Could the Internet feel happy or depressed? That's a distinct possibility, according to Christof Koch. In this EXTENDED interview, he talks about computer consciousness, God, and just what it means that our brains have a hundred billion neurons and trillions of synapses. Koch wonders whether all matter might have consciousness.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Doug here. I thought there was good back-and-forth between Chuck and myself in this conversation. I like how the interview went “meta” at the end, with Chuck speculating that if I’m right about his book being hailed as the “Moby Dick" of non-fiction in 300 years time. This interview belongs in a time capsule. At the very least, a “Best of” show. I also really enjoyed the fact that we heard the musical stylings of John Philip Sousa, Chuck Berry, KISS and Veruca Salt. Of course, if Chuck’s book taught me anything (and it actually taught me many things), I could be wrong.
Bill Streever is an Alaskan biologist and a "cryophile" - someone who loves the cold. He describes what it's like to jump into freezing water as hypothermia starts to set in.
Novelist Gary Shteyngart recommends one of his favorite reads: "Jernigan" by David Gates.
David George Gordon tells Jim Fleming cicadas outnumber human beings two hundred thousand to one, so we have to do something to even the odds. Why not eat them?
Media theorist Douglas Rushkoff says the writing's on the wall: in the future, you can either make the software... or you can BE the software.
Film-maker David Lynch is a long–time practitioner of Transcendental Meditation...
Cynthia Woodland’s tattoo has a story. It’s about being a young single mom. It’s about faith. It’s about Tyler.
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