Mary Martin

Thus, it remains an open question as to whether the hippocampus is necessary for future simulation.

it’s hard to empirically quantify intelligence because it exists only relative to our expectations – expectations that are human and, moreover, individual to particular humans.

A related line of enquiry is to determine not only whether the hippocampus is active during future simulation but whether it makes a critical and necessary contribution. While it has been long established that a functioning hippocampus is necessary for the retrieval of detailed autobiographical memories (for a review, see Moscovitch et al., 2005),... See more

Cut the bullshit: why GenAI systems are neither collaborators nor tutors

This is particularly important because there are already indications that many people who often interact with chatbots attribute consciousness to these systems. At the same time, the consensus among experts is that current AI systems are not conscious.

In recent years, neuroimaging has provided evidence to suggest that imagining the future relies on much of the same neural machinery as remembering the past. One hypothesis that such findings motivate is that memories must be reactivated in order to extract the information needed to “flesh out” detailed simulations. Indeed, if simulations involve... See more

Our minds often wander into darker thoughts like a curious but cautious cat exploring a dimly lit room. It takes great willpower and a blend of wisdom, perspective, and a touch of whimsy to extract oneself from these shadowed corners