Mind Matters

Former Google employee Blake Lemoine claimed that the Large Language Model LaMDA was a sentient being. The claim got him fired. In this episode, Lemoine sits down with Robert J. Marks to discuss AI, what he was doing at Google, and why he believes artificial intelligence can be sentient.   Additional Resources

Can you beat casinos at their own game? Sometimes. Don Johnson beat Atlantic City casinos for over $15 million during a six-month period in 2011. Find out the ins and outs of casino gambling and card counting as Robert J. Marks interviews gambling expert Sal Cordova. In this intriguing podcast, you will discover how artificial intelligence plays poker, the strategies Read More ›

Robert J. Marks and Charlie Crockett discuss how the normalization of online pornography is connected with sex trafficking and abuse. In fact, the two industries are inextricably linked. They also discuss how military communications are affected by the widespread use of porn because of the high demand for spectrum (a limited resource). Additional Resources

Robert J. Marks and Charlie Crockett continue their conversation on the sad reality of human trafficking. In this episode, they focus particularly on how social media has become a place where predators will search and highlight children’s vulnerabilities — which so many young people share online. Marks and Crockett encourage parents to develop relationships of trust with their children and Read More ›

Robert Marks speaks on the difficult topic of human trafficking with his guest Charles Crockett, who works with the anti-trafficking advocacy organization Unbound Now. Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world and goes undetected all over the U.S. Marks and Crockett talk about the scope of the problem, common misconceptions about trafficking, and how to help victims in need. Read More ›

In this episode, Robert J. Marks talks with Pat Flynn on the Philosophy for the People podcast. Together they discuss the benefits and limits of the GPT-3, the mind-body problem, and the unique, “non-computable” qualities of the human person.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the “mind-body problem,” but what about the relationship between the mind and the brain? Is the mind just an illusion produced by the brain or is it something totally separate? Robert Marks talks with neurologist Andrew Knox on these topics and more in this week’s Mind Matters podcast episode. Additional Resources

Robert Marks and Andrew Knox continue their conversation on neurology, epilepsy, and mental illness. In this episode, they focus on the medications and practices that can help restore proper brain function, from antidepressants to forms of surgery to Elon Musk’s potential “Neuralink.” Additional Resources

The brain is a marvelous organ still not understood. Artificial neural networks are supposed to be a simulation of the human brain. But comparing the brain to an artificial neural network is like comparing the human heart to a pump handle. Dr. Andrew Knox and Dr. Robert J. Marks discuss the brain, aging, and neurology. Additional Resources

How does our brain chemistry affect addiction? How has artificial intelligence changed medicine? Anesthesiologist Dr. Richard Hurley discusses opioid addiction from a medical perspective with host Dr. Robert J. Marks. Then, an anonymous guest details their own experience with opioids. Finally, Dr. Hurley discusses how computer algorithms have both improved and stifled the proper practice of medicine. Additional Resources