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J'ai eu l'honneur de recevoir François Fleuret, professeur à l'Université de Genève et à l'EPFL, et auteur du succès "The Little Book of Deep Learning".
SPOILER ALERT: This episode of Does it Fly? and the show notes that follow contains spoilers for Black Mirror, “San Junipero.” If you haven't watched the episode yet, go check it out on Netflix and then come back and join us!One of Black Mirror's most critically acclaimed episodes! Apparently set in a seaside town in the 1980s, “San Junipero” follows the story of two women, Yorkie and Kelly, who meet and develop a relationship. But in fact, the San Junipero locale is a simulated reality where the elderly and dying can live out their remaining days in a youthful, idealized version of their choosing before deciding whether to pass on to death or remain in the simulation forever. San Junipero has cemented itself as one of the most “happy” episodes of Black Mirror, showing there's at least a little room for positivity and hope in the future. Hakeem and Tamara are back again, looking through the mirror at our reality to see what it would take to upload one's consciousness (and soul?) permanently.From a scientific perspective, Hakeem investigates the technological feasibility of uploading and suspending human consciousness in virtual reality. How are our memories created, and would it be possible to upload entire neural networks? What would the ethical considerations be for having an afterlife of this nature? How would it affect our understanding of life, death, and immortality? And how much of yourself and your memories will be uploaded? Perhaps most importantly, would this version of you be a copy, an imitation, or your whole self?Meanwhile, Tamara jacks in to tackle “San Junipero” from a story perspective. Does the episode's lack of technological explanation for its virtual reality enhance or diminish the authenticity of Yorkie and Kelly's relationship? What's the user interface like, and what's San Junipero's population breakdown? Would you trust your consciousness in the hands of a corporation for eternity? And how does this episode's positive ending reflect and challenge Black Mirror's usual pessimism about the future and technology?All this and more in our latest episode! Remember that you can join in on the conversation in the comments on our YouTube page, so be sure to like, subscribe, and come back for more!FURTHER READINGWant to dive a little deeper into the scientific concepts Hakeem touched on in today's episode?The Hebbian Learning Rule“Memories are fragments; some parts are in the pre-frontal cortex, some parts are in the hippocampus; it all has to do with the connection between neurons. Neurons that fire together wire together.”Memory Retrieval and the Passage of Time“Every time you access a memory, there's a possibility for modification.”Language Models, Explained“If you're Albert Einstein, you have a lot of writing; you have a lot of speech; I can put that in an AI learning algorithm so that it can learn to predict the next word just like ChatGPT does.”Self-Concept“We each have three selves: our private self, our public self, and our secret self.”Want some sci-fi & the afterlife or anthologies? Here are some suggested readings on stories and concepts similar to “San Junipero”!Permutation City by Greg Eagan“A life in Permutation City is unlike any life to which you're accustomed. You have Eternal Life, the power to live forever. Immortality is real, just not what you'd expect.”Axiomatic by Greg Eagan“Drawing on nine years of research, Axiomatic explores the ways we understand the traumas we inherit and the systems that sustain them.”The Wilds by Julia Elliott “At a deluxe medical spa on a nameless Caribbean island, a middle-aged woman hopes to revitalize her fading youth with grotesque rejuvenating therapies that combine cutting-edge medical technologies with holistic approaches.”Replay by Ken Grimwood“43-year-old man who dies and wakes up back in 1963 in his 18-year-old body. He relives his life with all his memories of the previous 25 years intact. This happens repeatedly, with the man playing out his life differently in each cycle.”Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink“Keisha Taylor lived a quiet life with her wife, Alice, until the day that Alice disappeared.” Combines science fiction, romance, and horror, all with a beautiful story and character developmentSUGGESTED VIEWINGOf course, watching “San Junipero” is the best way to inform the discussion of today's episode, but here are a few other Black Mirror episodes that tackle death and technology in a not-so-far future.Black Mirror S3E4 “San Junipero”Our topic of discussion!Black Mirror S2E1 “Be Right Back”After Martha's boyfriend is killed, she turns to a service that creates an AI replica of him, bringing him back from the dead, or at least an imitation of him.Black Mirror S4E6 “Black Museum” A museum of medical marvels (or failures) from the hologram of a convicted killer's mind to a stuffed monkey with the consciousness of a dying mother, what miracles (or horrors) await in the Black Museum?Here are some movies and TV shows mentioned in this week's podcast