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University of Oxford professor explains how conscious machines are possible. In his book "A Brief History of AI," Michael Wooldridge, a professor of computer science at the University of Oxford and an AI researcher, explains that AI is not about creating life, but rather about creating machines that can perform tasks requiring intelligence. Wooldridge discusses the two approaches to AI: symbolic AI and machine learning. Symbolic AI involves coding human knowledge into machines, while machine learning allows machines to learn from examples to perform specific tasks. Progress in AI stalled in the 1970s due to a lack of data and computational power, but recent advancements in technology have led to significant progress. AI can perform narrow tasks better than humans, but the grand dream of AI is achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), which means creating machines with the same intellectual capabilities as humans. One challenge for AI is giving machines social skills, such as cooperation, coordination, and negotiation. The path to conscious machines is slow and complex, and the mystery of human consciousness and self-awareness remains unsolved. The limits of computing are only bounded by imagination.

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chapters:

0:00 The Hollywood dream of AI: consciousness

1:16 The birth of AI & machine learning

3:28 The AI winter

4:04 The next era of intelligence: AGI

5:03 Why do humans have big brains?

5:52 Creating conscious machines

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“This is much deeper than just ‘let’s figure out how we can get both sides to get along.’”

When Ukraine declared itself an independent state during the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, most Ukrainians celebrated the historic move. To Vladimir Putin, however, the formal separation of Ukraine from Russia represented the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the 20th century.

Today, the two nations are locked in war. The inability to end the fighting in the foreseeable future will largely be driven by their shared history, about which Ukraine and Russia have starkly different views.

Another factor working against a swift end to the war is the inability of modern institutions to effectively prevent and handle crises like the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the political scientist and author Ian Bremmer. Still, amid this “geopolitical recession” lie opportunities to reinvigorate waning institutions and create new ones, hopefully rebalancing the global order for the better.

Chapters For Easier Navigation:-

00:00 - The roots of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict

01:34 - A brief history of the Soviet Union

03:43 - The fall of the Soviet Union

05:07 - The seeds of war

06:31 - The hubris of Putin

09:22 - The global consequences

11:05 - A geopolitical recession

12:28 - The rise of a new global order

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About Ian Bremmer:

Ian Bremmer is president and founder of Eurasia Group, the world’s leading global research and consulting firm, and GZERO Media, a company dedicated to providing intelligent and engaging coverage of international affairs. Ian is also a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the BBC, Bloomberg, and many other television stations around the world. Ian has published ten books, including the New York Times bestseller Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism which examines the rise of populism across the world. He also serves as the foreign affairs columnist and editor at large for Time magazine. He currently teaches at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University.

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The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century.

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Stress shrinks your brain. Neuroscientist Lisa Genova explains how to strengthen it.

Up next, How to double your brain power | Tiago Forte

It may not feel like it when you can't find your phone or "lose" your sunglasses sitting atop your head, but your memory is an amazing ability -- and one we want to protect. So it's little wonder that any blips or blank spaces can send us spiraling into concern.

Some recall issues here and there are normal, says neuroscientist and author Lisa Genova, and not every lapse means looming problems. (And don't worry, forgetting names is a surprisingly tough thing for our brains to do!) But, Genova says, there's ways we can improve our memory, increase resilience and recall and be more comfortable with ourselves and our minds.

From making lists and getting Google's help to giving yourself a pop quiz, getting some meditation in, and just plain paying attention, these tips will have your steel trap gleaming.

0:00 Introducing the problem

1:19 #1: Practice paying attention

1:45: #2: Bulk up your hippocampus

3:18 A 9-second meditation you can try

3:59 #3 Secure your sleep

5:14 #4 Drink caffeine

5:36 #5 Create associations (the Baker-Baker Paradox)

6:36 #6 Repetition

7:14 #7 Write it down

8:03 #8 Self-testing

8:31 #9 Just Google it

9:14 Forgetting is human

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About Lisa Genova:

Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Every Note Played. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, “What You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s,” has been viewed more than five million times. The New York Times bestseller REMEMBER is her first work of nonfiction.

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Dr. Temple Grandin shares how we can unlock the hidden gifts of neuro-divergent minds.

Up next, Master your anxiety. Unleash your genius

There are three types of thinkers. Which one are you?

Temple Grandin, author and professor of animal science at Colorado State University, recognized early in her life that her mind worked differently from those of her peers and colleagues. As a neurodivergent woman in a male-dominated field, Dr. Grandin reveals how this different way of thinking led to groundbreaking advancements in the cattle industry.

