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For 20 years James Barrat has created documentary films for National Geographic, the BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel and public television. In 2000, during the course of his career as a film-maker, James interviewed Ray Kurzweil and Arthur C. Clarke. The latter interview not only transformed entirely Barrat's views on artificial intelligence, but also made him write a book on the technological singularity called Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era. I read an advance copy of Our Final Invention and it is by far the most thoroughly researched and comprehensive anti-The Singularity is Near book that I have read so far. And so I couldn't help it but invite James on Singularity 1 on 1 so that we can discuss the reasons for his abrupt change of mind and consequent fear or the singularity. During our 70 minute conversation with Barrat we cover a variety of interesting topics such as: his work as a documentary film-maker who takes interesting and complicated subjects and makes them simple to understand; why writing was his first love and how he got interested in the technological singularity; how his initial optimism about AI turned into pessimism; the thesis of Our Final Invention; why he sees artificial intelligence more like ballistic missiles rather than video games; why true intelligence is inherently unpredictable "black box"; how we can study AI before we can actually create it; hard vs slow take-off scenarios; the positive bias in the singularity community; our current chances of survival and what we should do... (You can listen to/download the audio file above or watch the video interview in full. If you want to help me produce more episodes please make a donation!)   Who is James Barrat? For twenty years filmmaker and author of Our Final Invention, James Barrat, has created documentary films for broadcasters including National Geographic Television, the BBC, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, the Learning Channel, Animal Planet, and public television affiliates in the US and Europe. Barrat scripted many episodes of National Geographic Television’s award-winning Explorer series, and went on to produce one-hour and half-hour films for the NGC’s Treasure Seekers, Out There, Snake Wranglers, and Taboo series. In 2004 Barrat created the pilot for History Channel’s #1-rated original series Digging for the Truth. His high-rating film Lost Treasures of Afghanistan, created for National Geographic Television Specials, aired on PBS in the spring of 2005. The Gospel of Judas which he  produced and directed, set ratings records for NGC and NGCI when it aired in April 2006. Another NGT Special, the 2007 Inside Jerusalem’s Holiest, features unprecedented access to the Muslim Noble Sanctuary and the Dome of the Rock. In 2008 Barrat returned to Israel to create the NGT Special Herod’s Lost Tomb, the film component of a multimedia exploration of the discovery of King Herod the Great’s Tomb by archeologist Ehud Netzer. In 2009 Barrat produced Extreme Cave Diving, an NGT/NOVA special about the science of the Bahamas Blue Holes. For UNESCO's World Heritage Site series, he wrote and directed films about the Peking Man Site, The Great Wall, Beijing’s Summer Palace, and the Forbidden City. Barrat’s lifelong interest in artificial intelligence got a boost in 2000, when he interviewed Ray Kurzweil, Rodney Brooks, and Arthur C. Clarke for a film about Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. For more information see http://www.jamesbarrat.com

For 20 years James Barrat has created documentary films for National Geographic, the BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel and public television. In 2000, during the course of his career as a film-maker, James interviewed Ray Kurzweil and Arthur C. Clarke. The latter interview not only transformed entirely Barrat’s views on artificial […]

For 20 years James Barrat has created documentary films for National Geographic, the BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel and public television. In 2000, during the course of his career as a film-maker, James interviewed Ray Kurzweil and Arthur C. Clarke. The latter interview not only transformed entirely Barrat’s views on artificial intelligence, but also made him […]

Dr. Stuart Hameroff is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Psychology, and Director of the Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona. Together with British quantum physicist Sir Roger Penrose, Hameroff is the co-author of the controversial Orch OR model of consciousness. I first met Dr. Hameroff at the recent […]