or some honorable mentions!UploadAnother look into the reality of virtual reality in a not-so-far-off future. When a computer programmer gets into a deadly car accident, his consciousness gets uploaded into a virtual afterlife of his choosing, but not everything is as it seems. The Seventh SignMentioned by Hakeen and Tamara. A sci-fi drama/thriller that explores the myth of the Guf, the well of souls that's a place that you existed in before you were born.The MatrixYou can't talk about virtual realities without talking about The Matrix. Set in a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside the Matrix, a simulated reality that intelligent machines have created.Vanilla SkyAn honorable mention that explores the concept of digital afterlife. Starring Tom Cruise, it's a sci-fi thriller following a magazine publisher who begins questioning reality after being disfigured in a car crash.Lorn “Anvil”Another honorable mention. In this electronic music video, Anvil is a social network that allows you to destroy your body to fight against overpopulation, but your conscience won't be destroyed; it will join the social network Anvil.FOLLOW US!Stay in the loop! Follow @DoesItFlyPod on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! And don't forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial Facebook: RoddenberryTwitter: @Roddenberry *Roddenberry Entertainment participates in affiliate programs and may receive a small commission for links on this page*For Advertising Inquiries: doesitfly@roddenberry.com
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on February 9th,2024.This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai(00:33): How I write HTTP services in Go after 13 yearsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39318867&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:02): Almost every infrastructure decision I endorse or regretOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39313623&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(05:19): Add coffee stains to LaTeX documents (2021)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39316193&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:15): Data Structures for Data-Intensive Applications [pdf]Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39318774&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:42): Nine US states are teaming up to accelerate the adoption of heat pumpsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39315545&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:50): Permutation City (1994)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39313696&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(14:03): Goody-2, the world's most responsible AI modelOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39315986&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(15:45): It was almost impossible to make the blue LED [video]Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39313339&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(18:29): A 2024 plea for lean softwareOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39315585&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(20:42): Reddit beats film industry again, won't have to reveal pirates' IP addressesOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39319202&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In this episode, we're diving into Novacene by James Lovelock, a book which challenges the very essence of human intelligence. Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation that delves into the realms of evolution, deep oceans, and the enigmatic dance between humanity and artificial intelligence. We cover a wide range of topics including: Gaia hypothesis and its connections to the book Intelligence beyond the human-centric view How the evolution of organisms has affected global temperatures The uncovered mysteries of the deep ocean Will AI be a friend or foe to humans? And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode. Links from the Episode: Mentioned in the Show: Gaia hypothesis (1:53) Tesla Bot (23:52) Stealth (25:05) Cruise (27:26) Waymo (27:26) Arrival (35:54) Bees playing soccer (39:32) Brilliant Earth (49:01) They Did The Math (49:42) Dark Forest theory (55:16) Rooted Local (1:02:16) Books Mentioned: The Three-Body Problem (0:03) (Book Episode) (Nat's Book Notes) Homo Deus (0:46) (Book Episode) (Nat's Book Notes) Breath (13:35) (Nat's Book Notes) Deep (13:37) The Hidden Life of Trees (19:14) Permutation City (21:12) (Book Episode) Where Is My Flying Car? (22:35) (Book Episode) Antifragile (36:24) (Book Episode) (Nat's Book Notes) The Fighter's Mind (37:41) (Nat's Book Notes) People Mentioned: James Lovelock (1:54) James Nestor (13:36) Nassim Taleb (36:24) Show Topics: (1:46) Buckle up for this episode as we discuss Novacene, authored by the originator of the Gaia Theory, James Lovelock. The book probes into humanity's role in the world and speculates on a future where machines might supersede us. (4:34) Lovelock wrote this book with the help of his assistant when he was 99 years old. We talk about what exactly the Gaia Theory is and the end of the age of Anthropocene. (9:50) We