#21 – Understanding Consciousness with Dr. Matt McCormick
In Algo Podcast Episode 21, Dr. Matt McCormick and Amjad Hussain discuss Consciousness.
Skip, recap, or review with timestamps:
0:00 Episode Preview
0:31 Introduction
2:58 Matt’s Background
5:04 Minimal Requirements For a Mind
6:46 Awareness Theory of Mind
9:32 Self Awareness
11:47 Meta-cognition
12:04 Encountering Alien Machines
13:07 Subjective Experiences
16:40 Hard Problem of Consciousness
19:24 Rudimentary Intuition
23:44 Matter giving rise to subjective experiences
25:33 Alleged Mysteries
27:27 Myth: Consciousness cannot be understood
29:06 Wide Range of Consciousness Views
30:05 Do electrons feel consciousness?
36:34 Philosophy & Religion
41:08 Qualitative states in artificial systems
50:28 Pain & Consciousness
55:14 Consciousness at neural level
57:03 C0 Consciousness
1:01:49 C1 Consciousness
1:03:41 C2 Consciousness
1:04:43 Attention is selective signal enhancement
1:05:50 Building AI agents without attention
1:08:37 Short term memory buffer & tracking of time
1:10:46 Attention & Resource Allocation
1:15:20 AI Systems, Supply Chains & Metaverse
1:23:21 Disrupting subjectivity
1:26:21 Machine Learning & Rule Based Logic
1:31:36 Skepticism of machines having minds
1:33:58 Cell Biology
1:36:01 Superficial Smart Cars
1:40:09 Theory of Mind missing from AI systems
1:43:02 Book Recommendations
1:43:58 Closing Thoughts & Next Episode
About the host
Amjad Hussain
Amjad Hussain is an entrepreneur at heart. He founded Algo where he is the CEO during the day and AI lego blocks designer at night. He has built an intrinsically motivated global team of deep business domain experts, AI architects, computer scientists and software engineers. Algo is an always on full stack platform with deep learning, augmented reality and workflow automation woven at its core. The platform has a conversational virtual business analyst persona as its primary user interface. The company is enjoying sustainable growth creating tremendous net new value for its customers world-wide.
Amjad completed his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering with Honors from UET Lahore. He earned his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from UMIST, in the United Kingdom and an Advanced Analytics MBA from MIT. He has completed general management programs at Harvard and Stanford business schools. Amjad deeply cares about ethical issues surrounding AI and its societal impact.
