An on topic post about AI
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep ?
A long time ago, in a Canton, far, far away, Tim Berners-Lee, created, or, in popular parlance, invented the World Wide Web. To be fair, for more people, the internet and the World Wide Web are the same, or at least interchangeable. They're not, they are different. The one underpins the other. One, the internet, … Continue reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep ?
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
The mot juste has been 'in these difficult times' or variations thereof. Economically, the summer of 2020 is difficult. Many small companies are relaying the safety net of central governments, many large companies are cutting large percentages of staff and are themselves seeking backing from both investors and governments. In turn this is having a … Continue reading Post hoc ergo propter hoc
The Future. Yesterday
During a recent conversation with a colleague, we agreed that, in all respects, we are now living in a better world than at any point in history. And indeed, we are. In all aspects. Except one. I will come back to that. Despite some notable exceptions, adult educational levels are growing across the world and, … Continue reading The Future. Yesterday
AI, Turing and You.
Over the last weeks and moths we have been reading about the progress of AI, or Artificial Intelligence and how it will help / destroy / save humanity. As recently as yesterday the BBC published an article that states Googles claims that its own AI offering can now make telephone calls on your behalf and … Continue reading AI, Turing and You.
21st Century Mysticism
In recent weeks I have been perturbed by two recent stories about the lack of rationality in human life. One of my passions is science and the scientific process, by which theorems are proven by the ability to observe, test, refine share and, most importantly, reproduce an outcome. That is how, in simple terms, we … Continue reading 21st Century Mysticism
A brief history of unified time
The history of unified time, from the view point of English history, is an interesting story and includes the story of a self taught Yorkshire carpenter, the history of maritime disasters, the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London and the mess that was the Victorian railway time table. First, a little history and science. Imagine a … Continue reading A brief history of unified time
The Mother of Invention
For reasons I am not going to go into, I have just discovered that Edwin Beard Budding was the inventor not only of the Lawn Mower, but in 1842 invented the adjustable spanner. Two everyday items that largely go unnoticed. And the name of Budding is almost unknown outside of those people who will debate … Continue reading The Mother of Invention
BBC CrowdScience
If you would like to hear me, on the BBC World Service programme CrowdScience, talking about Epigenetics, with Marnie Chesterton, you can stream the programme here. If you would like to save it, the link is here. I really hope you enjoy it. I did !
Mark Daniels 