go deeper into sharing our thoughts on the Gaia Theory and how the evolution of organisms have affected the regulation of the global temperature. (13:10) How much do we actually know about the deepest parts of the ocean? Plus, learn about the author's involvement with designing instruments for NASA. (16:40) Nat, Neil, and Adil make connections from Novacene to The Three-Body Problem. Historically, we've looked for life on other planets the way we would measure life on earth, but are extraterrestrial species carbon-based like we are? (19:04) Our idea of time here on Earth is based on our life and our own orbit around the sun, but another civilization could view time in a completely different way. (24:21) Addressing AI predictions, military applications, and the challenges of AI intervention, including experiences with self-driving cars. (32:08) Is our technology watching us? (35:28) The limitations of language as an information interface and the intuitive nature of processing multiple inputs. Speaking, for example, is completely linear. However, when you have multiple inputs, you're able to be more intuitive. (39:18) We talk about exploring intelligence beyond the human-centric view, considering the collective intelligence of species like bees. (42:05) It's powerful the progress that has been made with ChatGPT, but there still remains the question of whether or not it will be a linear process to AGI (artificial general intelligence). (46:02) The intersection of crypto mining, Bitcoin, and futuristic energy societies, along with the possibility of harnessing CO2 for creation. (52:24) Earth is a rare, one-of-a-kind planet. How the universe had to align for habitability on earth, and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. (58:29) Would AI have the potential for parallel processing capabilities? (1:00:35) Nat and Neil share their final thoughts on Novacene and Lovelock's charming writing style. If you were intrigued by our discussions in this episode, make sure you pick up a copy! (1:01:59) That concludes this episode! Stay tuned for our next episode on the The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by leaving a review on iTunes and tell a friend. As always, let us know if you have any book recommendations! You can say hi to us on Twitter @TheRealNeilS, @adilmajid, @nateliason and share your thoughts on this episode. You can now support Made You Think using the Value-for-Value feature of Podcasting 2.0. This means you can directly tip the co-hosts in BTC with minimal transaction fees. To get started, simply download a podcast app (like Fountain or Breez) that supports Value-for-Value and send some BTC to your in-app wallet. You can then use that to support shows who have opted-in, including Made You Think! We'll be going with this direct support model moving forward, rather than ads. Thanks for listening. See you next time!
Paul Durham has begun experimenting on his own mind. He uploaded a copy of his neural patterns - everything that makes him who he is - into a computer simulation. The more he experiments, the more the lines between the real person and the virtual person begin to blur. What he discovers there, out at the edge of consciousness and the pattern that defines him, give him an impossible idea. A permutation city, where immortality might be possible.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: The Hidden Girl and other Stories - Ken Liu (our interview with Ken Liu: https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/ken-liu)The Last Question - short story by Asimov (available free here: https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~gamvrosi/thelastq.html)Diaspora - Greg Egan
“It is not the race that makes the civilization, it is the civilization that makes the people: circumstances geographical, economic, and political create a culture, and the culture creates a human type.” Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In this episode, we're talking about The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant. This concise yet jam-packed book presents pivotal moments and ideas throughout history covering thirteen different areas including religion, progress, government, and character. We cover a wide range of topics including: The progression of humans as a species Religious entities being replaced by secular entities Why freedom and equality are "enemies" War as a constant of history How tension is necessary for a society to function And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode. Links from the Episode: Mentioned in the Show: No Agenda Show (55:01) Moore's Law (1:15:00) Three Generations Theory (1:18:49) Books Mentioned: The Lessons of History (Nat's Book Notes) The Psychology of Money (3:05) (Nat's Book Notes) Atomic Habits (3:51) (Nat's Book Notes) Antifragile (4:50) (Nat's Book Notes) Fooled by Randomness (4:52) (Nat's Book Notes) The Black Swan (5:05) (Nat's Book Notes) Skin in the Game (5:15) (Nat's Book Notes) The Story of Civilization (7:41) The Story of Philosophy (7:47) (Nat's Book Notes) Gödel, Escher, Bach (10:37) (Nat's Book Notes) Getting Things Done (11:58) Hooked (13:24) (Nat's Book Notes) The Art of Seduction (14:26) (Nat's Book Notes) The