Thursday, May 29, 2008, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM,
In this special presentation with the Rubin Museum of Art, neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran explored the origin of human abilities and whether certain brain structures are unique to humans or whether they evolved from structures originally designed for other functions while inventor and futurist, Ray Kurzweil, examined the human implications if artificial intelligence surpasses our own. The event was moderated by Faith Salie.
Participants
Ray Kurzweil is an inventor, entrepreneur, and futurist. In several books for a general audience he has laid out his vision of a merger of man and machine that he contends will shape the future of humankind. read more
V.S. Ramachandran investigates the nature of self and human consciousness. His work spans the causes and effects of synesthesia and phantom limb pain to questions about visual perception and the brain. He is Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San Diego.
Faith Salie hosted NPR’s Fair Game from PRI with Faith Salie and hosts Sundance Channel’s coverage of the Sundance Film Festival. She is a monthly contributor to O, the Oprah Magazine and has appeared as a commentator on The Oprah Winfrey Show as well as CNN and Fox News. As an actor and comedian, she has appeared in numerous sitcoms and dramas—from Bravo’s Significant Others to Sex and the City. She earned her sci-fi cred in a recurring role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. read more
