Peter Godfrey-Smith

Peter Godfrey-Smith

@petergs.bsky.social

912 followers90 following147 posts

Peter Godfrey-Smith reposted

London Review of Books
@lrb.co.uk

On our Close Readings subscription podcast, @meehancrist.bsky.social and @petergs.bsky.social consider Emily Rabouteau’s 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, which uses Upper Manhattan’s bird murals as a way into exploring climate breakdown. Listen to an extract: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

podcasts.apple.comNature in Crisis: ‘Lessons for Survival’ by Emily RaboteauPodcast Episode · Close Readings · 24 August · 1hr 18min
Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

Advice I now give to my students: don't write using AI at all, at any stage (outlines, drafts, edits, anything). It's nearly unavoidable in searches. But in writing: draw a line. Be explicit: 'this is AI-free writing.' In some fields it will be good, soon, to have a reputation of this kind.

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

I've skipped posting some episodes – will catch up at some stage and comment on them all. This is my favorite episode so far (along with Carson). The book has lots to criticize, lots to praise. Glorious in places. We had to be resolute about not giving away something remarkable near the end. 2/

Peter Godfrey-Smith reposted

Justin Weinberg
@dailynous.com

"Norms surrounding conflict disclosure (financial and non-financial) are basically non-existent" in philosophy, which is something that should change as the tech industry becomes increasingly interested in working with philosophers...

dailynous.comTime for Philosophy’s COI Policies to Grow Up (guest post) - Daily Nous"Philosophy’s broadening impact has generated increasing interest from industries looking to partner with academic philosophers. Ties are now especially common between philosophers and technology comp...

Peter Godfrey-Smith reposted

London Review of Books
@lrb.co.uk

On our Close Readings subscription podcast, @meehancrist.bsky.social and @petergs.bsky.social explore Robin Wall Kimmerer’s 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴, looking at the most compelling features of her technique and where she risks scientific overreach. Listen to an extract: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

podcasts.apple.comNature in Crisis: ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall KimmererPodcast Episode · Close Readings · 28 June · 1hr 14min
Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

Preparing some video for a talk next week. These are screenshots from GoPro video at the 'Octopolis' site a while back. A big stingray cruising in. No divers present (fine with me in this case). The talk is a "How might complex behavior evolve on other planets?" talk. In Sydney on Thursday.

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

Tomorrow at @columbiauniversity.bsky.social, I give the 2026 Nagel Lecture (named after Ernest N, a wise mid-20th century NYC philosopher, rather than Thomas N, equally NYC and equally wise). A mind-body talk. IRL only. philosophy.columbia.edu/events/2026-...

philosophy.columbia.edu2026 Nagel Lecture - “Biology, Functionalism, and the Mind-Body Problem" - Peter Godfrey-Smith, University of Sydney | Department of PhilosophyPlease register via the linked RSVP form by March 30th
Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

A discussion of "biological naturalism" about the mind, and a candidate for biological properties that might matter to consciousness: Oscillations & other large-scale dynamic properties of nervous systems. (Free link for now.) iai.tv/articles/stu...

iai.tvStudies on animal minds suggest consciousness is not computation<p><em>We’re often seduced by the idea that the mind is a computer, and that consciousness is just a matter of running the right code. But philosopher <strong>Peter Godfrey-Smith</strong>, renowned fo...

Peter Godfrey-Smith reposted

London Review of Books
@lrb.co.uk

On our Close Readings subscription podcast: @meehancrist.bsky.social and @petergs.bsky.social reflect on how Helen Czerski’s 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 has altered their thinking about the ocean, and whether new perspectives can change public policy. Listen to an extract: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/n...

podcasts.apple.comNature in Crisis: ‘Blue Machine’ by Helen CzerskiPodcast Episode · Close Readings · 9 March · 1h 4m
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Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

.. These features are helpful in many contexts right now. Because these are small communities, interference and power-grabs by administrators also seem less of a problem – or they were when I began reflecting on all this. I hope it's still true. 3/

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

Scope for administrative overreach is scale-dependent? The problem of AI seems somewhat less acute at these places, too. Many well-known small US colleges are very expensive, but the model might be applied more broadly? Australia does not have these institutions. I wish it did. 4/4

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

As @ibogost.com says, the small colleges might be "accidental winners," not just of the overt conflicts but in relation to other crises, including AI. Small-group interaction, norms of civility and community, the step back from ultra-competitive practices.. 2/

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

A passage below in a (good) book I am reading. I recommend against make the bet - your dollar may well be lost. One can photograph reds and oranges underwater without added light; just have to tell the camera to scour its input for the tiny amounts of red coming in, and ramp them up in the mix. 1/

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

But now I don't think that the shell movement was incidental. The 'pause' before the release makes it unlikely. We saw that pause often with very clear gatherings-and-throws in our later data. Here's an excerpt of the video, just with the 'throw.' 3/

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

Others have also suggested Polanyi, thinking that Kuhn gets more credit than he should – and should have cited P in 'Structure.' Tsung-Yun Tzeng wrote to me in detail about this, & sent work by Struan Jacobs. I did have a look. To me, the most valuable Kuhnian ideas concern... 2/

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

... the tension between tenacity & innovation in science, and the relation between individual & group-level properties. Not Polanyian themes so much. Thanks to Macario Mina for a nice review of TR2, which he calls "a guide for navigating stormy seas." 3/3

Peter Godfrey-Smith
@petergs.bsky.social

Each year round this time, Rainbow Lorikeets come in and make a huge fuss round some high tree hollows (where some Galahs raised a family in 'Living On Earth'). They make a stack of noise, rip things up, check it all out... and then leave again.