Art of War (14:29) The 48 Laws of Power (15:12) (Nat's Book Notes) The 50th Law (15:21) (Nat's Book Notes) Mastery (15:34) (Nat's Book Notes) The Firm (18:57) A Time to Kill (19:01) Where Is My Flying Car? (28:22) On China (35:13) The Alchemy of Finance (38:47) The Fourth Turning (1:04:09) Permutation City (1:17:03) The Three-Body Problem (1:23:50) (Nat's Book Notes) Snow Crash (1:25:45) (Nat's Book Notes) Seveneves (1:26:00) People Mentioned: Nassim Taleb (2:18) Morgan Housel (3:06) James Clear (3:50) David Allen (11:57) Robert Greene (14:15) John Grisham (18:56) Tim Ferriss (56:25) Show Topics: (0:00) In this episode, we're discussing The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant. On brand with Made You Think, we start the episode with a good 'ol tangent! (4:19) The difference between fiction and non-fiction authors in the development of their writing and storytelling over time. For nonfiction writers who tend to write about the same few ideas, it can be hard to keep it novel when delivering those ideas. (10:33) What makes a book the best of that author's career- the quality of their writing or the ideas in the book itself? Nat, Neil, and Adil talk about different authors and books that were the peak of the author's writing career. (16:59) Authors always seem to be competing with their earlier work or their most popular book. There are also cases where a successful book later on in your career can kickstart the popularity of an earlier book that didn't get any previous traction. (23:23) Why people tend to avoid books that are commonly recommended by everyone. (27:14) The last chapter talks about progress, where progress refers to our species rather than scientific progress. In many ways (ex: communication, technology) we have progressed, but if you look at it from another viewpoint, more problems stem over time from some of the solutions that we have found. (30:45) No matter how great our lives are, we always find something to be unhappy about. "Our capacity for fretting is endless, and no matter how many difficulties we surmount, how many ideals we realize, we shall always find an excuse for being magnificently miserable; there is a stealthy pleasure in rejecting mankind or the universe as unworthy of our approval." (35:53) The existence of healthy tension- You need a healthy amount of debate and disagreement in order to find the line of best fit. (40:22) “The fear of capitalism has compelled socialism to widen freedom, and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality." We are somewhere in the middle of capitalism and socialism. Freedom vs. equality in opportunity. (47:55) "There is no significant example in history, before our time, of a society successfully maintaining moral life without the aid of religion. France, the United States, and some other nations have divorced their governments from all churches, but they have had the help of religion in keeping social order." Everybody believes in something whether it's formal religion or not. There are many alternatives to religion where people gather over a common interest or practice. (52:28) Different groups come with different depths of relationships. We give the example of depth of religious relationships vs. relationships with those you meet in a CrossFit gym. (57:40) It tells you a lot about someone when they have more obscure interests rather than mainstream interests. (1:00:54) Are influencers taking on the role of 'idols'? (1:07:26) When it comes to making predictions, it's hard to be completely accurate when there's always a variable that changes. One thing that has been standard and constant over the years: War. (1:12:12) Though it's statistically unlikely to encounter a violent revolution in each given year, it's beneficial to have a baseline level of preparedness to survive. (1:14:05) As the population grows, we find more ways to make food. With more food, we grow more as a population. When we think we may hit max population or another ceiling, new discoveries are made. (1:16:10) Without death, can the species still progress? While many may desire the choice of their own immortality, it may not be good for human civilization. (1:21:30) That concludes this episode! Stay tuned as we gear up for our next episodes on Peloponnesian War and The Three-Body Problem. Plus, we talk about other fascinating science fiction books that may pique your interest as this episode winds down. If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by leaving a review on iTunes and tell a friend. As always, let us know if you have any book recommendations! You can say hi to us on Twitter @TheRealNeilS, @adilmajid, @nateliason and share your thoughts on this episode. You can now support Made You Think using the Value-for-Value feature of Podcasting 2.0. This means you can directly tip the co-hosts in BTC with minimal transaction fees. To get started, simply download a podcast app (like Fountain or Breez) that supports Value-for-Value and send some BTC to your in-app wallet. You can then use that to support shows who have opted-in, including Made You Think! We'll be going with this direct support model moving forward, rather than ads. Thanks for listening. See you next time!