Dr. Stuart Hameroff is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Psychology, and Director of the Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona. Together with British quantum physicist Sir Roger Penrose, Hameroff is the co-author of the controversial Orch OR model of consciousness. I first met Dr. Hameroff at the recent GF2045 conference where the usually mild-mannered Ray Kurzweil went out of his way to make it abundantly clear that the Orch OR model is totally wrong. Others called it "speculative," "non-testable" and "unscientific". By now both Stuart and Roger must have become accustomed to such attacks, and I have developed a lot of respect for the calm but firm way they are daring to stand their ground. Furthermore, if the Orch OR model were to be correct, then, there will be profound implications on variety of fields and disciplines such as medicine, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, quantum physics and philosophy. And so I decided to bring Dr. Hameroff on Singularity 1 on 1 where we can confront the controversy head-on. During our 1 hour conversation with Stuart we cover a variety of interesting topics such as: how he got interested in studying consciousness and the definition thereof; why understanding anesthesia is the route to understanding consciousness; the hard problem of consciousness; why the brain is more than a classical computer; how Hameroff reached out to Roger Penrose after reading The Emperor's New Mind; the Orch OR model and why the vast majority of scientists are disdainful of it; the best ways of proving or disproving the Hameroff/Penrose model and the most important implications if it is indeed correct; out-of-body experiences, quantum souls, afterlife, and reincarnation; Hinduism and Buddhism; cryonics and chemical brain preservation; Stuart's upcoming paper [together with Roger Penrose] where they will review and present new evidence in support of the Orch OR theory. Some of the most memorable quotes that I will take away from this interview are: "Consciousness is the most important thing there is!" "Assuming that a neuron is a bit-like [computer] firing ON or OFF is a tremendous insult to neurons." "Most scientists can't explain consciousness in the brain, so they can't say that consciousness out of the brain is impossible." "Consciousness is the music of the Universe." This is by far the highest quality, best produced and most expensive interview that I have done so far. It would have never happened without the generous support of Richard and Tatiana Sundvall. I am also very obliged to videographer Carl Geers not only for doing a great job behind the camera but also for putting up with my mercilessly caustic sense of humor for three long days. Finally, I want to thank Dr. Stuart Hameroff for welcoming a "Singularity/AI type" like me in his operating room, as well as his genuine willingness to address any and all of my tough questions on the spot, without preparation and prior approval. (You can listen to/download the audio file above or watch the video interview in full. If you want to help me produce more high-quality episodes like this one please make a donation!)   Who is Stuart Hameroff? Stuart R. Hameroff, M.D. is Professor of Anesthesiology and Psychology, and Director of the Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. A full-time clinical anesthesiologist, he also organizes the well-known interdisciplinary conferences Toward a Science of Consciousness, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Consciousness Studies. Stuart earned his B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh in 1969, and his M.D. at Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia in 1973. In medical school in the early 1970s, Stuart became interested in microtubules, protein structures which organize intra-cellular activities. Struck by their lattice structure and seeming intelligence,

Dr. Stuart Hameroff is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Psychology, and Director of the Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona. Together with British quantum physicist Sir Roger Penrose, Hameroff is the co-author of the controversial Orch OR model of consciousness. I first met Dr. Hameroff at the recent GF2045 conference where the usually […]

It has been almost two months since I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Natasha Vita-More at her family house in Scottsdale, Arizona. Vita-More has been at the fore-front for several decades and her projects such as Primo Post Human have lead the NY Times to call her “the first female philosopher of […]

