#72 Rethinking Cognition: Posthumanism to Planetary Ecology with Professor Katherine Hayles

Send a love message GiveSupport with a SubscriptionA poetic conversation at the intersection of literature, science, and technology with Katherine Hayles, a distinguished research professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Hayles discusses her ideas from her books 'How We Became Posthuman' and 'Bacteria to AI,' focusing on the need to rethink cognition and decouple it from consciousness. She describes the concept of non-conscious cognition and emphasizes the importance of understanding the integrated cognitive framework, which includes biological organisms, synthetic intelligences, and their symbiotic relationships with humans. The discussion extends to planetary ecology, the risks and potentials of advancing AI, and the overarching need for humanity’s care for the planet and each other.00:00 What I really meant by posthumanism00:27 The Concept of Human Transformation00:54 Scientific and Ecological Perspectives01:38 The Role of Machines and Symbiosis02:31 Understanding Synthetic Intelligence02:52 Widening the Circle of Care03:40 Introduction to Catherine Hales by philosopher Andrea Hiott04:01 Catherine Hales' Academic Background04:19 Books by Catherine Hales08:30 The Importance of Fiction in Science09:55 Consciousness vs. Cognition17:42 The Integrated Cognitive Framework18:37 Non-Conscious Cognition33:01 Meaning Making in Organisms35:28 Understanding Different Umwelts38:42 Understanding AI's Conceptual Umwelt40:13 Embodiment and Ontology in AI45:51 Symbiosis: From Biology to AI58:08 The Role of Narrative in Science and Literature01:10:06 Planetary Cognition and Future Challenges01:18:48 The Importance of Accurate Information and EducationFull intro and notes here.Care is not the opposite of love. It is the very urge of life. 'Caring for what?' is the primary question. That we have a choice about what we care for and how is what makes us human, but it's quite the challenge and responsibility. Let's help one another handle it.Support the showBuy Holding Paradox: The Navigational Approach to Mind and Consciousness by Andrea HiottSign up for Making Ways newsletter and projects.Please rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.