According to Grandin, there’s a major problem with the modern day overgeneralization of the word “autism.” Those diagnosed are put in one single category with no distinction between each specific case, ultimately preventing neurodivergent people from discovering their passions and contributing their unique perspectives to society.

The best way to approach this problem, says Grandin, is to understand the 3 most common types of thinkers: visual thinkers like herself, pattern thinkers, and word thinkers. If educators and employers consider these different types of minds, they can create environments that maximize each individual’s intellectual strengths. By embracing this diversity, we together can build a society where every person has access to success; where everyone has the education, employment, and lifestyles that will help them thrive.

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About Temple Grandin:

Dr. Temple Grandin is a renowned scientist, author, and advocate for individuals with autism and animal welfare. Grandin was diagnosed with autism at a young age, and despite facing significant challenges due to her condition, she persevered and went on to become one of the most prominent voices in the autism community.

Grandin's unique perspective as a person with autism has greatly influenced her work in animal science and husbandry. She is widely recognized for her innovations in the design of livestock handling facilities, which have revolutionized the industry by emphasizing the importance of humane treatment of animals. Her groundbreaking work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including being named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2010.

In addition to her contributions to animal welfare, Grandin is also an accomplished author, having written several books on animal behavior and her own experiences living with autism. Through her writing and public speaking engagements, she has become a leading advocate for individuals on the autism spectrum, promoting awareness, acceptance, and understanding of neurodiversity.

Grandin holds a Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently a professor at Colorado State University. Her work continues to inspire countless individuals around the world, challenging stereotypes and championing the rights of both animals and people with autism.

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Astronomer Michelle Thaller explains the healing power of physics after losing her husband. Grief is a haunting and powerful psychological force. It struck astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller in 2020 when her husband died of cancer. She was left feeling utterly disconnected from the people and places around her, as if the fundamental nature of reality had shifted and Earth was no longer her home. She still lives with the pain. But as she told Big Think, she has found that the pursuits that make us feel connected to the Universe — science, poetry, art, literature — can serve as tools that help us continue pushing forward and living enriching lives. The pain from losing our loved ones may never disappear completely. But finding ways to connect to something larger than ourselves just might give us a path out of grief

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About Michelle Thaller: Dr. Michelle Thaller is an astronomer who studies binary stars and the life cycles of stars. She is Assistant Director of Science Communication at NASA. She went to college at Harvard University, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif. then started working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Spitzer Space Telescope. After a hugely successful mission, she moved on to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in the Washington D.C. area. In her off-hours often puts on about 30lbs of Elizabethan garb and performs intricate Renaissance dances. For more information, visit NASA.

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Author of the Canceling of the American Mind Greg Lukianoff explains the current state of free speech in the United States.

Greg Lukianoff, president of the @TheFIREorg discusses how free speech has evolved – from its induction into the United States Constitution, to its prevalence on modern American college campuses. But with cancel culture more relevant than ever, is free speech at risk?

When, if ever, should speech be controlled? When are speech moderators in the wrong? And when should people in power choose not to speak at all? Lukianoff explains all this and more, in this interview with Freethink’s Editor-in-chief, Robert Chapman-Smith.

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About Greg Lukianoff:

Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, Freedom From Speech, and FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus. Most recently, he co-authored The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure with Jonathan Haidt. Most recently Greg co-authored The Canceling of the American Mind: Cancel Culture Undermines Trust and Threatens Us All—But There Is a Solution with Rikki Schlott. Greg is also an Executive Producer of Can We Take a Joke? (2015), a feature-length documentary that explores the collision between comedy, censorship, and outrage culture, both on and off campus, and of Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story (2020), an award-winning feature-length film about the life and career of former ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser...

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Why most billionaires aren’t geniuses and most geniuses aren’t billionaires, explained by political scientist Brian Klaas.

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Not all rich people are geniuses – most of them are just lucky.

Professor and author Brian Klass joins us to debunk a common misconception about wealth – that all those who have it are smarter than average. Klass uses probability to explain that though this is an easy assumption to make, it’s technically not correct.

He points to Elon Musk as a case study, noting that while Musk's skills have contributed to his achievements, his success also depends on his pre-existing resources and collaboration with others. In situations where Musk has worked individually (such as during his acquisition of Twitter), he has seen less success, and, ultimately, less profit.

The key takeaway here is that wealth is not directly correlated with wealth is not directly correlated with brain power. Thinking smarter and working harder does not always make you rich; most of the time, it’s just about being positioned at the luckiest spot on the bell curve.