It has been almost two months since I've had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Natasha Vita-More at her family house in Scottsdale, Arizona. Vita-More has been at the fore-front for several decades and her projects such as Primo Post Human have lead the NY Times to call her "the first female philosopher of transhumanism." Thus I was very happy to do my first in-person interview with Natasha and discuss her ideas about Whole Body Prosthetic and Substrate Autonomous, Networked Avatar Bodies by Design. During our 36 min conversation with Dr. Vita-More we cover a variety of interesting topics such as: her whole body prosthetic project; backing up the body as well as the mind; "back-casting" her vision and ultimate goals; the problem of identity in moving from one substrate to another; the timeline and scientific break-throughs in robotics, artificial intelligence and cognitive neuroscience necessary to make the whole body prosthetic a reality; consciousness and quantum mechanics; the reception of the Transhumanist Reader; dealing with skeptics and whether the world is ready for transhumanism and radical life-extension... I owe very special thanks to Richard and Tatiana Sundvall for producing this video because without them it would not have happened. I am also obliged to videographer Carl Geers not only for doing a great job behind the camera but also for putting up with my mercilessly caustic sense of humor for three long days. (As always you can listen to or download the audio file above, or scroll down and watch the video interview in full.  If you want to help me produce more episodes please make a donation)   Who is Natasha Vita-More? Natasha Vita-More, PhD is the founder and creative director of esDESiGN and the producer and host of H+TV online. Her research concerns the design aesthetics of human enhancement and radical life extension, with a focus on emerging and speculative sciences and technologies. Her conceptual future human design “Primo Posthuman” has been featured in Wired, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, Net Business, Teleopolis, and Village Voice. She has appeared in over twenty-four televised documentaries on the future and culture, and has exhibited media artworks at National Centre for Contemporary Arts, Brooks Memorial Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, Women In Video, Telluride Film Festival, and United States Film Festival and recently "Evolution Haute Couture: Art and Science in the Post-Biological Age" and is the recipient of several awards: First Place Award at Brooks Memorial Museum, Special Recognition at Women in Video, and special recognition for "Futures Podcast Series”. Dr. Vita-More is a proponent of human rights and ethical means for human enhancement, and is published in Artifact, Technoetic Arts, Nanotechnology Perceptions, Sistemi Intelligenti, Metaverse Creativity, D’ARS, and the Global Spiral. She is co-editor of the forthcoming book The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and Contemporary Essays on the Science, Technology and Philosophy of the Human Future (Wiley-Blackwell 2013). For more see Natasha.cc Related articles Natasha Vita-More on Singularity 1 on 1: The Transhumanist Reader – The Story Behind The Book Transhumanism 101 with Natasha Vita-More Natasha Vita-More on Singularity 1 on 1

It has been almost two months since I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Natasha Vita-More at her family house in Scottsdale, Arizona. Vita-More has been at the fore-front for several decades and her projects such as Primo Post Human have lead the NY Times to call her “the first female philosopher of transhumanism.” Thus I was very happy […]

Robert Scoble is a Liaison officer for Rack Space, social media phenomenon, technology pundit with a huge following, a journalist who has done thousands of interviews and a man who “always tries to have the front row seat on technology.” Needless to say, I was very happy to have Scoble […]

Robert Scoble is a Liaison officer for Rack Space, social media phenomenon, technology pundit with huge following, a journalist who has done thousands of interviews and a man who "always tries to have the front row seat on technology." Needless to say, I was very happy to have Scoble on Singularity 1 on 1. And, while I may disagree with him about the inevitability of Big Brother and not heeding George Orwell's 1984 warning, I totally agree with him that it doesn't mean we have to resist the future. [Just to steer it better...] During our 1 hour conversation with Scoble we cover a variety of interesting topics such as: the short story of how he got to be where he is today; how he got his scobleizer moniker; his position at Rackspace and why it is among the coolest jobs in the world; his personal goals and motivation; why Google Glass is radically different and new; privacy, security, big brother and surveillance; his upcoming book The Age of Context; his take on the technological singularity... My favorite quote that I will take away from this interview with Robert Scoble is: "The future is sacrosanct. We should serve the future!" (As always you can listen to or download the audio file above, or scroll down and watch the video interview in full.  If you want to help me produce more episodes please make a donation)   Who is Robert Scoble? As Startup Liaison for Rackspace, the Open Cloud Computing Company, Scoble travels the world looking for what's happening on the bleeding edge of technology for Rackspace's startup program. He's interviewed thousands of executives and technology innovators and reports what he learns in books (The Age of Context, a book coauthored with Forbes author Shel Israel, will come out in Q4 of 2013), YouTube, and many social media sites where he's followed by millions of people. Related articles Thad Starner on Singularity 1 on 1: Reduce the Time Between Intention and Action

