(paper)
Collective intelligence: A unifying concept for integrating biology across scales and substrates
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-06037-4
ABSTRACT: A defining feature of biology is the use of a multiscale architecture, ranging from molecular networks to cells, tissues, organs, whole bodies, and swarms. Crucially however, biology is not only nested structurally, but also functionally: each level is able to solve problems in distinct problem spaces, such as physiological, morphological, and behavioral state space.
Percolating adaptive functionality from one level of competent subunits to a higher functional level of organization requires collective dynamics: multiple components must work together to achieve specific outcomes.
Here we overview a number of biological examples at different scales which highlight the ability of cellular material to make decisions that implement cooperation toward specific homeodynamic endpoints, and implement collective intelligence by solving problems at the cell, tissue, and whole-organism levels.
We explore the hypothesis that collective intelligence is not only the province of groups of animals, and that an important symmetry exists between the behavioral science of swarms and the competencies of cells and other biological systems at different scales. We then briefly outline the implications of this approach, and the possible impact of tools from the field of diverse intelligence for regenerative medicine and synthetic bioengineering.
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The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness
https://sites.google.com/nyu.edu/nydeclaration/declaration
MANIFESTO: Which animals have the capacity for conscious experience? While much uncertainty remains, some points of wide agreement have emerged.
First, there is strong scientific support for attributions of conscious experience to other mammals and to birds.
Second, the empirical evidence indicates at least a realistic possibility of conscious experience in all vertebrates (including reptiles, amphibians, and fishes) and many invertebrates (including, at minimum, cephalopod mollusks, decapod crustaceans, and insects).
Third, when there is a realistic possibility of conscious experience in an animal, it is irresponsible to ignore that possibility in decisions affecting that animal. We should consider welfare risks and use the evidence to inform our responses to these risks.
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AI is redefining what it takes to be a software engineer on Wall Street
https://archive.is/ZGT9z#selection-2221.0-2221.93
Philosophy background required?
It's becoming increasingly important to train the more creative part of the brain through writing and social sciences courses, like English, philosophy, and psychology, according to some of Wall Street's top tech execs and recruiters.
[...] "As AI comes in, cogent and clear communication becomes much more important, and the ability to actually phrase your questions correctly, soundly, and safely makes a lot more of a difference as well," Zafar told Business Insider. As such, communication and psychology are becoming "more valued minors or majors for students to focus on," he said...
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The flavour of truth
https://sootyempiric.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-flavour-of-truth.html
INTRO: There has been another round of discussion online about evil humanities professors disordering our political life by spreading pernicious relativism about truth and objectivity. I remain convinced that this is a distraction, that in fact none of our disputes in political and social life are actually about the nature of truth. Apparently I have not persuaded people!
So today I try a different approach. I will try to persuade you that all the sorts of things people do to actually create trouble for claims of objective truth are, in the main, unobjectionable, or even where controversial not really the sort of thing that divides us politically...
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Plato’s burial place?
https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/news...g-in-herculaneum-reveals-platos-burial-place/
University of Pisa expert Graziano Ranocchia said on Tuesday that the Herculaneum papyri may have identified the exact place where he was buried...
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Keep Immanuel Kant's name out of your mouth
https://www.thedailybeast.com/germa...ame-out-of-your-mouth?source=email&via=mobile
German chancellor Olaf Scholz wants Russian leader Vladimir Putin to stop “appropriating” 18th century philosopher Immanuel Kant. [...] Scholz declared that “Putin doesn’t have the slightest right to invoke Kant,” according to Zeit. He said everything Putin stands for—“aggressive war, breach of international law and despotism”—is at odds with Kant’s metaphysics. “Nevertheless, Putin’s regime remains committed to appropriating Kant and his work at almost any cost,” he said....
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