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Certainly Dubious

Certainly Dubious

Solaris and AI

Aug 16, 2026 · 1 hr 9 min · 12 segments

This week Mark and David ostensibly talk about the book and movie versions of Solaris. Solaris is a story that asks some deep questions like: - What are the limitations of Science? - How do you…

This week Mark and David ostensibly talk about the book and movie versions of Solaris. Solaris is a story that asks some deep questions like: - What are the limitations of Science? - How do you determine if an entity is conscious? - What are 50 ways to kill your re-animated loved one? However, Mark triggered David by asking about AI. This causes David to go on a long and tedious explanation of why LLMs are not conscious. Which is basically a recapitulation of: https://gracefulatheist.com/2026/06/07/humanism-and-ai/ They discuss this aritcle in Verge: **AI bots started a religion — humans immediately followed** https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/975017/ai-spiralism-chatbot-movement Other topics Mark and David veer into: - The Odyssey - Morality - Re-dos

This week Mark and David ostensibly talk about the book and movie versions of Solaris. Solaris is a story that asks some deep questions like: - What are the limitations of Science? - How do you…

Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Website

Speakers: David AmesHostMark DiazHost

Top entities: Solaris×31 Kris Kelvin×9 Andrei Tarkovsky×8 Odyssey×6 Large language model×30

Introducing Solaris1:06 – 4:06

1:06

This week, we are talking about Solaris, the movie, the book, the other movie about the sentient ocean or not so sentient ocean that messes with people's minds.

1:19

What medium did you consume, Solaris?

1:21

I read the book.

1:23

Okay.

1:23

In the original Polish.

1:25

Yes.

1:25

Because you are a

1:28

badass.

1:28

I'm a

1:29

badass.

1:29

I learned Poland language and then read the book.

1:33

Yes.

1:36

Stanislaw Lem is the author, obviously kind of a- If that's his

1:40

real name.

1:41

That's right.

1:42

Foundational sci-fi piece of art here.

1:46

Yeah.

1:46

What'd you think of the book? I have, so again, full disclosure, I've seen the George Clooney movie years ago.

1:53

And I just, for this episode, I watched the Tarkovsky movie from 1972, which was really interesting.

2:00

We'll get into, and I have only begun to read the book.

2:03

I have not had a chance to read the whole thing yet.

2:05

So, but really interesting.

2:07

I think it brings up really interesting questions.

2:10

The reason I had suggested it was my, this one was my suggestion.

2:14

is that it is a criticism of science from within a scientific worldview.

SolarisMovie1972 film
99%31 mentions
Kris KelvinEntityMovie character
97%9 mentions
Andrei TarkovskyPersonSoviet film director and screenwriter
95%8 mentions
OdysseyBookBook by Homer
93%6 mentions
Large language modelEntity
90%30 mentions
Stanisław LemPersonPolish writer
88%2 mentions
Turing testEntity
86%2 mentions
AI agentEntity
84%1 mention
Isaac AsimovPersonAmerican writer and professor
82%2 mentions
Social mediaEntity
80%1 mention
Ender's GameBookNovel by Orson Scott Card
78%1 mention
HomerPersonAncient Greek poet
76%1 mention
David AmesPersonActor
73%3 mentions
Theory of mindEntity
71%1 mention
AlphaGoSoftware ApplicationComputer program
69%6 mentions
George ClooneyPersonAmerican actor and filmmaker
67%3 mentions
guiltEntity
65%1 mention
Artificial intelligenceEntityProfessional field
63%7 mentions
Google MapsSoftware ApplicationWeb site
61%2 mentions
Artificial general intelligenceEntity
59%1 mention
William JamesPersonAmerican philosopher and psychologist
56%2 mentions
IliadBookPoem by Homer
54%4 mentions
BibleBookReligious text
52%2 mentions
PolishLanguageSpoken language
50%1 mention
PolandCountryCountry in Europe
48%1 mention
ClaudeSoftware ApplicationSoftware
46%4 mentions
OpenAICompanyGenerative AI company
44%2 mentions
GibarianPersonMusical artist
41%2 mentions
SkynetEntityFictional objects
39%2 mentions
SentienceEntity
37%1 mention
YouTubeWebsiteVideo sharing company
35%1 mention
Alan TuringPersonMathematician and logician
33%1 mention
GodEntitySupreme being
31%2 mentions
Greek languageEntityHuman language
29%2 mentions
AnthropicCompanyArtificial intelligence company
27%1 mention
EarthPlacePlanet
24%1 mention
Elon MuskPersonBusinessman and former Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
20%1 mention
Narendra ModiPersonPrime Minister of India
20%1 mention
Sam AltmanPersonCEO of OpenAI
20%1 mention
AchillesEntityGreek hero
16%1 mention
GmailWebsiteWeb site
14%2 mentions
Wonder WomanEntityDC Universe character
12%1 mention
XEntitySocial networking service
10%1 mention
WhatsAppSoftware ApplicationWeb site
7%1 mention
Alison GopnikPersonAmerican professor and psychologist
5%1 mention
generative adversarial networkEntity
3%2 mentions
GrandmasterEntityJob title
1%1 mention

SolarisLiterature > Science Fiction
Stanislaw LemLiterature > Science Fiction > Solaris
ConsciousnessLiterature > Science Fiction > Solaris > Stanislaw Lem
SolarisFilm > Adaptations
TarkovskyFilm > Adaptations > Solaris
ClooneyFilm > Adaptations > Solaris > Tarkovsky
Human InteractionTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Consciousness > Ethics
MemoryPsychology > Human Behavior > Emotional Responses > Trauma
Science and EthicsSociety > Cultural Critique
Human ConditionSociety > Cultural Critique > Science and Ethics
Existential QuestionsSociety > Cultural Critique > Science and Ethics > Human Condition
Society
Science FictionLiterature
Emotional ResponsesPsychology > Human Behavior
EthicsTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Consciousness
TraumaPsychology > Human Behavior > Emotional Responses
Human BehaviorPsychology
AdaptationsFilm
ConsciousnessTechnology > Artificial Intelligence
Cultural CritiqueSociety
Technology
Psychology
Literature
Film
Artificial IntelligenceTechnology

Introducing Solaris1:06 – 4:06

1:06

This week, we are talking about Solaris, the movie, the book, the other movie about the sentient ocean or not so sentient ocean that messes with people's minds.

1:19

What medium did you consume, Solaris?

1:21

I read the book.

1:23

Okay.

1:23

In the original Polish.

1:25

Yes.

1:25

Because you are a

1:28

badass.

1:28

I'm a

1:29

badass.

1:29

I learned Poland language and then read the book.

1:33

Yes.

1:36

Stanislaw Lem is the author, obviously kind of a- If that's his

1:40

real name.

1:41

That's right.

1:42

Foundational sci-fi piece of art here.

1:46

Yeah.

1:46

What'd you think of the book? I have, so again, full disclosure, I've seen the George Clooney movie years ago.

1:53

And I just, for this episode, I watched the Tarkovsky movie from 1972, which was really interesting.

2:00

We'll get into, and I have only begun to read the book.

2:03

I have not had a chance to read the whole thing yet.

2:05

So, but really interesting.

2:07

I think it brings up really interesting questions.

2:10

The reason I had suggested it was my, this one was my suggestion.

2:14

is that it is a criticism of science from within a scientific worldview.

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