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On the Mind Matters podcast, Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence considers the implications and misconceptions, the opportunities and limitations, and the applications and challenges presented by intelligent agents and their algorithms.

Location:

New Zealand

Description:

On the Mind Matters podcast, Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence considers the implications and misconceptions, the opportunities and limitations, and the applications and challenges presented by intelligent agents and their algorithms.

Language:

English

Contact:

(206) 292-0401


Episodes

Methodological Naturalism: Neutral Principle or Self-Refuting Philosophy?

3/14/2024
In this episode, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge interview Dr. Robert Larmer about his chapter on methodological naturalism in the recently published volume Minding the Brain. Larmer explains that methodological naturalism is the assumption that when pursuing knowledge, one must always posit a physical cause and never appeal to a non-physical cause. Larmer argues that methodological naturalism is not Read More › Source

Duration:00:15:47

Debunking the Hype of Artificial General Intelligence

3/7/2024
In this episode, host Michael Egnor speaks with Dr. William Dembski, a senior fellow at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, about his essay titled “Artificial General Intelligence as an Idol for Destruction.” Dembski argues that the belief in the imminent arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is unachievable and destructive. He points out that while AI has made Read More › Source

Duration:00:26:39

Can AI Ever Be Sentient? A Conversation with Blake Lemoine

2/29/2024
AI can mimic sentience, but can it ever be sentient? On this episode, we return to our conversation with former Google engineer Blake Lemoine. Host Robert J. Marks has a lively back and forth with Lemoine, who made national headlines when, as an employee of Google, he claimed that Google’s AI software, dubbed LaMDA, might be sentient. Lemoine recounts his experience at Google and Read More › Source

Duration:01:04:38

The Primacy of Information Over Matter

2/22/2024
In this episode, host Michael Egnor continues a conversation with Dr. William Dembski, a senior fellow at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, about the relationship between the mind and the body. Dembski argues that if information is considered fundamental rather than matter, it dissolves the mind-body problem. He suggests that information is not constrained by the speed of Read More › Source

Duration:00:27:03

William Dembski on Information and the Mind-Body Relationship

2/15/2024
On this episode, host Michael Egnor speaks with Bill Dembski about the concept of information and its role in understanding the mind-body relationship. Dembski explains that information is a verb, representing the narrowing of possibilities and the constraining of contingency. He discusses how information can be understood in different contexts and how it relates to concepts such as meaning and communication. Read More › Source

Duration:00:30:20

Beyond the Physical: Embracing an Idealistic Worldview

2/8/2024
In this episode of the Mind Matters Podcast, Hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse conclude their discussion with Dr. Doug Axe about idealism. They explore the question of where the mind exists in an idealistic worldview and how it differs from physicalism and substance dualism. They also discuss the implications of idealism for various scientific fields, such as neuroscience Read More › Source

Duration:00:30:36

From Material to Mind: Understanding Idealism

2/1/2024
In this episode of the Mind Matters News podcast, host Robert J. Marks and co-host Brian Krouse continue their discussion of idealism with Dr. Doug Axe. In his chapter on the topic for the recent volume Minding the Brain, Axe presents four conundrums that support the move away from physicalism and dualism towards idealism. Axe discusses these conundrums with Marks and Krouse. The Read More › Source

Duration:00:32:27

Healing the Brain: Insights from a Neurologist

1/25/2024
Our brains are amazingly complex systems! But like most complex systems, there are lots of ways things can go wrong. But our brain is also adaptive, able to cope with or heal from some issues, either on its own over time or with medical intervention. On today’s episode, neurologist Dr. Andrew Knox discusses some of what can go wrong and Read More › Source

Duration:01:45:17

Unpacking Idealism: Animals and Consciousness

1/18/2024
In this episode, co-hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian R. Krouse continue to discuss the concept of idealism with guest Dr. Doug Axe. The topic this time is idealism and its implications for animals and quantum mechanics. Idealism suggests that reality consists of thinkers and their thoughts, with physical objects perhaps being the thoughts of God. When it comes to Read More › Source

Duration:00:23:01

A Commonsense Defense of Idealism

1/11/2024
In this episode, co-hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian R. Krouse discuss the concept of idealism with guest Dr. Doug Axe. Idealism is the belief that reality exists exclusively in the minds and ideas of individuals. Dr. Axe explains that idealism suggests that the physical world is a product of divine thoughts, and that everything that exists is made up Read More › Source

Duration:00:32:04

Science of The Soul: Evaluating Dualism and Naturalism

1/4/2024
In this episode of Mind Matters, host Pat Flynn concludes his discussion about substance dualism with experts Dr. Stewart Goetz and Dr. Charles Taliaferro. Goetz and Taliaferro discuss the nature of the soul and some of the tenets of substance dualism. They explore the motivations behind naturalism and scientism and the challenges faced by these worldviews in explaining consciousness and mental Read More › Source

Duration:00:27:12

Can Artificial Intelligence Hold Copyright or Patents?

