logo
episode-header-image
May 2017
52m 8s

9: Humanity 2.0 (Transhumanism)

Gabriel Hesch and Autumn Phaneuf
About this episode

Humanity, since its inception, has been nebulously defined. Every technological advancement has changed what it means to be a person, and every person has changed what it means to advance. In this same vein, there is a concept called “transhumanism”, which refers to what it will mean to be a person. This can range from everything from genetic engineering, to artificial intelligence, to technology which is beyond our current physical understanding. So what does it mean to be a person? And is transhumanism compatible with our natural understanding, if it exists, of being?


--- 


Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/breakingmathpodcast/support

Up next
Nov 2024
What is Chaos Theory?
In this captivating episode of Breaking Math, hosts Gabriel and Autumn dive deep into chaos theory—a fascinating branch of mathematics that explores the behavior of complex systems highly sensitive to initial conditions. They break down the butterfly effect, revealing how tiny va ... Show More
13 m
Nov 2024
AI in the Lab: How GPT-4 is Changing Molecules and Models
In this episode of Breaking Math, we dive deep into the transformative power of large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 in the fields of chemistry and materials science, based on the article "14 examples of how LLMs can transform materials science and chemistry: a reflection on a ... Show More
12m 11s
Oct 2024
The Fluid Dynamics of Sheep
In this episode of Breaking Math, we explore the unexpected link between sheep herding and fluid dynamics!  Did you know that the way sheep move in a herd is governed by the same mathematical principles as water flowing in a river? By following simple rules of alignment, cohesion ... Show More
15m 8s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
The Future of Humanity? How CRISPR Could Change Life Forever
The Future of Humanity? How CRISPR Could Change Life Forever" - In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking world of CRISPR and genetic engineering, technologies that promise to reshape our future. Discover how CRISPR's precision editing could eliminate genetic diseases, enhan ... Show More
15m 44s
May 2023
Stefan Lorenz Sorgner, "We Have Always Been Cyborgs: Digital Data, Gene Technologies, and an Ethics of Transhumanism" (Bristol UP, 2023)
The concept of transhumanism emerged in the middle of the 20th century, and has influenced discussions around AI, brain–computer interfaces, genetic technologies and life extension. Despite its enduring influence in the public imagination, a fully developed philosophy of transhum ... Show More
45m 20s
Jul 2024
Eve Herold, "Robots and the People Who Love Them: Holding on to Our Humanity in an Age of Social Robots" (St. Martin's Press, 2024)
The latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence and a preview of the coming decades, based on research and interviews with the world's foremost experts. If there’s one universal trait among humans, it’s our social nature. The craving to connect is universal, compe ... Show More
51 m
Mar 2025
Emerging Technologies That Will Change Our World
The 21st century has seen the emergence of incredible technologies we could once only dream about. But the stuff we have now is just the beginning, and humanity’s smartest minds are continuing to develop technology that will change the world forever. Let’s explore some mind-blowi ... Show More
23m 35s
Jul 2023
Tech and AI: 7. Where is AI working already?
Artificial Intelligence is already here. It's being used in products and services you already use, and is working behind the scenes in medicine, transportation, robotics, science, education, the military, surveillance, finance , agriculture, entertainment, retail, customer servic ... Show More
14m 24s
Mar 2024
Verity Harding, "AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI's Future and Save Our Own" (Princeton UP, 2024)
Artificial intelligence may be the most transformative technology of our time. As AI's power grows, so does the need to figure out what--and who--this technology is really for. AI Needs You argues that it is critical for society to take the lead in answering this urgent question ... Show More
31m 16s
May 6
Season 4, Episode 9: Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity is Nearer: When We Merge with AI
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and futurist Ray Kurzweil for a compelling conversation on the accelerating pace of technological change and its profound implications for the future of humanity. In his new book, The Singularity Is Nearer, Kurzweil revisits and updates ... Show More
49m 11s
Oct 2024
Is AI creative?
What is the relationship between creativity and artificial intelligence? Creativity feels innately human, but is it? Can a machine be creative? Are we still being creative if we use machines to assist in our creative output?To help answer those questions, Sean speaks with Meghan ... Show More
41m 35s
May 25
251 - Eliezer Yudkowsky: Artificial Intelligence and the End of Humanity
Eliezer Yudkowsky is a decision theorist, computer scientist, and author who co-founded and leads research at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute. He is best known for his work on the alignment problem—how and whether we can ensure that AI is aligned with human values to ... Show More
2h 51m
May 2017
Robots - More Human than Human?
Robots are becoming present in our lives, as companions, carers and as workers. Adam Rutherford explores our relationship with these machines. Have we made them to be merely more dextrous versions of us? Why do we want to make replicas of ourselves? Should we be worried that they ... Show More
26m 59s