Joscha: From Computation to Consciousness (31c3)

How can the physical universe give rise to a mind? I suggest to replace this confusing question by another one: what kind of information processing system is the mind, and how is the mind computed? As we will see, even our ideas of the physical universe turn out to be computational. Let us explore some fascinating scenery of the philosophy underlying Artificial Intelligence.
Talk presented at the 31st Chaos Communication Congress in Hamburg, December 2014 (English version)

[@ckduke1]

Joscha, I found your work through your interviews with Lex Fridman. I've listened to them each at least 10 times. I've listened to numerous of your lectures and trying to learn everything I can about building my own AI. You have impacted my life for the better. I love the messages you communicate and your communication style. You are so easy for me to understand. You said that your favorite view of society is the one in which Hedi can grow up safely in. I love and agree so completely. It brought tears to my ears the first time I heard it. In your interview, you also said that the older you get the parties you get invited to become smaller and smaller, and you are only a few hundred years behind other minds reaching those same conclusions. I can't believe I live in the same time frame as you. I share your work and talk about you constantly with my colleagues and friends. Keep it up. There is so much of your work to wrap my mind around. Cheers, my friend!

[@Juan-ws9sy]

I feel the same way man. I want to work through all of his work and talks. His world view and the way that he defines everyday concepts is so powerful. It explains and connects so much, and beyond that it feels so meaningful. It's like I feel empowered to feel like I can really come to understand the world, myself, and my place in the world.

[@mihaicarnuta]

I see that there are a lot of people that are just mesmerized by Joscha's knowledge and way of thinking. In my case, he brought back my passion for neuroscience and psychology and merged it with my current interests in computer science in the most amazing way possible. He is also one of the few that does mind science for the sake of gaining knowledge instead of gaining social status. Joscha's talks are some of the best I have ever heard and I am really grateful for that. I am sure most of you feel the same and I was wondering if there might be a way to crowdsource our enthusiasm, ideas, skills and disparate bits of knowledge in a way that might help him with his work. I realize that this are not easy problems, but if there are thousands of people that understand at least partially this framework of thinking (which is in its early beginning), I guess a valid idea might pop up from time to time. Cheers!

[@chowderhead1337]

Oh man, the soul crushing Q And A at the end.

[@raphaels2103]

indeed

[@andrescolon]

Joscha should have way more subscribers. Brilliant man.

[@christianchance5958]

I just discovered him through his conversation with Lex Fridman; yes he is brilliant and fascinating to listen to..

[@theeskatelife]

Joscha is not a 'KZbinr' so I doubt he cares about how many subscribers he has

[@woodpigeon7776]

Joscha Bach . You’re an absolute legend mate . 💎✨

[@rogueteacher7140]

Here I'll stake my claim to presidency of the fan club. Joscha Bach, you are a rockstar who could inspire millions of young nerds to accept, embrace, and run with their nerdiness. Thank you for your work and reminding me why I chose Psychology, though I never let schooling get in the way of my education. Nor will my alumni whom I empower, set free, and unleash upon the world. You have given me lots of fuel for that, as well as helped me to understand and finally accept why most people do not care about truth and knowledge for its own sake. Also why there is not much demand for those who do. Most such defective mutants who think and act differently are ostracized, some manage to simulate normalcy with varying degrees of dignity, and the rest are risen up by the masses as gods. If we are in a simulation with a 2nd degree god, could it be that the general gist of certain ancient religions true? Might the great Programmer be trying to create Its own GAI, annihilating programs that fail to meet the criteria? In your summaries of cutting edge research I hear ancient ideas that resonate with my truth sense, as well as my understanding of Kant. There is nothing new under the sun. I, along with many nerds and I would hope the entire field of philosophy, would love to hear how Kantist thought might inform or influence your research. Or if not, why not?

[@OfCourseICan]

Joscha is a gift to the world, a true genius and I am so grateful for you sharing your amazing intellect. I wish you would upload more content to your channel. Thank You again Joscha.

[@meyerjac]

I was vaguely familiar with these concepts of the mind and reality through several other philosophers and scientists. Yet, none of them have ever summed it all up so succinctly, elegantly, and understandably as Joscha Bach. Ausgezeichnet.

[@HerrBaton]

Thank You for making so much effort to bring this knowledge to the public. I will share your presentation to all my friends.

[@oshofosho3900]

I’m so happy to have discovered you Joscha In my opinion the underlying principle of reality doesn’t even know what it is, that’s why we are, and we are to pursue the answer to what the underlying reality is, and eventually surrender our intellect for experience as true knowledge and intermittently dissolve into wholeness/Union.

[@Fregorek]

You've changed my life.

[@RicardoSenzo]

Joscha will be recognised for his brilliance sooner or later. If he lives long it will happen during his lifetime. If not, he will be studied, discussed and shared widely like so many other geniuses, posthumously. Either way, it will happen.

[@TheZslewis]

"As an engineer, I accept everything but..."...what a beautiful beginning to an error.

[@vsb3000]

How has this man thought of everything

[@qcc9062]

How have you not

[@Anza_34832]

Excellent speech: As intuitive as it gets with regards to a complex topic such as neuroscience!

[@Flowstatepaint]

Huge fan of your mind 🙏🏼🌿

[@Dima-rj7bv]

I feel like Joscha is on the next evolutional step from me.

[@goyonman9655]

You're wrong

[@ashhempsall9803]

Excellent! Bach enacts and encourages curiousity like noone else 🙏✨🐈‍⬛

[@JAYMOAP]

Great lecture. Shout out

[@rory2001]

Awesome!

[@unreactive]

Good job!

