219 - Joscha Bach: Consciousness, Artificial Intelligence, and the Threat of AI Apocalypse

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia, and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, as is the second guest. Barry Loewer is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers. Before that he did his PhD in philosophy at Stanford (!). Barry works largely in the philosophy of physics, the philosophy of science, and metaphysics. This is Barry’s second time on the show—in episode 83 he and Robinson discusses probability and laws of nature, both of which come up in this episode. This is David’s sixth (!) appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. He appeared on episode #23 with Justin Clarke-Doane on metaethics and absolute space, episode #30 on the philosophy of time, episode #67 with Tim Maudlin on the foundations of quantum theory, episode #106 with Sean Carroll on Many-Worlds and fine-tuning, and episode #157 on the metaphysics of quantum mechanics. In this episode, Robinson, Barry, and David talk about the Mentaculus, their joint project on the foundations of statistical mechanics, which provides a guide for how to think of and solve problems involving probability, determinism, free will, cosmology, time, and more. A book Barry, Brad Weslake, and Eric Winsberg have edited on essays concerning David’s book, Time and Chance, called The Probability Map of the Universe (Harvard, 2023), came out around this time last year, and the link is in the description. The Probability Map of the Universe: https://a.co/d/4XoYTMY A Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidl The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:41 Introduction 04:23 The Mentaculus 07:08 Chance, Probability, and Determinism 29:52 What Is the Mentaculus? 46:37 The Mentaculus, Thermodynamics, and Time’s Arrows 01:18:51 The Quantum Arrow of Time 01:30:34 On Tim Maudlin and the Arrow of Time 01:36:30 Can We Time Travel to the Future 01:44:22 Free Will and Statistical Mechanics Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

12 Jan 20241h 54min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Sheldon Goldstein is Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University, where he researches mathematical physics, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and Bohmian Mechanics. He is also Board Member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, and this is his second appearance on the show. In episode 170, he and Robinson discussed Bohmian Mechanics. On the other hand, this is Tim’s fifth appearance on the show. Tim was also a guest on episode 46 (laws of nature, space, and free will), episode 67 with David Albert (the foundations of quantum mechanics), episode 115 with Craig Callender (the philosophy of time), and episode 142 on Bell’s inequality and the philosophy of science. In this episode, Robinson, Tim, and Shelly discuss the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, the Many-Worlds theory, spontaneous collapse theories, Bohmian mechanics, and emergent relativity. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics—which you absolutely should be—then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life. Tim’s Website: www.tim-maudlin.site Shelly’s Website: https://sites.math.rutgers.edu/~oldstein/ The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:22 Introduction 03:04 Is Copenhagen the Dominant Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics? 20:12 On the Most Promising Theories of Quantum Mechanics 34:46 Are There 0-Dimensional Quantum Objects? 41:03 On Spontaneous Wave Function Collapse in Quantum Mechanics 47:56 Bohmian Mechanics and Determinism 51:34 What is Bohmian Mechanics? 1:10:33 Is There a Fundamental Theory of Quantum Mechanics 1:18:45What Is Emergent Relativity? 1:31:01 What Are the Problems with Bohmian Mechanics? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

10 Jan 20241h 46min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Michael Levin is a Distinguished Professor in the Biology Department at Tufts University, where he holds the Vannevar Bush endowed Chair, and he is also associate faculty at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. Michael and the Levin Lab work at the intersection of biology, artificial life, bioengineering, synthetic morphology, and cognitive science. Michael also appeared on the show in episode #151, which was all about synthetic life and collective intelligence. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss the nature of cognition, working with Daniel Dennett, how cognition can be realized by different structures and materials, how to define robots, a new class of robot called the Anthrobot, and whether or not we have moral obligations to biological robots. The Levin Lab: https://drmichaellevin.org/ OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:19 Introduction 02:14 What is Cognition? 08:01 On Working with Daniel Dennett 13:17 Gatekeeping in Cognitive Science  25:15 The Multi-Realizability of Cognition  31:30 What are Anthrobots?  39:33 What Are Robots, Really? 59:53 Do We Have Moral Obligations to Biological Robots? Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

8 Jan 20241h 21min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Jenann Ismael is the William H. Miller III Professor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, where she researches the philosophy of physics, science, mind, and metaphysics. In this episode, Robinson and Jenann discuss the role of self-reference in physics, the arrows of time, interpretations of quantum mechanics, and free will. Jenann’s latest book is Time: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2021). Jenann’s Website: https://www.jenanni.com Time: A Very Short Introduction: https://a.co/d/8fRtXFZ How Physics Makes Us Free: https://a.co/d/9OdFJ12 OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode 00:23 Introduction 02:21 Jenann’s Entry into Philosophy of Physics 8:26 Self-Reference and the Universe 21:54 The Real-World Problem of Self-Reference 32:51 The Mentaculus 57:01 Interference and Self-Reference 1:01:55 Interference and Quantum Measurement 1:06:12 On Self-Reference and the Many-Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics 1:17:13 On Determinism and Free Will Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