“Opponents replied that when you modeled a hurricane, nobody got wet. When you modeled a fusion power plant, no energy was produced. When you modeled digestion and metabolism, no nutrients were consumed – no real digestion took place. So, when you modeled the human brain, why should you expect real thought to occur?” Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! In this episode, we're talking all things consciousness and simulated reality with Permutation City by Greg Egan. Classified as a hard science fiction novel, the book tells the story of a man who seeks to create immortality by creating "software" copies of the mind. We cover a wide range of topics including: The complex nature of consciousness Egan's "Dust Theory" What it's like to live in a simulation Ethics surrounding death and dying The possibilities that come with computer intelligence And much more. Please enjoy, and make sure to follow Nat, Neil, and Adil on Twitter and share your thoughts on the episode. Links from the Episode: Mentioned in the Show: The Dust Theory (3:51) Biocentrism (7:37) Black Mirror - San Junipero (30:48) Turing test (35:52) Her (39:08) Building a Second Brain (1:07:05) The Expanse (1:08:08) ChatGPT Epilogue to Permutation City Books Mentioned: Godel Escher Bach (0:42) (Nat's Book Notes) The Three-Body Problem (0:58) (Nat's Book Notes) The Beginning of Infinity (16:42) (Nat's Book Notes) The Egg (19:27) The Fable of the Dragon Tyrant (24:26) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (26:58) Where Is my Flying Car? (27:13) The Comfort Crisis (30:20) Homo Deus (44:41) (Nat's Book Notes) Altered Carbon (53:41) The Lessons of History (1:02:26) People Mentioned: Greg Egan (3:54) Arthur Clarke (16:39) Issac Asimov (16:40) Andy Weir (19:28) Liu Cixin (1:04:31) Show Topics: (0:00) If you're a science fiction lover, this week's episode is for you! We're discussing Permutation City, a 'hard science fiction' book from 1994. This book explores many concepts including The Dust Theory and achieving immortality through copying your consciousness. (4:24) Intro to Dust Theory. There are infinitely many universes existing at all space and time. As soon as a universe is perceived by a conscious intelligence, that universe comes to exist, and that universe will always continue to exist as long as there is consciousness to observe it. (8:11) Are we in a simulation? We learn in response to stimuli which is also how LLMs (large language models) learn too. (13:12) Nat, Neil, and Adil define consciousness, discuss the idea of transporting consciousness, and how we differ from LLMs. We have a private and inner mind that generates its own thoughts and feelings. We can't be certain whether computers have this or not. (22:01) There's an 'engine' in our heads that is focused on our survival and continuation. (23:21) Ethics surrounding death. One can argue that life is short, but when you've lived for thousands of years through copying your consciousness, it becomes a question of when it's enough. (28:39) If we could somehow prevent bodily decay and the death of our loved ones, would we ever be ready to die, and is aging something that we can slow down or affect? (33:43) In the book, from the perspective of the humans, the copies are just programs who look intelligent, but they aren't real. From the perspective of the copies, it's all very real. (41:31) Time dilation and running consciousness slower for the copies. The slowdown doesn't necessarily affect the copy. The time perception is still the same to them, but it may affect how they interact with the real world. (46:08) There's a baseline risk for being alive. You can try to get all of your life risks to zero, but it is best to accept that there will always be some general risk. (51:49) Collaboration in publishing. While most books have a single author, it may add some dimension to get expertise from guest authors with knowledge in different fields. (54:50) What did Greg Egan regret most about Permutation City? (1:02:11) That concludes this episode! Stay tuned for our next episode on History of the Peloponnesian War. Also on the horizon is The Three-Body Problem. Make sure to pick up a copy if you'd like to read up before the episode. As mentioned, check out this awesome epilogue created by ChatGPT! If you enjoyed this episode, let us know by leaving a review on iTunes and tell a friend. As always, let us know if you have any book recommendations! You can say hi to us on Twitter @TheRealNeilS, @adilmajid, @nateliason and share your thoughts on this episode. You can now support Made You Think using the Value-for-Value feature of Podcasting 2.0. This means you can directly tip the co-hosts in BTC with minimal transaction fees. To get started, simply download a podcast app (like Fountain or Breez) that supports Value-for-Value and send some BTC to your in-app wallet. You can then use that to support shows who have opted-in, including Made You Think! We'll be going with this direct support model moving forward, rather than ads. Thanks for listening. See you next time!