[@CarterColeisInfamous]

Is there any open source code to represent your idea of an abstraction of the cortical columns?

[@ManSpidernater]

Good job! Best question despite not being one

[@Cats-a-Tonic]

I have never, ever, ever, ever wanted to get married, but I would have Joscha as my husband in the snap of my fingers in my dream world. I would probably expire through getting zero sleep though, because I would just want him to talk to me (I'm a good listener!) non-stop all day and all night long.

[@RediscoverOwnSoulEssence]

😂

[@superoxidedismutase5757]

incredible

[@GlasGhost]

@46:30 you responded to a question about the idea that dna couldn't do computation; you should have responded with: "it doesn't even have to, regardless dna controls the chemical process that results in neurons being grown, and neurons can build shapes and charges for electrochemical reactions which are known to be the mechanics of the mind."

[@CarterColeisInfamous]

i don't think this takes into account the extreme amount of regulation done by things in intergenic regions and the role that ncRNAs have in transcription and is kinda hand waving saying our dna is all our code... its actually DNA + a cell and all the physics that run the processes that regulate the transcription of that dna

[@Alex-op2kc]

Good job

[@TripcussionShorts]

How do minds procreate ?

[@DeAudiofilosyLocos]

I am a big fan and would love to interview you on my channel, as you are very likely related to JS, being from Turingia~

[@TheZslewis]

Have you studied Lacan?

[@goyonman9655]

Why do you think of evolution in terms of "steps"

[@theccs5012]

How was q4?

[@TripcussionShorts]

Can this entire talk be just visual without any talking at all.

[@Solodegreat]

EDUCATIVE

[@CarterColeisInfamous]

i need a screenshot of 26:02

[@sa7o]

core awareness local perceptual space access to perceptual content current world model directed attention (inwards/outwards, wide/focused) access and follow concepts, episodes, simulations manipulate and create concepts, episodes, simulations mental stage missing in dreams knowledge about access to percepts and concepts sense of agency social model of self (self-ascription of beliefs, desires, intentions, skills, traits, abilities, personality) expectations of immediate future influence behavior based on discursive thought form memories of the current content reasoning construct plans follow plans signal aspects of one's mental state to others may be missing in meditation integrated personal self-model (sense of identity) sense of own location and perspective proprioception goals and committed plans valences (pleasure and displeasure signals) awareness of affective state desires and urges influence behavior create and process discourse awake and competent influence behavior based on past experience (learning) construct causal mechanical models of the environment construct intentional models of agents control focus and direction of attention keep goals stable until they are achieved let go of goals that are unattainable may be missing in lucid dreams access to needs/desires, urges access to sensory perception short term biography voluntary muscle control (except eyes) biographical memory and protocol (includes self-reflection) separate perceptually grounded content from ideas/imaginations here you go, just need to indent it. hah or try this: www.evernote.com/l/AKkhYntQMylPh7NNG6R6RemG4nkJSl_MOPI/

[@JohnnyTwoFingers]

@@sa7o Do you have lots more of this kind of stuff in your Evernote?

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

Yasha: I don't think consciousness is a computer, or even computing. That is just a component of it. I think what consciousness is, is rapid data flow. Not 128 bit or 256 bit, but the data flows in our consciousness are on the level of 1,000,000 bit. This depends on the person. Normally a person might be 600,000 bit or so. Really deep thinkers might be 1,200,000 bit. Einstein might have been at the upper human level of 1,700,000 bit and Archmedes might have reached the upper limit of 1,800,000 bit for humans.

[@Skyrim_de1987]

lol was is den mit dem Hugo passiert? xD und haste noch kontakt zu Ben?

[@happylittlemonk]

I have a question for the viewers? No one has a good description of consciousness therefor no one can replicate it artificially. I spent the last 10 years working out these problems and few month ago I found the answer. It is conclusive, provable and we can even replicate it artificially. My question is, how much is it worth to you if I can prove it beyond doubt?

[@poojasoni2609]

Little Monk Consciousness cannot be replicated because what it "is" cannot be known, just like what color "red" is cannot be known.

[@JohnnyTwoFingers]

I am very interested, how do I get more details?

[@MikeKleinsteuber]

Consciousness is a continuum, not a single thing. As Joscha mentions at times, you have degrees of consciousness

[@morkovija]

Some people and their long winded questions..that are not actually questions. God damn. Have your own talk!

[@ccahua]

Good job, lol!

[@MichaelSmith420fu]

It's important to recognize false dichotomy

[@Gattomorto12]

2

[@barryn8355]

Is this guy publicly traded? I would like to invest in some Joscha stock now that he is still relatively unknown..

[@brightsourcemedia]

12739 = prime number

[@wachtraum9961]

How can the brain be a a physical system when everything is information? The brain itself is simulated as the body and the objects. The brain cannot be a exception, because it is also a part of the VR. Consciousness is a system and not a single entity. Its the fundamental computational system of the emergent universe of time and space. The universe emerges in consciousness because the consciousness system is the computer. Therefore the brain has to be a part of the illusion, too.

[@RediscoverOwnSoulEssence]

That’s a valid question. I wonder sometimes why some obvious questions are not asked.

[@MichaelSmith420fu]

Whats the nature of reality? "By what authority do you do these things", they asked....

[@teebeedahbow]

you must be joking 14'10''

[@zahidansary]

He lloks like sheldon Cooper

[@S3thc0n]

I can't shake the impression that the sound engineer is trying to assault the audience through induced misophonia.

[@ovihaliuc5884]

I'm struggling so much right now. I'll have to stop watching though cause I can't ...

[@MichaelSmith420fu]

What is going on with humor? Why do we sometimes laugh at seemingly dysfunction?