How the Body Shapes the Way We Think, by Rolf Pfeifer and Josh Bongard

Brain Science Podcast episode 25 is an interview of author Rolf Pfeifer, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Zurich. The focus of our conversation was the importance of embodiment. Brains (and intelligence) can not be understood separate from their interaction with the body and the physical world. Pfeifer explains how this realization has led the field of artificial intelligence away from a pure computational approach to one he calls embodied artificial intelligence. His interview is spiced with numerous examples that demonstrate why this approach is relevant to those of us who are interested in the human brain. Listen Now.

Episode Highlights:

A brief overview of artificial intelligence

introduction to biorobotics

why artificial intelligence and biorobotics are relevant to understand the brain

the meaning of complexity and emergence

why the close coupling of the sensory and motor systems is essential to intelligence

applying design principles to understanding intelligence

Numerous examples make these potentially intimidating topics accessible to all listeners

Related Episodes of the Brain Science Podcast:

#2 On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins (listen to episode 2)
- this brief review does not get into Hawkin's discussion of the problems with traditional artificial intelligence, but I highly recommend On Intelligence for more on the subject

#15 Interview with Dr. Read Montague (listen to episode 15)
- Dr. Montague introduces the computational theory of mind, which is a different way of approaching some of the problems I discussed with Dr. Pheifer