Send a love message

Decoding the Empowerment Measurement in AI and Robotics with Dari Trendafilov. Dari has a PhD in Computing Science from the University of Glasgow, UK. His research interests are situated at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Human–Computer Interaction. He specialized in probabilistic information-theoretic modelling of complex systems and analysis of computational and interactive cognitive systems in the context of social and human–robot interaction. Towards his aim of establishing the fundamental information processing principles driving decision-making in living organisms, he has developed information-theoretic models and tools for the study of human sensorimotor dynamics, robotic and simulated systems, based on behavioural and physiological sensing and analysis.

In this episode of Love and Philosophy, Andrea Hiott explores the concept of empowerment in the context of artificial intelligence and robotics with guest Dari Trendelov. The discussion covers Claude Shannon's information theory, intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, and the application of these theories in human-computer interaction and swarm robotics. Dari shares insights from his research on swarm intelligence and the use of evolutionary algorithms for collective decision-making. The episode also touches on the broader implications of modeling intelligence and the dynamic interaction between agents and their environments.

00:00 Welcome to Love and Philosophy
00:11 Understanding Empowerment and Information Theory
01:41 Empowerment in Artificial Intelligence
04:43 Robotics and Human Interaction
06:56 Exploring the Concept of Empowerment
19:29 Swarm Robotics and Collective Intelligence
33:59 Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation
40:36 Modeling Nature Through Robotics
42:38 The Journey to Empowerment Research
43:28 Challenges in Human-Computer Interaction
44:04 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Usability
44:50 Usability Engineering and Market Demands
45:30 Formal Models and Theories in HCI
47:20 Understanding Empowerment in HCI
51:01 The Role of Affordances
52:33 Introduction to Empowerment
53:07 Empowerment in Practice
53:33 Empowerment as a Measure
01:00:56 Applications and Implications of Empowerment
01:08:11 Swarm Robotics and Collective Intelligence
01:14:16 Modeling Intelligence and Future Directions

Support the show

Please rate and review with love.
YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.

Send a love message

Exploring Human Embodiment and Conviviality with Thomas Fuchs, the Karl Jaspers Professor of Philosophy and Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Germany

Join Andrea for an insightful conversation with Thomas Fuchs, a philosopher and psychiatrist at Universität Heidelberg, as they delve into his book, 'In Defense of the Human Being.' Explore the profound questions about our distinctiveness from machines, the concept of 'conviviality,' and the essence of human embodiment. They discuss the oscillation between self-aggrandizement and self-contempt and how intersubjectivity and embodied experiences are central to understanding what it means to be human. Discover how modern technology impacts our self-perception and the importance of regaining a balanced relationship with our body and others. This episode is a deep dive into the notions of self-awareness, bodily presence, and the interrelation of life, mind, and technology.

00:00 Introduction: Are We Distinct from Machines?
01:32 Welcome to Love and Philosophy
01:36 Introducing Thomas Fuchs and His Work
02:15 Conviviality and Intersubjectivity
03:51 The Theory of Mind and Human Experience
07:56 The Defense of the Human Being
08:51 The Impact of Technology and Transhumanism
18:18 Embodiment and the Human Condition
24:23 The Illusion of Mind-Body Separation
40:29 The Role of Intersubjectivity
57:53 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

In Defense of the Human Body
Thomas Fuchs, Karl Jaspers Professor of Philosophy and Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Germany

Support the show

Please rate and review with love.
YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.

Send a love message

Mark Solms | Love and Philosophy, Part 2
Please join in support at https://lovephilosophy.substack.com/
In this insightful episode of 'Love and Philosophy', Andrea and neuroscientist and neuropsychologist Mark Solms discuss into the intricate dimensions of love and consciousness. Solms and Hiott explore the various elements that constitute love, including romantic love, attachment, and care. He highlights the complexities of human emotions and how they integrate into love and relationships. Solms also discusses the concepts of narcissism, object love, and how the integration of different emotional drives forms advanced states of mind. The conversation touches on the importance of subjectivity in neuroscience, the development of self-awareness, and Freud's contribution to understanding human nature. The episode provides a nuanced look at how feelings are fundamental to conscious experience and the obligation of science to incorporate subjectivity into its worldview.

00:00 Understanding Consciousness and Self-Awareness
00:55 The Complexity of Love and Relationships
02:47 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
04:48 Exploring the Concept of Love
05:40 The Components of Romantic Love
08:20 Attachment and Care in Relationships
11:56 Balancing Emotions in Love
17:18 The Role of Feelings in Human Nature
29:05 Exploring the Nature of Love in Mammals
30:33 Philosophical Love: The Quest for Knowledge
31:25 Lust and Its Complex Relationship with Love
32:42 Freud's Concept of Narcissism
35:22 Integrating Lust and Attachment
43:36 The Evolution of Consciousness
51:28 Freud's Scientific Project and Subjectivity
57:05 Balancing Objective and Subjective Realities
01:00:08 Concluding Thoughts on Love and Consciousness

Mark Solms
Hidden Spring
Love and Its Place in Nature

Support the show

Please rate and review with love.
YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.