplore Podcast …
So much of our modern technology depends on wireless “frequencies.” But how do electromagnetic frequencies actually work and how did engineers implement them into electronic devices? In this episode, Robert J. Marks and podcast director Austin Egbert talk with Google Engineer Andrew Clegg about the radio spectrum, how it has led to technological development, and the challenges of having too many electronic frequencies at once. Additional Resources The United States Radio Frequency Spectrum Chart Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Austin Egbert at IEEE Xplore What is Radio Spectrum? Moskowitz: Cellphone radiation is harmful, but few want to believe it Don’t Fall Prey to Scaremongering about 5G Podcast …
AI is getting better at imitating music and complex audio. But what are the limits, and what makes music like jazz and “the blues” unique? In this episode, Robert J. Marks sits down with musician James Hirsen to talk about AI deep fakes, its impact on the arts, and the personal aspect of music that makes it so special. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org James Hirsen at James Hirsen.com Brendan Dixon “Fan Tries Programming AI Jazz, Gets Lots and Lots of AI…Jazz is spontaneous, but spontaneous noise is not jazz” Brendan Dixon “AI Can’t Do Jazz Because Spontaneity Is at Jazz’s Core” Podcast …
Robert J. Marks and Charlie Crockett discuss how the normalization of online pornography is connected with sex trafficking and abuse. In fact, the two industries are inextricably linked. They also discuss how military communications are affected by the widespread use of porn because of the high demand for spectrum (a limited resource). Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Surviving “The Life:” How I Overcame Sex Trafficking by Julia Walsh Unbound Now at UnboundNow.org (National) Unbound Now Waco Human Trafficking Hotlines 1-888-373-7888 (United States) 254-414-0814 (Waco Area) Donate to Unbound Now Facts about Human Trafficking Using AI to track Human Trafficking Recruitment using Social Media The average age …
Robert J. Marks and Charlie Crockett continue their conversation on the sad reality of human trafficking. In this episode, they focus particularly on how social media has become a place where predators will search and highlight children’s vulnerabilities — which so many young people share online. Marks and Crockett encourage parents to develop relationships of trust with their children and protect them from the dangers of online manipulation. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Surviving “The Life:” How I Overcame Sex Trafficking by Julia Walsh Unbound Now at UnboundNow.org (National) Unbound Now Waco Human Trafficking Hotlines 1-888-373-7888 (United States) 254-414-0814 (Waco Area) Donate to Unbound Now Facts …
The Tom Cruise action movie is built on faulty AI assumptions, but it's still entertaining
Robert J. Marks
July 20, 2023
Ever watch a movie with a movie-talker? That’s someone who ruins a show by talking out loud over the audio. More than once, my wife has asked me, “What did he just say?” I usually have no idea because I didn’t understand either. But her question talks over the next few lines of the movie so the interval of me not hearing the audio is prolonged. I occasionally watch a movie with a good friend Lou, a former police officer. Lou’s a movie-talker, especially when we watch police movies. He’ll interrupt the movie with nit-picky comments like: “That’s not a real shotgun. A real shotgun would kick back, and the barrel would angle up after each shot. There was no recoil there at all! Fake!” or “Give me a break. A SWAT team would never approach a house all bunched …
Robert Marks speaks on the difficult topic of human trafficking with his guest Charlie Crockett, who works with the anti-trafficking advocacy organization Unbound Now. Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world and goes undetected all over the U.S. Marks and Crockett talk about the scope of the problem, common misconceptions about trafficking, and how to help victims in need. To donate or learn more, visit Unbound Now. Additional Resources The Sound of Freedom Trailer Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Surviving “The Life:” How I Overcame Sex Trafficking by Julia Walsh Unbound Now at UnboundNow.org (National) Unbound Now Waco Human Trafficking Hotlines 1-888-373-7888 (United States) 254-414-0814 (Waco …
Some think math is invented. Evidence, though, points towards discovery.