12/28/2023
Should AI get legal credit for what it generates? On this episode of Mind Matters from the archive, host Robert J. Marks welcomes attorney and author Richard Stevens to discuss the concept of legal neutrality for artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for copyright and patent law. Stevens explains that AI is a tool created and controlled by humans, and therefore should Read More › Source

Duration:01:28:46

The Self and the Body: Substance Dualism Explored

12/21/2023
In this episode of Mind Matters, host Pat Flynn continues his discussion about substance dualism with experts Dr. Stewart Goetz and Dr. Charles Taliaferro. They explore arguments in favor of substance dualism, focusing on the primacy of self-awareness and the first-person point of view. They argue that our sense of self as substantial beings over time is more convincing than the Read More › Source

Duration:00:22:37

A Brief History of the Soul

12/14/2023
In this episode of Mind Matters, host Pat Flynn begins a discussion about substance dualism with experts Dr. Stewart Goetz and Dr. Charles Taliaferro. They provide a brief history of the soul, explaining that the concept of the soul is universal and not limited to Greek philosophy. They discuss how Plato and Descartes contributed to the understanding of the soul, with Read More › Source

Duration:00:20:51

Gary Habermas on the Scientific Evidence for Near-Death Experiences

12/7/2023
Is there strong scientific evidence for near-death experiences? On this episode of Mind Matters, we’re happy to share host Andrew McDiarmid’s recent ID The Future conversation with Dr. Gary Habermas about his chapter evaluating the evidence for near-death experiences in the recent book Minding the Brain. As Dr. Habermas explains, most near-death accounts contain both objective and subjective elements. While personal testimony about other Read More › Source

Duration:00:32:33

Hope & Energy: Empowering Haiti Through Appropriate Technology

11/30/2023
In the fall of 2022, the country of Haiti was facing a fuel and energy crisis, and in the intervening months, the situation has unfortunately not improved. In this episode of Mind Matters from the archive, host Robert J. Marks interviews Brian Thomas and Kayla Garrett from JustEnergy, a nonprofit organization that works in Haiti to provide solar energy systems Read More › Source

Duration:00:43:25

Evaluating Popular Theories of the Mind-Brain Relationship

11/23/2023
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the most common mind-brain theories? On today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor concludes his conversation with Dr. Angus Menuge about the mind-brain relationship and the popular dualistic theories of Cartesian dualism and Thomistic dualism. Cartesian dualism posits that the mind and body are fundamentally different substances, with the mind being immaterial and the body Read More › Source

Duration:00:42:33

From Physicalism to Idealism: Challenging Assumptions about Reality

11/16/2023
Can the mind be understood independently of physical matter? On today’s episode, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor continues his conversation with Dr. Angus Menuge, Chair of Philosophy at Concordia University, about his book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. They discuss various models of the mind-brain problem, including idealism, which posits that matter does not exist and that Read More › Source

Duration:00:27:01

Exploring the Mind-Brain Relationship and Challenging Materialism

11/9/2023
Can the mind be explained in purely physical terms? Or is it something else entirely? In this interview, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor kicks off a three-part discussion with Dr. Angus Menuge about his book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. The book brings together contributors from various academic disciplines to challenge the dominant materialist paradigm in the Read More › Source

Duration:00:23:57

Philosophies of Mind: Jim Madden on Hylomorphism and Neuroscience

11/2/2023
Is matter governed by an immaterial form, as Aristotle once argued? Or is the physical world all there is? On today’s episode, guest host Pat Flynn interviews philosopher Jim Madden, author of a chapter in the new book Minding the Brain. Madden discusses his involvement in the book project and his contribution to the volume. He explains the concept of hylomorphism, Read More › Source

Duration:00:31:35