Forgive the title, but I’m writing my first post for this blog from a conference full of fellow computer nerds. I have little to add to Adam’s thoughtful introduction, which speaks well for the methods and aims of this blog, so I’d just like to describe a little more about myself and what I hope to do here.
I am a computer scientist by training, and formerly, by profession. I studied at The University of Texas, and have done a variety of software development — perhaps most notably, founding ClassPoint, a course planning community.
I have recently begun writing about technology and the social implications of technological progress, with a particular interest in artificial intelligence and transhumanism. Most recently, I wrote an essay for The New Atlantis called “Why Minds Are Not Like Computers.” The piece outlines the abuse of the mind-as-computer metaphor and outlines the technical difficulties inherent in attempting to replicate the mind as a computer program.
So, without further ado, I’ll get now to adding what in the blog world they call “content.”
Futurisms
October 3, 2009