Many Minds

Many Minds

Author: Kensy Cooperrider – Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute Language: English Episodes: 100
There's a quiet revolution happening in how we understand intelligence, and it's not just about humans. Many Minds, hosted by Kensy Cooperrider of the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute, digs into this expansive idea. Each episode is a journey into the inner worlds of creatures and creations we share the planet with. You'll hear from researchers who decode the complex social minds of crows, who map the sensory universe of an octopus, or who grapple with the emerging cognition of artificial systems. This isn't a dry lecture series; it's a collection of thoughtful conversations that feel like pulling up a chair with experts who are genuinely redefining what it means to think, feel, and learn. The Many Minds podcast operates from a simple but profound premise: to grasp our own human experience, we need to listen to the many other kinds of minds around us. Tune in every other week for explorations that are as much about philosophy and wonder as they are about science and education, all grounded in rigorous research and a deep curiosity about the beings-animal, human, and artificial-that fill our world.
Episodes
Life, free energy, and the pursuit of goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:49
You've probably come across the "free energy principle." It's become one of the most influential ideas in the broader cognitive sciences. Since the neuroscientist Karl Friston first introduced it in 2005, the theory has…
Universal emotions in fact and fiction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:22
Are human emotions universal? Or do they vary from one place to the next and from one time period to the next? It's a big question, an old question. And every discipline that's grappled with it brings its own take, its o…
From the archive: Fermentation, fire, and our big brains [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:36
Hi friends, We're taking care of some spring cleaning this week. We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode. In the meantime, enjoy this favorite from our archives! - The Many Minds team ––––––––– [originally aired Fe…
Howl, grunt, sing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:38
The tree of life is a noisy place. From one branch come hoots and howls, from another come clicks and buzzes and whines. And coming from all over you hear the swell of song. But what is all this ruckus about? Why do so m…
The development of evolution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:43
Evolution is not what it used to be. A lot has changed since Darwin's day. In the first half of the 20th century, evolutionary theory was integrated with an emerging understanding of genetics. Late in the 20th century, b…
String theories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:28
Where would our species be without string? It's one of our most basic technologies—so basic that it's easy to overlook. But humans have used string—and its cousins rope, yarn, cordage, thread, etc.—for all kinds of purpo…
The other half of the brain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:39
Neurons have long enjoyed a kind of rock star status. We think of them as the most fundamental units of the brain—the active cells at the heart of brain function and, ultimately, at the heart of behavior, learning, and m…
A paradox of learning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:42
How do we learn? Usually from experience, of course. Maybe we visit some new place, or encounter a new tool or trick. Or perhaps we learn from someone else—from a teacher or friend or YouTube star who relays some shiny n…
From the archive: The octopus and the android [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:39
Happy holidays, friends! We will be back with a new episode in January 2025. In the meantime, enjoy this favorite from our archives! ----- [originally aired Jun 14, 2023] Have you heard of Octopolis? It's a site off the…
Your brain on language [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:56
Using language is a complex business. Let's say you want to understand a sentence. You first need to parse a sequence of sounds—if the sentence is spoken—or images—if it's signed or written. You need to figure out the me…