Sur l’évolution technique de l’intelligence : une histoire artificielle

The lecture offers a profound and historically grounded perspective on the relationship between intelligence and technology. Bates skillfully weaves together philosophical, historical, and technical threads, demonstrating a deep familiarity with the works of Descartes, Stiegler, and others. His argument that intelligence has always been ‘artificial’ in the sense of being constituted through technical means is compelling and challenges simplistic dichotomies between natural and artificial intelligence. The discussion of automation as both a threat and a site of potential resistance is particularly timely. However, the lecture’s density and the poor quality of the transcription make it difficult to fully appreciate the nuances of his argument. The lack of clear structure and the rapid succession of references may overwhelm viewers unfamiliar with the intellectual history. Nevertheless, the content is rigorous and well-supported by references to key thinkers and concepts. The title accurately reflects the content, and the lecture delivers on its promise. The main weakness is the presentation, which could benefit from clearer organization and visual aids. Overall, this is a valuable contribution to the discourse on AI and human cognition.

The title accurately reflects the content, which explores the historical and technical evolution of intelligence, framing it as an 'artificial history'.

8/10

The lecture is given by a professor at UC Berkeley, a recognized scholar in intellectual history. The content is based on historical and philosophical analysis, referencing key thinkers and concepts. However, the transcription is heavily garbled, making it difficult to verify specific claims and sources. The video is from a prestigious institution (Collège de France), which adds credibility.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 00:00Introduction: David Bates, professor at UC Berkeley, introduces the topic of an artificial history of natural intelligence.
• 02:00Discussion on the intertwining of mind and technology since the scientific revolution, referencing Descartes and the concept of the automaton.
• 05:00Exploration of 19th and 20th century views on mind, brain, and machines, including references to Babbage and early computing.
• 10:00Introduction of cybernetics and post-war human-machine interaction theories, with mentions of Turing and Engelbart.
• 15:00Discussion on the concept of 'désautomatisation' from Bernard Stiegler and the idea of intelligence as resistance to automatism.
• 20:00Critique of contemporary artificial intelligence, arguing that intelligence emerges from the confrontation with technical determination.
• 25:00Conclusion: implications for political and social decisions regarding automation and human independence.

• Collège de France - Colloque de rentrée 2025 — Official page of the symposium where this lecture was given.
• Collège de France - Official Website — General institutional site.
• Collège de France - Bluesky — Social media presence.
• Collège de France - LinkedIn — Social media presence.
• Collège de France - Threads — Social media presence.
• Fondation du Collège de France - Donation — Donation page, not directly related to content.

• Collège de France - Colloque de rentrée 2025 — The lecture is part of this symposium, which likely includes related talks.