Robert Scoble is a Liaison officer for Rack Space, social media phenomenon, technology pundit with a huge following, a journalist who has done thousands of interviews and a man who “always tries to have the front row seat on technology.” Needless to say, I was very happy to have Scoble on Singularity 1 on 1. […]

Stelarc is a world renown body installation visual artist who has pushed the boundaries with his performances for more than four decades. His art has extruded the body beyond its physical limitations and created strong reactions around the world. Though strictly speaking he doesn't consider himself to be a transhumanist, he also doesn't mind being labeled a transhumanist artist. Stelarc has been on my guest wish list since the very beginning of my podcast and I was very happy to interview him on Singularity 1 on 1. During our 80 min conversation with Stelarc we cover a variety of interesting topics such as: whether his first love was art or technology; the story behind his attempt to "extrude" the body beyond its physical limitations; changing his name to Stelarc; his inspiration, motivation and goals; transhumanism and the philosophically problematic value judgments of enhancement and improvement; what is art and the new mediums thereof; his 3rd ear, the misconceptions and the risks surrounding it; if the body is obsolete; his take on the technological singularity... My two favorite quotes that I will take away from this interview with Stelarc are: "I think as artists we are really in the business of generating contestable futures; possibilities that can be examined. Often they would be discarded. Sometimes they may be appropriated." "If you want to imagine a future, any future, you have to factor the unpredictable. Otherwise it is not a future." (As always you can listen to or download the audio file above, or scroll down and watch the video interview in full.  If you want to help me produce more episodes please make a donation)   Who is Stelarc? Stelarc is a performance artist who has visually probed and acoustically amplified his body. He has made three films of the inside of his body. Between 1976-1988 he completed 25 body suspension performances with hooks into the skin. He has used medical instruments, prosthetics, robotics, Virtual Reality systems, the Internet and biotechnology to explore alternate, intimate and involuntary interfaces with the body. He has performed with a THIRD HAND, a VIRTUAL ARM, a STOMACH SCULPTURE and EXOSKELETON, a 6-legged walking robot. His FRACTAL FLESH, PING BODY and PARASITE performances explored involuntary, remote and internet choreography of the body with electrical stimulation of the muscles. His PROSTHETIC HEAD is an embodied conversational agent that speaks to the person who interrogates it. He is surgically constructing an EXTRA EAR on his arm that will be internet enabled, making it a publicly accessible acoustical organ for people in other places. He is presently performing as his avatar from his SECOND LIFE site. In 1995 Stelarc received a three year Fellowship from The Visual Arts/Craft Board, The Australia Council and in 2004 was awarded a two year New Media Arts Fellowship. In 1997 he was appointed Honorary Professor of Art and Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. He was Artist-In-Residence for Hamburg City in 1997. In 2000 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Laws by Monash University. He has completed Visiting Artist positions in Art and Technology, at the Faculty of Art and Design at Ohio State University in Columbus in 2002, 2003 & 2004. He has been Principal Research Fellow in the Performance Arts Digital Research Unit and a Visiting Professor at The Nottingham Trent University, UK. Between 2006 and 2011 he was Senior Research Fellow and Visiting Artist at the MARCS Lab, University of Western Sydney, Australia. He is currently Chair in Performance Art, School of Arts, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK as well as a Distinguished Research Fellow, School of Design & Art (SODA), Curtin University Perth. In 2010 he has received a special projects grant from the Australia Council and was also awarded the Ars Electronica Hybrid Arts Price. In 2012 he was the recepient of the Michael Cook Performance and Body Artist Award.

Stelarc is a world renown body installation visual artist who has pushed the boundaries with his performances for more than four decades. His art has extruded the body beyond its physical limitations and created strong reactions around the world. Though strictly speaking he doesn’t consider himself to be a transhumanist, he […]

Stelarc is a world renown body installation visual artist who has pushed the boundaries with his performances for more than four decades. His art has extruded the body beyond its physical limitations and created strong reactions around the world. Though strictly speaking he doesn’t consider himself to be a transhumanist, he also doesn’t mind being labeled […]