Can We Build Machines that are Less Biased Than We Are?

Can We Build Machines that are Less Biased Than We Are?

Author: University of Texas at Austin, College of Natural Sciences, Marc Airhart September 6, 2018 Duration: 8:21
Think about some of the most important decisions people make – who to hire for a job, which kind of treatment to give a cancer patient, how much jail time to give a criminal. James Scott says we humans are pretty lousy at making them. “I think there is room for machines to come into those realms and improve the state of our decisions,” said Scott. “That's going to involve humans and machines working together, however, not simply treating these decisions the way you might treat a microwave oven just by punching in some numbers and walking away …” Maybe machines can help us make better decisions. But ultimately, it boils down to the question: can we build machines that are less biased than we are? What do you think? You can head over to our website and leave a comment at the bottom of this month’s post: https://cns.utexas.edu/point/can-we-build-machines-that-are-less-biased-than-we-are Have more general thoughts you’d like to share about our show? You can take our survey here: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eUTDsDlYdmBBPBb About Point of Discovery Point of Discovery is a production of the University of Texas at Austin's College of Natural Sciences. You can listen to all our episodes at @point-of-discovery .

Curiosity is the engine of science, but the path from a question to an answer is rarely a straight line. Point of Discovery, from the University of Texas at Austin's College of Natural Sciences and hosted by Marc Airhart, pulls back the curtain on that process. This podcast is less about headlines and more about the human endeavor-the late nights, the failed experiments, the unexpected twists, and the collaborative moments that lead to new understanding. Each episode is a journey alongside researchers, giving you a front-row seat to the methods, debates, and sheer persistence that define real scientific work. You'll hear directly from the people behind the data, individuals whose unique perspectives and dedicated curiosity help map everything from microscopic cells to distant galaxies. The stories are intimate and specific, revealing how knowledge is built piece by piece. With original music by Podington Bear setting the tone, the podcast creates an immersive experience that celebrates the nuance and humanity at the heart of discovery. It’s an invitation to appreciate not just the destination, but the fascinating, often meandering trail that gets us there. Point of Discovery is produced as part of the Texas Podcast Network.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 62

Point of Discovery
Podcast Episodes
Looking Forward ... and Back: Podcast Updates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:51
This summer, we're celebrating a milestone: one year of telling you science stories from the frontlines here at the University of Texas at Austin. In this episode, we give a sneak peek at upcoming shows, recap some highl…
Why is CGI in the Movies Still So Hard? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:49
As the summer movie season kicks into high gear, we talk with a scientist about some of the challenges in simulating the way everyday objects behave on the big screen. Etienne Vouga's computer simulations have helped bri…
Here's What Research Did for Me, Student Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:55
As the College of Natural Sciences’ Freshman Research Initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary, we speak to students and scientists about how doing research as freshmen and sophomores impacted them. About Point of Disc…
Jekyll and Hyde Bacteria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:10
To study diseases, biologists often make models, for example, a rat with a disorder similar to Alzheimer's. With a good model, they can tinker with different variables and see if anything halts the disease, without the e…
Saving the Bees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:42
As bees sharply decline around the world, two researchers are taking very different approaches to understand -- and potentially reverse -- this troubling trend. One is studying the microbes that live inside bees and help…
Pyramid Probe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:16
What would you do if you had Superman's x-ray vision? In today's episode of the Point of Discovery Podcast, we talk to a physicist about how he's using his superhuman powers to explore the insides of ancient Mayan pyrami…
The Race for Dark Energy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:30
What is the mysterious force that seems to be pushing the universe apart faster and faster? Scientists are racing to find the answers and along the way, might get a step closer to finding the "theory of everything." Poin…
The Case of the Missing Folate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:31
When Richard Finnell first met her, Rachel was a nine-year-old girl with severe developmental delays. Her condition seemed to be caused by a deficiency in a critical B vitamin called folate. Yet she had plenty of folate…
Cocktail Party Effect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:49
How do we manage to follow a conversation with a friend in the middle of a noisy room? Neuroscientists, like Nace Golding, are still working out the details—but what they've learned so far is pretty amazing. Point of Dis…
Fun With Chemistry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:53
Meet chemistry lecturer Kate Biberdorf, founder of the wildly popular outreach program Fun With Chemistry. Learn more at: http://www.cm.utexas.edu/outreach/funwithchem Point of Discovery is a production of the University…