In this episode we will discuss cellular automations, Turing machines, and the novel Permutation City by Greg Egan.
Today's episode has us discussing Greg Egan's "Permutation City", which is a cyberpunk novel set in the near future where humanity can upload their brains into a computer. The book explores themes of mortality and consciousness, following an insurance salesman with a grand vision, and a software programmer out to explore the origins of life. Listen along with us as we give you a spoiler-free review in the first part of the episode and then discuss all of the major plot points in part 2. Our next book will be "The Fifth Season" by N.K. Jemisin, which is book 1 of the Broken Earth trilogy. Email us with questions, comments, requests or recommendations at PoonaSFBookClub@gmail.com Our theme music is The Vendetta by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58628 Ft: Apoxode
Dis weer tyd vir Francois se boekklub. Diekeer praat ons oor Greg Egan se Permutation city. Greg Egan se webwerf Wiki artikel oor Permutation City
After cyberpunk had its day, a more mature, less countercultural successor to it emerged, known as postcyberpunk. In this episode, we explore what makes it distinctive and how it ties in with the ideas of transhumanism. Book recommendation: Existence by David Brin. Other books discussed: Permutation City by Greg Egan The Imperial Radch/Ancillary trilogy by Ann Leckie Accelerando by Charles Stross (free download) Blindsight by Peter Watts Charles Stross's "crib sheet" on Accelerando.
Chris dives deeper into data science and complains that crypto currency miners are buying all the graphics cards. Christian talks about how to decide what to work on, plus has 6 new business ideas to think about. 00:00 Intro 01:11 Chris's projects 03:43 When to buy vs rent (graphics cards and more) 12:34 Trying to rise in a Kaggle competition 16:44 MeetingPlace - what to do next, committing to action 23:55 Mining Ethereum 30:40 Hot take 1: better YouTube suggestions 35:08 *YouTube history tip* 36:34 Hot take 2: solar system Oculus Quest app 39:23 Hot take 3: selling physical products 42:45 Hot take 4: a better way to read ebooks 51:51 How to parse an epub 53:35 Hot take 5: non-birthday cards 59:29 Hot take 6: paid coaching calls Timestamps created with https://clips.marketing by @cgenco Links from the show:
This week’s guest is The Teafaerie, my amazing friend and a true one-of-a-kind psychedelic superhero.The Teafaerie writes stories, poems, movies, plays and essays, makes videos, organizes flash mobs, and is one of the founders of Prometheatrics, a big beautiful Esplanade camp at Burning Man. At various times she has been a writer, nanny, actress, flow arts teacher, childbirth doula, homeless person, aid worker, live-action storyteller, toy inventor, app designer, street performer, and party promoter. She is a frequent contributor to the worlds most excellent psychedelic information site Erowid.org. She also regularly volunteers as a festival trip sitter with the Zendo Project and RGX medical.Her most recent essay on Erowid:https://www.erowid.org/columns/teafaerie/2016/05/17/mapping-the-source/My favorite of her essays:https://www.erowid.org/columns/teafaerie/page/18/More about psychedelic harm reduction:https://www.zendoproject.org/We Discuss:Why it’s okay that the Elon Musk will get (to beta-test) immortality first (for the rest of us)The intimately cybernetic world of brain-machine interfaces and Life After Advertising“I’m just a coward. I TRIED despair and I can’t TAKE that shit.”How parenthood changes your decision to be or not to be an optimist.Simulation Theory~ ”We need to stop stressing the system and offload our consciousness offworld to L5 or VR”…or is that some whack pseudognostic transmania?“I believe the universe is art, because…”We’re the children of god, but most people act like we’re the pets of god or the toys of god.The child of a sheep grows up to be a sheep. The child of a god grows up to be a god.Mass manifestation and the Global Consciousness ProjectHow to make wishes come true by getting god’s attentionPartner yoga for engineered miraclesBurning Man is a manifestation engineWhat Are You Playing For?What evolution looks like to DNADesigner Babies & THE ETHICS OF Designer Babies“Do you know The Silmarillion?”Olaf Stapledon is the manBlack Mirror’s episode “Black Museum”Autonomous by Annalee Newitz and robot AR architectureGreg Egan’s Permutation City (and Diaspora)“Any sufficiently advanced 3D printer could tattoo you.”