logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2025
51m 33s

Ep111 "Might we be surrounded with undet...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

What is intelligence? If we look hard, can we find it in unexpected places: not just in brains but in all kinds of structures? How should we recognize it? And what does any of this have to do with a bipedal dog born without front legs, or making small new organisms out of single cells, or   how Wikipedia might be like an axolotl, or why we are so blind to the vast variety of minds that might surround us? Join Eagleman with guest Michael Levin, professor at Tufts, about how we might discover intelligence all around us in ways we don't typically intuit.

Up next
Sep 14
Ep171 "Why Do Some Urges Feel Irresistible?" with Paige Gordon
Why do two people facing the same choice feel different urges? How much effort hides behind resisting a cookie? Why can the brain keep wanting something long after pleasure fades? Can a molecule crank down the volume of your internal radio? Does a biological understanding of beha ... Show More
46m 29s
Sep 7
Ep 170 "Will Mars Create a New Species of Human?" with Scott Solomon
What happens when we start birthing babies on Mars? Might a Martian human become unable to survive on Earth because of differences in microbes and gravity? How much of your body is shaped by the details of this planet? Will radiation accelerate human evolution on Mars? Could livi ... Show More
48m 51s
Aug 31
Ep169 "What Is Claude Thinking But Not Saying?" with Jack Lindsey
Is AI thinking things it never says aloud? How would we know if a large language model were having a subjective experience? Is there a way to read the 'thoughts' of an LLM? Human brains seem to have a 'global workspace' -- what would it mean if we discovered that AI has something ... Show More
1h 21m
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
Are You a Recovering Intellectual?
If you've ever wondered why the smartest people in the room can do the dumbest things (and especially if you think you might be one of those people :-), this week's episode explores the double-edged sword of the intellect and how to wield it wisely in the world! 
9m 11s
Sep 2022
Ep 145: Minds
What is a mind? Can we pin it down? To what do the pronouns "I" and "you" really refer? Is the mind different to its contents? What do we know and what are we struggling still to understand? 
7m 9s
Jan 2022
Mind Reading 2.0: Why did you do that?
<p>As we go through life, we’re constantly trying to figure out what other people are thinking and feeling. Psychologist <a href="https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/mcas/departments/psychology/people/faculty-directory/liane-young.html">Liane Young</a> says this ability to assess o ... Show More
48m 50s
Jul 2022
Where Did Human Intelligence Come From?
We humans are smart, to be sure, but if we’re so smart then how come we can’t figure how we got so smart in the first place? Think about that! We sure did and we go over some theories in this super interesting episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
46m 8s
Jun 2022
Why You're Smarter Than You Think
<p>From the time we are schoolchildren, we are ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman proposes a more expansive notion of what it means to be "smart."</p><p><i>If ... Show More
48m 53s
Nov 2024
What we—and AI—can learn from nature's intelligence
Artificial intelligence is powerful, but what about natural intelligence? This hour, TED speakers explore the intrinsic genius in animal language, insect behavior, plant anatomy and our immune system. Guests include neuroscientist Greg Gage, computational neuroscientist Frances C ... Show More
49m 38s
Apr 2022
Is mind-reading real?
Can people actually read minds? Can we move objects with our brains like in the movies? We're exploring the history of shady psychics, sketchy seances, and secret superpower studies. Plus, hear from a scientist who is helping people regain the ability to pick up and move objects ... Show More
32m 32s
May 2025
How did intelligence arise?
Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about how we measure and define intelligence, hypotheses for why it arises, and why flies are so dumb. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1 h