The Fabric of Knowledge – David Spivak [Video]

David Spivak, a mathematician known for his work in category theory, discusses a wide range of topics related to intelligence, creativity, and the nature of knowledge. He explains category theory in simple terms and explores how it relates to understanding complex systems and relationships.

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We discuss abstract concepts like collective intelligence, the importance of embodiment in understanding the world, and how we acquire and process knowledge. Spivak shares his thoughts on creativity, discussing where it comes from and how it might be modeled mathematically.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence on human thinking and its potential role in the evolution of intelligence. Spivak also touches on the importance of language, particularly written language, in transmitting knowledge and shaping our understanding of the world.

Pod: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/machinelearningstreettalk/episodes/The-Fabric-of-Knowledge—David-Spivak-e2o220h

David Spivak:
http://www.dspivak.net/

TOC:
00:00:00 Introduction to category theory and functors
00:04:40 Collective intelligence and sense-making
00:09:54 Embodiment and physical concepts in knowledge acquisition
00:16:23 Creativity, open-endedness, and AI’s impact on thinking
00:25:46 Modeling creativity and the evolution of intelligence
00:36:04 Evolution, optimization, and the significance of AI
00:44:14 Written language and its impact on knowledge transmission

REFS:
Mike Levin’s work
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=luouyakAAAAJ&hl=en
Eric Smith’s videos on complexity and early life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpJZw-68QyE
Richard Dawkins’ book “The Selfish Gene”
https://amzn.to/3X73X8w
Carl Sagan’s statement about the cosmos knowing itself
https://amzn.to/3XhPruK
Herbert Simon’s concept of “satisficing”
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/bounded-rationality/
DeepMind paper on open-ended systems
https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.04268
Karl Friston’s work on active inference
https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5299/Active-InferenceThe-Free-Energy-Principle-in-Mind
MIT category theory lectures by David Spivak (available on the Topos Institute channel)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UusLtx9fIjs