~ “If the universe is determined, it’s offensive to me, it devalues my art.”Getting your wishes fulfilled is of evolutionary benefitHow many things had to go right? ALL of them.“Maybe THIS is the shortest path, and it’s JUST LONG.”5-Meo DMTThe burden of publishing to an enormous audience on ErowidFangirling about my sci fi, “An Oral History of the End of ‘Reality’” (Episode 91)Future Fossils Podcast is starting a book club for mind-blowing sci fi! Learn more and sign up: https://patreon.com/michaelgarfieldSubscribe to this show on any platform you desire:https://shows.pippa.io/futurefossils See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In recent news, Andy and Dave discuss a recent Brookings report on the view of AI and robots based on internet search data; a Chatham House report on AI anticipates disruption; Microsoft computes the future with its vision and principles on AI; the first major AI patent filings from DeepMind are revealed; biomimicry returns, with IBM using “analog” synapses to improve neural net implementation, and Stanford U researchers develop an artificial sensory nervous system; and Berkley Deep Drive provides the largest self-driving car dataset for free public download. Next, the topic of “hard exploration games with sparse rewards” returns, with a Deep Curiosity Search approach from the University of Wyoming, where the AI gets more freedom and reward from exploring (“curiosity”) than from performing tasks as dictated by the researchers. From Cognition Expo 18, work from Martinez-Plumed attempts to “Forecast AI,” but largely highlights the challenges in making comparisons due to the neglected, or un-reported, aspects of developments, such as the data, human oversight, computing cycles, and much more. From the Google AI Blog, researchers improve deep learning performance by finding and describing the transformation policies of the data, and using that information to increase the amount and diversity of the training dataset. Then, Andy and Dave discuss attempts to using drone surveillance to identify violent individuals (for good reasons only, not for bad ones). And in a more sporty application, “AI enthusiast” Chintan Trivedi describes his efforts to train a bot to play a soccer video game, by observing his playing. Finally, Andy recommends an NSF workshop report, a book on AI: Foundations of Computational Agents, Permutation City, and over 100 video hours of the CogX 2018 conference.
Luke reviews Permutation City by Greg Egan. Get this audiobook for free, or any of 100,000 other titles, as part of a free trial by visiting this link: http://www.audibletrial.com/sfbrp. Buy this book at Amazon, or discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke blogs at: http://www.lukeburrage.com/blog Follow Luke on twitter: http://twitter.com/lukeburrage Luke writes his own novels, like […]
After defeating mankind at Jeopardy, Watson is displaying humility and mercy by taking on a new role: assisting humans with research and finding smarter answers, for example, helping treat brain cancer. In this episode we discuss Watson and how it will impact your future with, Jerome Pesenti, VP of Watson Core Technology.IBM continues to make a huge bet on cognitive computing through Watson, and is extending this bet into the cloud, making Watson available to a much wider audience in the form of Watson-as-a-Service, Is there a place for it in your architecture? After all, having some level of machine learning and intelligence may quickly become a base requirement for enterprise applications. Listen to learn more...Listen now: (download)Books that were mentioned:Permutation CityDiamond AgeEverything is Obvious: How Common Sense Fails UsReferences:Watson EcosystemHow Watson Changed IBMBuild with WatsonWatson Q&A at IBM's Developer Works (interesting to peruse)