Science + Tech
Advances that redefine reality. Welcome to the future.
The Philosophy of Westworld
Michael Crichton wrote and directed Westworld for the big screen in 1973. That same decade, in 1976, an adjunct professor named Julian Jaynes made the bestseller list with a surprising title: The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. You wouldn’t think that a book with a name like that would become such a popular success. Yet, there it was. In 2016, when Westworld came to the small screen in the re-imagined HBO series, you wouldn’t imagine Jaynes getting heard from again. Especially since bicameralism wasn’t even mentioned in the Michael Crichton’s original film. Yet, there he was. Early on in Westworld’s first season Dr. Ford, one of the creators of the park, explains how he and his co-founder Arnold used a “debunked” theory about the origins of consciousness to bootstrap A.I. The scientific community didn’t recognize bicameralism as an explanation for the origins of the human mind, but, as Dr. Ford suggests, it could be useful for building an artificial one. Thousands of people—perhaps more—started Googling for “bicameral mind.” Bloggers and YouTube channels capitalized on the sudden interest by writing articles and introductory videos about this weird, arguably psychedelic theory of consciousness. Suddenly everyone was interested.
By Jeremy Johnson7 years ago in Futurism
My Out of Body Experience
My out-of-body experience happened when I was four years old. I nearly died in the hospital. I saw no angel. No Jesus. No Moses. I did encounter a light. It had a voice without words. Was it my mother's essence? I wondered as I grew older and learned of possibilities. I spoke with the light and it told me to stay on Earth. I wasn't finished yet. I needed to do some work. I needed to tell my story. I complied. I'm still here.
By Bennett Litwin7 years ago in Futurism
Iconic Sci-Fi Film Directors
The best sci-fi film directors are experts in visual storytelling. Regardless of how crazy and seemingly improbable it is to realize a sci-fi story onto the big screen, they will strive to make things work. From fearsome aliens and desolate planets to time-traveling shenanigans, these people know how to deliver the most imaginative thrills. While superhero films are currently dominating the box office, sci-fi has its fair share of monster hits. It’s about time that the top sci-fi film directors get the recognition they deserve.
By Eddie Wong7 years ago in Futurism
A Clockwork Orange Can Teach Us Something About Partisan Politics In America
My first viewing of A Clockwork Orange 30 years ago left me lost on the message. A hardened criminal receives the opportunity for a quick, psychologically based reform, but the dehumanizing treatment endured almost makes his crimes seem forgivable. Not sure who to side with and put off by the chaotic presentation, I was indifferent. Nonetheless, a later more open-minded viewing got my nod, but the ideological mish-mash remained, and a meaningful critique here, would require the insight of others.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Futurism