We explore how space and time form a single fabric, testing our daily beliefs through questions about free-fall, black holes, speed, and momentum to reveal what models get right and where they break.

To help us, we’re excited to have our friend David Theriault, a science and sci-fi afficionado; and our resident astrophysicist, Rachel Losacco, to talk about practical exploration in space and time. They'll even unpack a few concerns they have about how space and time were depicted in the movie Interstellar (2014).

Highlights:

• Introduction: Why fundamentals beat shortcuts in science and AI
• Time as experience versus physical parameter
• Plato’s ideals versus Aristotle’s change as framing tools
• Free-fall, G-forces, and what we actually feel
• Gravity wells, curvature, and moving through space-time
• Black holes, tidal forces, and spaghettification
• Momentum and speed: Laser probe, photon momentum, and braking limits
• Doppler shifts, time dilation, and length contraction
• Why light’s speed stays constant across frames
• Modeling causality and preparing for the next paradigm

This episode about space and time is the second in our series about metaphysics and modern AI. Each topic in the series is leading to the fundamental question, "Should AI try to think?"

Step away from your keyboard and enjoy this journey with us.

Previous episodes:

• Introduction: Metaphysics and modern AI
• What is reality?

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In the first episode of our series on metaphysics, Michael Herman joins us from Episode #14 on “What is consciousness?” to discuss reality. More specifically, the question of objects in reality. The team explores Plato’s forms, Aristotle’s realism, emergence, and embodiment to determine whether AI models can approximate from what humans uniquely experience.

• Defining objects via properties, perception, and persistence
• Banana and circle examples for identity and ideals
• Plato versus Aristotle on forms and realism
• Ship of Theseus and continuity through change
• Samples, complexes, and emergence in systems
• Embodiment, consciousness, and why LLMs lack lived unity
• Existentialist focus on subjective reality and meaning
• Why metaphysics matters for AI governance and safety
  
  

Join us for the next part of the metaphysics series to explore space and time. Subscribe now.

What we're reading:

• [Mumford's] Metaphysics: A Very Short Introduction (Andrew)

What did you think? Let us know.

Do you have a question or a discussion topic for the AI Fundamentalists? Connect with them to comment on your favorite topics:

• LinkedIn - Episode summaries, shares of cited articles, and more.
• YouTube - Was it something that we said? Good. Share your favorite quotes.
• Visit our page - see past episodes and submit your feedback! It continues to inspire future episodes.

This episode is the intro to a special project by The AI Fundamentalists’ hosts and friends. We hope you're ready for a metaphysics mini‑series to explore what thinking and reasoning really mean and how those definitions should shape AI research.

Join us for thought-provoking discussions as we tackle basic questions: What is metaphysics and its relevance to AI? What constitutes reality? What defines thinking? How do we understand time? And perhaps most importantly, should AI systems attempt to "think," or are we approaching the entire concept incorrectly?

Show notes:

• Why metaphysics matters for AI foundations
• Definitions of thinking from peers and what they imply
• Mixture‑of‑experts, ranking, and the illusion of reasoning
• Turing test limits versus deliberation and causality
• Towers of Hanoi, agentic workflows, and brittle stepwise reasoning
• Math, context, and multi‑component system failures
• Proposed plan for the series and areas to explore
• Invitation for resources, critiques, and future guests

We hope you enjoy this philosophical journey to examine the intersection of ancient philosophical questions and cutting-edge technology.

What did you think? Let us know.

Do you have a question or a discussion topic for the AI Fundamentalists? Connect with them to comment on your favorite topics:

• LinkedIn - Episode summaries, shares of cited articles, and more.
• YouTube - Was it something that we said? Good. Share your favorite quotes.
• Visit our page - see past episodes and submit your feedback! It continues to inspire future episodes.