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About Brian Klaas:

Brian Klaas grew up in Minnesota, earned his DPhil at Oxford, and is now a professor of global politics at University College London. He is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, host of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast, and frequent guest on national television. Klaas has conducted field research across the globe and advised major politicians and organizations including NATO and the European Union. You can find him at BrianPKlaas.com and on Twitter @BrianKlaas.

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“Forget about essences.” Philosopher Daniel Dennett on how modern-day philosophers should be more collaborative with scientists if they want to make revolutionary developments in their fields.

Up next, Antifragility: How to use suffering to get stronger | Jonathan Haidt & more

Philosophy and science haven’t always gone hand-in-hand. Here’s why that should change.

Daniel Dennett, an Emeritus Professor from Tufts University and prolific author, provides an overview of his work at the intersection of philosophy and science. Many of today’s philosophers are too isolated in their pursuits, he explains, as they dedicate their intellect purely to age-old philosophical ideas without considering the advancements of modern science. If our understanding of reality evolves with every new scientific breakthrough, shouldn’t philosophical thought develop alongside it?

In just 11 minutes, Dennett outlines the four eras he evolved through on his own journey as a philosopher: classical philosophy, evolutionary theory, memetic theory, and the intentional stance. Each stage added depth to his perspective and understanding, enriching his personal journey as a philosopher and his analysis of how philosophy, when used correctly, can help us comprehend human behavior.

Dennett’s key takeaway is a request for philosophers to reevaluate their methodologies, urging modern-day thinkers to embrace the insights offered by new scientific discoveries. By combining the existential and theoretical viewpoints of philosophers with the analytical and evidential perspective of scientists, we can begin to fully and accurately interpret the world around us. Maybe, with this type of collaboration, we can begin to answer the questions that started our intellectual pursuits in the first place, so many hundreds of years ago.

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An interview with economist Tyler Cowen on why American progress has seemed to stall and how we can get it back on track.

The rate of progress in American society has been uneven throughout history, argues economist Tyler Cowen. Tremendous periods of growth are followed by periods of stagnation.

Periods of growth occur when there is a breakthrough, and other advances quickly follow. For example, the Industrial Revolution and electrification of homes allowed the standard of living to grow at a fast rate, particularly in the early to mid-20th century.

But starting in the 70s, progress slowed. One reason is that the easier tasks, like electrification, had already been accomplished. Also, government regulation and a general aversion to risk have made Americans less entrepreneurial. As a result, progress has slowed, and we have not matched our earlier performance.

Today, we are at a pivotal crossroads between stagnation and growth. To get back to a growth mindset, he argues, we need to stop taking our prosperity for granted.

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Chapters For Easier Navigation:-

0:00 intro

0:05 whats wrong with america

1:53 can america make a comeback

3:27 when are we going to get vaccines

This video is part of The Progress Issue, a Big Think and Freethink special collaboration.

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About Tyler Cowen

Tyler is the Holbert L. Harris Chair of Economics at George Mason University and serves as chairman and general director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He is co-author of the popular economics blog Marginal Revolution and co-founder of the online educational platform Marginal Revolution University. Tyler also writes a column for Bloomberg View, and he has contributed to The Wall Street Journal and Money. In 2011, Bloomberg Businessweek profiled Tyler as “America’s Hottest Economist” after his e-book, The Great Stagnation, appeared twice on The New York Times e-book bestseller list. He graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor's degree in economics and earned a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. He also runs a podcast series called Conversations with Tyler. His latest book Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives and Winners Around the World is co-authored with venture capitalist Daniel Gross.

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Sorry, you’re not Neo and this isn’t "The Matrix." Michio Kaku gets real about simulation theory. Are we all just living in an elaborate simulation? After movies like "The Matrix" (1999) posited the existence of a superficial world layered over our own, human imagination has run abound with theories about the nature of our reality. To a small but passionate minority, the red pill that can awaken us to this illusion is right at our fingertips. World-renowned physicist Michio Kaku isn’t quite ready to take that pill. In fact, he’s skeptical that the pills even exist. He explains why.

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About Michio Kaku: Dr. Michio Kaku is the co-founder of string field theory, and is one of the most widely recognized scientists in the world today. He has written 4 New York Times Best Sellers, is the science correspondent for CBS This Morning and has hosted numerous science specials for BBC-TV, the Discovery/Science Channel. His radio show broadcasts to 100 radio stations every week. Dr. Kaku holds the Henry Semat Chair and Professorship in theoretical physics at the City College of New York (CUNY), where he has taught for over 25 years. He has also been a visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study as well as New York University

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Your top destination for expert-driven, educational content. Featuring thousands of episodes and insights from renowned figures like Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think accelerates your learning by delving into the pivotal concepts and essential skills shaping knowledge in the 21st century...

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