Dr. Paul Cisek is a professor of neuroscience at the University of Montreal, and focuses on understanding how the brain controls behaviour. Particularly through the lens of motor control and decision-making. His interdisciplinary approach combines neurophysiological recordings, computational modelling, and evolutionary biology to explore how the brain mediates interactions with the world. This type of knowledge makes for an incredibly interesting conversation!

Timestamps:

00:00 The Evolutionary Lens on Neuroscience

06:56 Understanding the Brain as a Control System

13:14 The Historical Context of Nervous System Development

20:30 Key Evolutionary Transitions in Brain Development

31:00 The Role of Reinforcement Learning in Evolution

45:52 Evolutionary Leaps: From Water to Land

54:41 Consciousness and Its Emergence

01:03:47 The Complexity of Brain Function and Evolution

01:24:29 Debunking Myths: Understanding Evolution's Nature

01:26:43 Engineering vs. Evolutionary Solutions

01:28:36 AI Models and Evolutionary Insights

01:35:09 The Grounding Problem in AI

01:42:52 The Role of Motion in AGI

01:54:55 Future of AI: Optimism vs. Pessimism