Kirk Durston: Genetic Algorithms and The Needle in a Haystack Problem of Proteins @TheMeaningCode

The Meaning Code | Kirk Durston: Genetic Algorithms and The Needle in a Haystack Problem of Proteins @TheMeaningCode | Uploaded March 2024 | Updated October 2024, 19 hours ago.
Kirk Durston and his beautiful mind joins Karen for a wide ranging conversation the includes origin of life, quantum mechanics, truth and reality, art and science and bioinformatics, among other things.
For those interested in Kirk's bona fides, here's a link to his story. Scroll down to see his educational background and scientific papers. kirkdurston.com/kirk
Timestamps are approximate. I need a secretary:-)

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:34 Exploring the Origin of Life and Information
05:30 Discussion on Wolfram's Theory and the Ruliad
10:25 Coherent Existence and Limitations
13:14 Discussion on Quantum Mechanics and the Nature of God's Knowledge
18:45 Discussion on the Implications of God in Scientific Research
33:04 Exploring the Connection Between Truth and Reality
43:38 Exploring Creativity and Constraints in Art and Science
46:31 Discussion on Engaging with Alex O'Connor and Addressing Challenges to Faith
51:51 Approaches to Understanding the Supernatural Foundation of Nature

Brad on Measurement, Part 2: Seeing Through the Lens of Agape to be Shaped by Reality

His Song Calls My Soul to Come Home: Ulysses in a Conversation about Music, Meaning and Mystery

Twitter Convo with Ken Lowry of Climbing Mt. Sophia: Awareness Becomes Actualized through Attention

Sophia: That Moment When the Glory of God Shines Thru the Universe (Michael Martin, Author & Farmer)

Opening the Eyes of the Heart: Til We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis with Lucas Van Os

The Earthquake that Changed Everything: Out of Nihilism into Agape

A Symphony of Choices Over Time: Diving into Wolframs Causal Relationships in Slices of Computation

Andrea Hiott: Mind as Movement, Ecological Perception, Attention and Measurement

Barfields Argument for the Gift of Language: Its Power, Purpose and Past

A Sociologist Walks into An Estuary Conference and Interesting Things Happen

$Michael Levin and John Vervaeke in Dialogos: Towards an Ontology of Causal Structures Dr. Michael Levin and Dr. John Vervaeke discuss findings on cognition, consciousness and placebo. Where is the line? Links follow timestamps. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:30 John begins with the question, “How do you define and differentiate cognition, intelligence, consciousness” 05:40 Mike tackles the same question 08:10 Can there be relevance realization at the cellular level? 14:00 Mike’s life turned upside down by the realization of the gradual development from oocyte to adult mind. Amazing plasticity. William James’ definition of intelligence 19:45 John asks about top-down causation and rejecting just a bottom up approach. The whole has a causal power not attributable just to the parts. 21:00 JV Identity going all the way down and emergence going all the way up. How to identify the ontology? 22:00 ML Let’s assume LaPlace’s demon could exist as a thought experiment. Tracking the micro states is an observer only, it cannot act. All the states are the same to you. But we want a worldview that helps you do things. A participatory worldview. KW: is he saying that one cannot act without a substructure of value? 25:45 JV: I’ve been making epistemological arguments around the idea that any proper worldview has to give ontological status to scientists making measurements. 27:00 JV introduces neoplatonism, emanation down and emergence up as a way to integrate science and spirituality in an intellectually rigorous way 28:50 ML: I’ve been thinking hard about this Platonic worldview but not when in the biology circles, only in a forum like this, focused on meaning. 30:00 Logic gates come with a truth table. Where does that come from? 30:55 An index into the world of possibilities. Where does the capacity come from for xenobots to form within 48 hours? 33:00 Evidence for fractal levels of cognition, information exchange… But have you ever looked at the placebo effect, which for a pure reductionist is a very hard thing to explain? 35:30 ML’s study on gene regulatory networks and the placebo effect. 38:30 Albert Mason on psycho dermatology (links below) 41:45 KW asks a “woo woo” question. Hilarity ensues. 45:00 JV The importance of rigorous scientific research to verify “experience” 49:30 ML Biochemical and bioelectrical signals and how they could eventuate change across layers 52:00 ML Can we train molecular networks to stimulate healing? Useful links for further study: Here’s the prep conversation I did with Glen, the physicist: Worlds in Collision: Intelligence through the Lens of Wolfgang Smith, Michael Levin, Stephen Wolfram https://youtu.be/3hmeamwZq9c Background material The full series of Awakening from The Meaning Crisis: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLND1JCRq8Vuh3f0P5qjrSdb5eC1ZfZwWJ John Vervaekes 4 Ps of Knowing https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLND1JCRq8Vuit-ucfcXN8QDPMc6DXbTHq Michael Levin: https://youtu.be/GVOxAOflRho Dr. Levins work on limb regeneration: https://youtu.be/N9Oli5MPLbY The Levin Lab at Tufts U: https://ase.tufts.edu/biology/labs/levin/research/newdirections.htm Erik Hoel: a great Substack column in addition to his science. See section b) on https://www.erikphoel.com/science.html Albert Mason: http://www7.bbk.ac.uk/hiddenpersuaders/blog/albert-mason-medicine-magic-hypnotism/ https://npsi.us.com/uploads/documents/MasonInterviewMRobinson2011.pdf The book on causation mentioned by John: The Vertical Ascent by Wolfgang Smith A talk with Wolfgang Smith: Dr. Wolfgang Smith, Renowned Physicist, on Vertical Causation, Irreducible Wholeness and Meaning https://youtu.be/8NWHGX53agc Karens websites: https://karenwongart.com https://TheMeaningCode.com$