I am a computer circuit that thinks, therefore, I am? Listen to Derek and Laurel discuss the long science fiction tradition of artificial intelligence, and the history of the fictional robot. Baked into these narratives is the question of human consciousness. Intuitively, we all know we are conscious, right? But how do we define it, and can we create it in our technology? All these questions and more will be (kinda) answered in this week’s podcast, “Don’t Disconnect Me Brah!” Stories explored will include 2001: A Space Odyssey, R.U.R., Asimov’s I, Robot, and others…
Episode 53: See You Later, Alligator
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Is there a soul? One of the oldest questions humankind has ever asked works its way through almost all of our stories in some form or another. But it’s a question that pops up continually in the popular Netflix series, Black Mirror. A vision of a technological future that often devolves into dystopia, Black Mirror pits humanity against machine-learning tech, sentient digital copies, and transferred consciousness on a frequent basis. We’re taking this question up with a quieter episode though. Season Four’s Crocodile asks about whether we have a soul, not as opposed to a robot, but as opposed to the rest of the animals. And if we have a soul, what happens when it’s corrupted?
Episode 11: Don't Disconnect Me, Brah
I am a computer circuit that thinks, therefore, I am? Listen to Derek and Laurel discuss the long science fiction tradition of artificial intelligence, and the history of the fictional robot. Baked into these narratives is the question of human consciousness. Intuitively, we all know we are conscious, right? But how do we define it, and can we create it in our technology? All these questions and more will be (kinda) answered in this week’s podcast, “Don’t Disconnect Me Brah!” Stories explored will include 2001: A Space Odyssey, R.U.R., Asimov’s I, Robot, and others…