6 Jan 20241h 39min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Jim Al-Khalili holds a University of Surrey Distinguished Chair in physics and a university chair in the Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey, where he is a theoretical physicist, author, and broadcaster. In this episode, Robinson and Jim talk about the fundamentals of quantum biology, including what it is, how some animals—like Robinson’s namesake, the Robin—take advantage of quantum mechanics, how exotic phenomena like quantum tunneling fit into the biological world, and how quantum mechanics relates to the arrow of time. Jim’s latest book is The Joy of Science (Princeton, 2022). The Joy of Science: https://amzn.eu/d/hREAipW Jim’s Website: https://jimal-khalili.com OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode 00:37 Introduction 03:02 What Is Quantum Biology? 17:00 How Do Robins Use Quantum Mechanics? 26:42 Where Does Quantum Tunneling Fit into Biology? 34:16 What is Quantum Decoherence? 40:03 Jim on His Preferred Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics 43:18 Quantum Mechanics and the Arrow of Time Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

4 Jan 202458min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Brian Leiter is Karl N. Llewellyn Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Chicago Law School, founder and Director of Chicago’s Center for Law, Philosophy & Human Values, and is best known in the philosophical world for his work on Nietzsche and legal philosophy. He is the founding editor of the Routledge Philosophers book series, Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Law, and Philosophical Gourmet Report, which is the canonical—as well as extremely helpful and illuminating—ranking of philosophy departments and PhD programs in the English-speaking world. He also maintains the world’s most popular philosophy blog, Leiter Reports. Brian was also a guest on episode 97, where he and Robinson discussed Karl Marx, ideology, and historical materialism, but in this episode they talk about Friedrich Nietzsche’s moral psychology and his criticism of morality. Among the topics they discuss are The Genealogy of Morals, The Gay Science, moral realism and anti-realism, moral psychology, and Nietzsche’s thoughts on free will. Brian’s latest book is Moral Psychology with Nietzsche (Oxford, 2021). Brian’s Website: https://www.brianleiter.net Brian’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLeiter Leiter Reports: https://leiterreports.typepad.com Moral Psychology with Nietzsche: https://a.co/d/3dJZBeZ OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:04 Introduction 02:14 Who Was Friedrich Nietzsche? 10:50 Naturalism in Nietzsche’s Moral Psychology 20:24 Nietzsche and the Death of God 28:36 Nietzsche and Moral Anti-Realism 40:32 Did Nietzsche Believe in Free Will? 47:43  Nietzsche and the Genealogy of Morals 01:11:50 The Main Takeaways from Nietzsche’s Moral Philosophy Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

2 Jan 20241h 21min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Neil Shubin is Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago. In addition to actively leading research expeditions across the globe, Neil runs the Shubin Lab, where genetic, kinematic, and paleontologic work combine to investigate some of the major transitions in evolution. In this episode, Robinson and Neil discuss some of these transitions, including the importance of the Devonian and Triassic Periods, how fish moved from water to land, and how early terrestrial environments accommodated them. Neil’s most recent book is Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA (Random House, 2020).  The Shubin Lab: https://shubinlab.uchicago.edu Neil’s Twitter: https://shubinlab.uchicago.edu Some Assembly Required: https://a.co/d/dnZMuSl OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 00:39 Introduction 03:25 What Is Evolutionary Biology?  12:59 On The importance of the Devonian Period 20:39 Searching Antarctica for Fish Fossils 31:50 How Did Fish Become People?  54:43 Genetics and Kinematics Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

31 Dec 20231h 2min

Patreon: https://bit.ly/3v8OhY7 Larry Keith is the Head of Conservation and Keeper of the National Gallery of London, where he preserves and maintains some of the world’s most precious works of art, including paintings by Leonardo, Caravaggio, and Rubens. In this episode, Robinson and Larry discuss what goes into a conservator’s appraisal of an artwork, some of the tools and techniques of the job, and how Larry has treated a number of famous paintings, such as Leonardo’s Virgin of the Rocks and Caravaggio’s The Boy and a Lizard. OUTLINE 00:00 In This Episode… 01:08 Introduction 03:19 Piere Menard and Borges 11:01 Conserving Da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks 23:28 What Goes into Conserving a Renaissance Masterpiece? 51:00 Conserving Caravaggio’s Masterpieces 01:17:32 On Authorship and Paul Rubens’ Drunken Silenus Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.

29 Dec 20231h 35min