Could the Internet feel happy or depressed? That's a distinct possibility, according to Christof Koch. In this EXTENDED interview, he talks about computer consciousness, God, and just what it means that our brains have a hundred billion neurons and trillions of synapses. Koch wonders whether all matter might have consciousness.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Catherine Austin Fitts was the Federal Housing Commissioner and Assistant Secretary of Housing under the first Bush administration. She managed a Wall Street investment firm and is now president of Solari, Inc.
Doug here. I thought there was good back-and-forth between Chuck and myself in this conversation. I like how the interview went “meta” at the end, with Chuck speculating that if I’m right about his book being hailed as the “Moby Dick" of non-fiction in 300 years time. This interview belongs in a time capsule. At the very least, a “Best of” show. I also really enjoyed the fact that we heard the musical stylings of John Philip Sousa, Chuck Berry, KISS and Veruca Salt. Of course, if Chuck’s book taught me anything (and it actually taught me many things), I could be wrong.
Bill Streever is an Alaskan biologist and a "cryophile" - someone who loves the cold. He describes what it's like to jump into freezing water as hypothermia starts to set in.
Ethan Watters is the author of “Urban Tribes.” Watters says that the TV show “Friends” is a good example of the kind of social group he’s talking about.
Deborah Treisman is fiction editor of The New Yorker magazine. George Saunders is one of her star writers. Treisman and Saunders join Steve Paulson to talk about writing and publishing short stories.
Danny Wallace decided to say “yes” to everything for a year. He tells Steve Paulson why, and what happened...
David George Gordon tells Jim Fleming cicadas outnumber human beings two hundred thousand to one, so we have to do something to even the odds. Why not eat them?
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