Robert J. Marks
July 6, 2023
Some think math is invented. (See the article by Peter Biles.) Evidence, though, points towards discovery. Simultaneous mathematical discovery supports this viewpoint. Many mathematical breakthroughs are sometimes independently reported by two or more mathematicians at roughly the same time. The most famous is the simultaneous discovery of calculus by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Newton was secretive about his discovery and shared his results with only a few members of the Royal Society. When Leibnitz published his discovery of the calculus, Newton charged him with plagiarism. Today, historians agree that the discoveries were independent of each other. Here are some other lesser-known examples of simultaneous discovery. The Papoulis-Gerchberg Algorithm (PGA). …
Robert J. Marks on why Mind Matters (still) matters
Robert J. Marks
June 30, 2023
Originally posted in 2018. Mind Matters is a podcast and a news and commentary site where “artificial and natural intelligence meet head-on.” That’s a great slogan, but what does it mean? As your host for the podcast part of the site, I thought I’d take advantage of my role to talk you about some of our exciting plans for both the podcast and the online journal (the latter to be edited by science journalist Denyse O’Leary). Here’s a quick run-down: Topics Mind Matters will track the latest developments in applied AI and technology. How will AI continue to augment human performance and abilities? What are the latest innovations of AI? And how does AI affect you? How is AI applied in pricing your admission cost to see the Dallas Cowboys, and even opera …
In the age of data harvesting and Big Tech monopolies, what will the Internet look like in a decade? In today’s episode, Robert J. Marks speaks with computer engineer Adam Goad about “Web 3.0,” decentralization, cryptocurrency, and the future of the blockchain. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Adam Goad at IEEE Xplore Dr. Austin Egbert at IEEE Xplore Blockchain hackers stole nearly $1.3 billion in 78 hack events throughout the first quarter in 2022 ”Just As Cryptocurrencies Went Mainstream — a Huge Collapse!” by Jonathan Bartlett at Mind Matters News Etherscan.io American Kingpin at Amazon.com ”Blockchain hackers stole nearly $1.3 billion in Q1 2022” at AtlasVPN Just Cubes Stablecoins Non-Computable You by …
A lawyer recently used ChatGPT in a court case, but it generated false citations. Can AI be trusted at all in the courtroom? Lawyer Richard Stevens explains how in legal cases, meaning, context, and nuance are essential, and can’t be “computed” by artificial intelligence. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Richard W. Stevens at Discovery.org AI in the Courtroom by Richard W. Stevens Hawaiiʻ’s Indefinite COVID Lockdown: How Would an AI Rule? by Richard W. Stevens You’ve Got a Robot Lawyer in Your Pocket (Really?) by Richard W. Stevens George Gilder’s quote about Elon Musk. STAT: There is a shortage of Radiologists today Get an AI robot lawyer at DoNotPay.com DoNotPay sued by human …
What happens when ChatGPT doesn’t just generate false information but also slanderous and potentially harmful responses? And in legal matters, who is responsible for AI? Robert J. Marks and legal expert Richard W. Stevens discuss these topics and more in this week’s podcast episode. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Richard W. Stevens at Discovery.org CAN PROFESSOR TURLEY SUE CHATGPT FOR LIBEL? by Richard W. Stevens How to Stop Troubling Abuse From Artificial Intelligence by Robert J. Marks Let’s Apply Existing Laws to Regulate AI by Richard W. Stevens Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Wisdom: What Manner of Harms are We Creating? by Tom Gilson Intellectual Property Laminated Study Guide by Richard W. …
The question of copyright and “fair use” is a contentious debate in the age of AI. Is AI-generated art a kind of theft? What about artists’ rights? Attorney and Bradley Center Senior Fellow Richard Stevens discusses the legalities of copyright and the challenge of artificial intelligence in today’s increasingly complicated world. Additional Resources Robert J. Marks at Discovery.org Richard W. Stevens at Discovery.org Intellectual Property Laminated Study Guide by Richard W. Stevens Podcast …
