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WHERE
In person (watch together): Room MB 7/159, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Building MB
Online (Zoom): Join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 681 9376 8258 · Passcode: 534201
Abstract Michael Levin (Model systems for diverse intelligence research: technological approach to minds everywhere)
Profound philosophical questions of our origins, our true nature, and our possible futures are now tractable at the intersection of developmental biology, synthetic bioengineering, computer science, and cognitive science. In this talk, I will describe my framework aimed at developing new tools for recognizing and communicating with truly diverse intelligences – minds along a spectrum of unconventional embodiments. I will show model systems drawn from our work on regenerative medicine (manipulating the collective intelligence of cells during morphogenesis), and novel synthetic beings. The latter raise fascinating questions about cognitive architectures and preferences of novel beings, who do not have a specific history of selection that drove their features, and I will propose a model and research agenda ongoing in our lab. I will also mention recent ideas around the thoughts-are-thinkers continuum and briefly touch on current work on minimal models of diverse intelligence that hint at a dissolution of familiar old categories, which I argue is an existentially important step for our species.

Conference Homepage: https://predcommlab.github.io/symposium-2026/#about
Upcoming Events
<i>Philosophy</i> <br>Lukas Kob (Czech Academy of Sciences) <br><b>Holistic Representations in Large Language Models</b>
Workshop:<br><b>Perception-Thought Transitions</b>
<i>Psychology</i> <br>Michael Levin (Tufts University) <br><b>Model systems for diverse intelligence research: technological approach to minds everywhere</b>
<i>Biopsychology</i> <br>Merel Jager (RUB) <br><b>Reality, survivorship bias, smooth sailing & the paradox of individuality</b>
<i>Psychology</i> <br>Katja Langer (RUB) <br><b>Accute stress effects on flexible emotion regulation choices: The moderation of working memory capacity </b>
<i>Philosophy</i> <br>Gualtiero Piccinini (University of Missouri) <br><b>Thought as an Inner Navigation: A Neurocognitive Architecture for Propositional Thought</b>
Relevant Publications
For full list of selected publications, see the publications page
