Ep 117: The Science behind Science Fiction: Augmented Humanity, AI, Super intelligence

Today’s show is with one of the leading global writers of hard science fiction and indeed cyber fiction. He is author of over 18 titles and what we hope is fascinating for followers of this show is the science he puts behind the fiction. As opposed to fantasy writing, science fiction is based on possible realities and that fact is often lost on many of us.

A physicist and computer scientist, he toiled in the vineyards of high tech for thirty years, as everything from engineer to senior vice president. Once suitably intoxicated, he began writing full time.

We welcome Edward M. Lerner.

The focus of this show is themes from his book: ‘Trope-ing the Light Fantastic: The Science Behind the Fiction’.

We discuss:

• Augmented Humanity
• Cyborgs
• Robots
• Genetic Therapy
• Brain Machine Interfaces
• Autonomous Weapons
• AI, Artificial Intelligence
• Super intelligence
• Neural Networks
• Dystopia
• The future skills of humanity
• What we do when everything automated

More about Edward here: https://www.edwardmlerner.com/