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151 - Michael Levin: Synthetic Life, Collective Intelligence, and Morphogenesis

151 - Michael Levin: Synthetic Life, Collective Intelligence, and Morphogenesis

Robinson's Podcast vor 2 Jahren

0:00

1:33:09

Michael Levin is a Distinguished Professor in the Biology
Department at Tufts University, where he holds the Vannevar Bush
endowed Chair, and he is also associate faculty at the Wyss
Institute at Harvard University. Michael and the Levin Lab work
at the intersection of biology, artificial life, bioengineering,
synthetic morphology, and cognitive science. In this episode,
Michael and Robinson discuss what it means—if anything
determinate—to be intelligent and to be alive before turning to
the various fascinating ways collective intelligence arises at
all levels of the spectrum, from microbes to synthetic chimaeras,
which all adaptively solve complex problems using sophisticated
cognition.

The Levin Lab: https://drmichaellevin.org/

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:55 Introduction

03:38 Michael’s Research Program

05:48 What Is Intelligence?

23:26 Does It Mean Anything to be Alive?

34:50 What Is Morphogenesis?

53:20 Slime Molds, Exploding Planaria Brains, and Intercellular
Communication

01:11:48 Why Is Synthetic Life Useful in the Lab?

01:27:48 Final Thoughts

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of
mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations
with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and
everyone in-between.