Category: Reading

Latest Read: What Is ChatGPT Doing and Why Does It Work?

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date March 17, 2023

What Is ChatGPT Doing and Why Does It Work? by Stephen Wolfram. Stephen Wolfram is a computer scientist and physicist. He was named a fellow of the American Mathematical Society and is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Department of Computer Science.

He holds a PhD in particle physics from the California Institute of Technology. Steven then began teaching at Caltech and was the youngest recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship at age 21.

In 1987 he created Wolfram Research and continues to serve as CEO developing both Mathematica and the Wolfram Alpha answer engine. Recently the company announced that Wolfram Alpha would integrate with ChatGPT.

In short, this book is perhaps the first worthy book to address ChatGPT with a full understanding of AI technology. Plus, Steven holds the ability to explain AI, algorithms and equations which will help the reader gain a much better (perhaps the best) understanding of ChatGPT.

Since the first public introduction in late 2022, many have simply asked how does this AI service function? Stephen in fact, lays out in very readable form, the background and basic understanding of neural net technologies. As a scientific discovery, this AI technology has certainly holds great potential to change computing with a potential huge downstream impact to society.

Tags ChatGPT, Innovation, knowledge, Steven Wolfram, tipping point

Education Reading

Latest Read: The Code Breaker

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date March 12, 2023

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson. This is a truly amazing book and perhaps (in a crowded field) the most important book I have read this year.

Jennifer is an American biochemist. Today she is Chair Professor in the department of chemistry and the department of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley and is an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard Medical School.

Jennifer is also the President and Chair of the board at the Innovative Genomics Institute, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a senior investigator at the Gladstone Institutes, and an adjunct professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Jennifer Doudna is a rock star. Well Noble Prize winner rock star. And this book serves as inspiration for my daughter. No better example for any daughter to see that begin told what a girl cannot accomplish than to see how Jennifer literally hit it out of the park.

As this story reveals, Jennifer was in sixth grade when her father gave her a copy of James Watson’s book The Double Helix. This was her inspiration that would trigger her discoveries to understand DNA codes as a scientist.

Tags CRISPR, Gene Editing, Innovation, Jennifer Doudna, Technology, The Code Breaker, tipping point

Education Reading

Latest Read: Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date February 26, 2023

Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum. Beverly received an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D. in clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan. She also holds a M.A. in religious studies from Hartford Seminary.

She has taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Westfield State College, and Mount Holyoke College. In addition, The American Psychological Association has recognized her with the Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology. In fact, this is one of the most well written psychology books addressing race. Beverly’s research will certainly bring the reader into a well researched conversation. This is also a perfect demonstration of empathy.

Perhaps the most effective message is that across America the historical need to educate ourselves on race has never been taught formally. By not addressing this issue we are like history to repeat ourselves. This includes a lot of very awkward conversations passed down across families for generations.

The goal Beverly submits is to achieve a true understanding of inequality across all races and cultures. There is without question a true level of stress that is a result of basic, general discussions. Beverly certainly demonstrates how this can be improved. In addition, there are explanations racism now directing at Native/Indian, Asian, and Latinos.

Tags Beverly Daniel Tatum, Bias, racism, Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria

Education Reading

Latest Read: The Drunkard’s Walk

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date February 18, 2023

The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow. Leonard is an American theoretical physicist and mathematician, screenwriter and author.

There is no doubt you can learn many lessons from talented people. Leonard is indeed one of those authors you need to consider. Seriously. This 2008 book became a New York Times bestseller, a New York Times notable book, and Leonard received the Robert P. Balles Prize for Critical Thinking for this book. In 2010 Leonard was named the Liber Press Award for the Popularization of Science.

He holds a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley. Actually, his dissertation demonstrated a new type of perturbation theory for nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, based upon solving the problem in infinite dimensions then correcting for the fact that we live in three.

Leonard is definitely an author you want to read. Why? Well he joined the faculty at Caltech in 1981 and was then named an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and worked at the Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics in Munich, Germany. However (as amazing as it seems) in 1986, he left his position as a full-time professor and researcher to begin writing. He indeed wrote episodes for Star Trek: The Next Generation and MacGyver. To further illustrate his talent, he created computer games with Steven Spielberg and Robin Williams. In 2009 he wrote a screenplay for the movie Beyond the Horizon. Above all, Leonard is continuing to working in theoretical physics.

Tags cognitive bias, Leonard Mlodinow, randomness, The Drunkard’s Walk

Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: Why We Sleep

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date February 5, 2023

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. Matthew is a British scientist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Previously, Matthew was a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Matthew is the director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science. His research focuses on the impact of sleep on human health and disease.

I found this to be a very insightful book and it has sharpened how I view my own sleep requirements. It would not be odd to say that many of us have in our younger years pulled all-nighters on a regular basis. We had not idea how damaging this would be in our later life. In fact, I can recall this in some detail over the beginning of my career. In fact, I would say the American culture is shaped around this type of sleep loss.

Matthew has the data to prove that our culture has in fact, robbed our health. In addition, for anyone with medical conditions may in fact be at greater risk due to the lack of sleep impacting their health. Too many Americans do not yet quite understand the severe ramifications. This book will enlighten them and easily demonstrate how powerful eight hours of sleep can shape your life.

Penguin Books UK | How To Improve Your Sleep

The lack of sleep can shorten your life

For many readers perhaps this is the first time they can understand the impacts of neglecting sleep. Shortcomings in our brain functionality is easily at less than 100%. In addition, our body’s physical and mental health including our emotional well being suffers.

Tags culture, knowledge, Matthew Walker, Sleep, Why We Sleep