Mind Matters

On this episode of the Mind Matters News podcast, join host Robert J. Marks as he sits down with Dr. Giorgios Mappouras for a deep dive into the philosophical and technical boundaries that define the gap between human minds and silicon machines. The pair look at why the classic Turing Test is no longer a sufficient measure of machine intelligence in the age of large language models. While modern AI can convincingly imitate human conversation, Mappouras argues that true intelligence requires the ability to do more than just mimic data; it must reach what he calls a General Intelligence Threshold. In this episode, they explore Giorgio's proposal for a Turing Test 2.0, a more rigorous framework that evaluates whether an AI can actually extract new, applicable knowledge—what Mappouras calls "functional information"—from the raw data it is given. Source

On this archive "bingecast" episode of Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge welcome Dr. Mihretu Guta to discuss his contribution to the book Minding the Brain. Dr. Guta discusses the nature of consciousness and the challenges in understanding it from a philosophical perspective. He argues that consciousness is a unique property that is deeply subjective and personal, making it difficult to study scientifically. Guta contrasts first-order and second-order approaches to understanding consciousness, emphasizing the need to go beyond just the empirical observation of mental phenomena and examine the underlying metaphysical and ontological questions. The discussion covers a number of relevant topics, highlighting the profound and puzzling nature of consciousness and the importance of philosophical inquiry in grappling with this fundamental aspect of human experience. Source

On this episode of Mind Matters News, host Robert J. Marks is joined by Bradley Norris as they welcome Hal Philipp, the man behind the modern touchscreen and a prolific inventor with an impressive 98 U.S. patents. Hal shares his story and some of the lessons he’s learned over a career in invention. Source

On this episode of Mind Matters News, we’re wrapping up our conversation with Dr. Donald Wunsch on his experiences with AI in his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine about artificial general intelligence. This is the sixth part of our conversation with Dr. Wunsch. If you’ve not listened to the earlier portions, you can do so at the Read More › Source

While the risk of AI becoming smarter than humans and taking over the world is often discussed, it can also distract us from a more pressing matter: the real-world, right-now risks of AI. On this episode of Mind Matters News, host Robert J. Marks continues his six-part conversation with Dr. Donald Wunsch about his expert insight into AI. In this Read More › Source

If computers and AI took over the world, would we even notice? Today, host Robert J. Marks ponders this question as he continues his conversation with Dr. Donald Wunsch about his experiences with AI and his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine on artificial general intelligence. In Part 4 of the discussion, Dr. Wunsch argues that computers have Read More › Source

On this episode of Mind Matters News, our conversation continues with Dr. Donald Wunsch on his experiences with AI and his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine about artificial general intelligence. He first reminds us why Artificial General Intelligence is a problematic term and why AGI is very unlikely to arrive by 2030, as some people estimate. Wunsch Read More › Source

On this episode of Mind Matters News, we’re continuing our conversation with Dr. Donald Wunsch on his experiences with AI and his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine about artificial general intelligence. This is the second part of our conversation with Dr. Wunsch, so if you’ve not listened to the first part, we encourage you to do so. Read More › Source

Debate continues on the nature of the mind. Are our minds purely material and comprised only of our physical brains? Does idealism ring true with its views of physical experiences arising solely from a non-physical mind? Or is a dualist position with aspects of both an accurate view? Joining us today to talk about this and his contribution to the Read More › Source

In today’s episode, host Robert J. Marks begins a multi-episode conversation with Dr. Donald C. Wunsch II, endowed professor of electrical and computer engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology and director of the Kummer Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems. Dr. Wunsch has spent decades working on the intersection of engineering AI and real world systems with Read More › Source

On today’s episode of Mind Matters News, Dr. Robert J. Marks joins Andrew McDiarmid, host of the ID The Future podcast, to share some of his personal anecdotes and professional insights about Dr. Walter Bradley, a scientist, humanitarian, and trailblazer in the world of intelligent design who passed away this year at the age of 81. As Marks explains, one way Read More › Source

Today on Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse conclude their four-part conversation with Dr. Joseph Green on the limitations of modern neuroscience. Green is author of a chapter in the volume Minding the Brain called “On the Limitations of Cutting-Edge Neuroscience.” In today’s final segment, the discussion centers on comparing different models of consciousness, including panpsychism and Read More › Source

What happens when you let Big Tech control how you see the world? Apple recently released a new model of the Apple Vision Pro headset. Although it can provide immersive experiences, what are the potential downsides to furthering our connection to the digital realm? On this episode of Mind Matters News out of the vault, host Robert J. Marks welcomes Read More › Source

Today on Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse conclude their three-part conversation with Dr. Joseph Green on how we can bridge the gap between cutting-edge neuroscience and philosophy of mind. Green is author of a chapter in the volume Minding the Brain called “On the Limitations of Cutting-Edge Neuroscience.” In today’s installment, the discussion first touches on the Read More › Source

On this episode of Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse continue their conversation with Dr. Joseph Green on the limitations of cutting-edge neuroscience. In this segment, the focus turns to the philosophical questions involved. As Dr. Green explains, neuroscience is limited in its ability to answer philosophical questions about the nature of the mind and its Read More › Source

Modern neuroscience has made some truly amazing advances in recent decades. But even though we can record, map, and even manipulate brain activity in ways that once seemed impossible, we still don’t really understand how the brain actually works. This gap in understanding has led to a kind of overconfidence, and sometimes even over-claiming by scientists. So how do we Read More › Source

The scientific method has undoubtedly provided great insight into the impersonal mechanics of the world around us throughout human history. However, the scientific method itself is put into practice by very personal human beings. How should our understanding of ourselves and our personal identities interact with what we learn through science? Today, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge speak Read More › Source

If many of us began to practice honoring others in our interactions with them, what change would we see in society? Is it possible to recognize the divine in everyone we meet? On this episode, host Dr. Michael Egnor concludes his conversation with Dr. Stephen Post, author of the new book Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the Seven Paths to Inner Read More › Source

Most of us would agree that in recent years, our society has grown more acrimonious, reactive, and violent. What role does technology play in this trajectory? And what can be done about it? On this episode, host Dr. Michael Egnor speaks to Dr. Stephen Post, author of the new book Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the Seven Paths to Inner Peace. Read More › Source

Today, we hear from Discovery Institute Senior Fellow, podcaster, and writer Andrew McDiarmid as he chats with In The Market radio host Janet Parshall about the dangers associated with humans having relationships with AI. The discussion focuses on what McDiarmid calls “relational AI” – AI chatbots and assistants that aim to mimic human interactions and relationships. McDiarmid discusses how relational AI can Read More › Source