Prometheus and the Dolphin: Origins of a Talk
We are delighted to publish this guest post by Dr Gary McDarby who was instrumental in organising John Moriarty’s Prometheus and the Dolphin lecture at Media Lab Europe, Dublin.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is considered to be one of the top technology universities in the world and the Media Lab is considered to be one of its most elite schools. The Media Lab, led by Nicholas Negroponte at the time, specialises in inventions that are typically disruptive to how humans interact with technology. It has developed numerous inventions over the years that have been transformative in how we use technology.
In 1999, the Irish Government signed a deal with MIT to situate the Media Lab European Headquarters in Dublin. The Government had initiated an Integrated Area Plan for the Liberties in Dublin and Media Lab Europe was to be the anchor tenant of the Digital Hub in the area.
It was seen as a huge coup at the time.
I was the first Scientist appointed in Media Lab Europe. I had just finished my PhD in the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia which had been endorsed by the Mathematics Department in MIT and this helped with my appointment.
My final interview with Nicholas Negroponte was unusual to say the least. He told me at the beginning of the interview that he only wanted the answer to two questions. They were:
(1) What is the most interesting thing that has ever happened in my life?
(2) If I was to invent something to change the world, what would it be?
I was very struck by this and queried whether the first question could pertain to anything. He nodded and said that it could.
I answered by saying that I had briefly worked in Kalighat, Mother Therese’s house for the dying in Calcutta, and that I had held somebody as they passed away.
We then had an incredible conversation around life, death, privilege, values and purpose. At the end of the conversation Nicholas said he was satisfied.
I asked him about the second question and he just answered:
‘You will work it out’
And so began my time as a Principal Research Scientist in Media Lab Europe.
It was an extraordinary personal experience. There is something very enriching being surrounded by people cleverer than you. It challenges you to up your game so you can participate. However, it was also a very turbulent time and there were huge expectations on everyone to deliver world class results in a very short space of time.
The lab changed directors on a number of occasions. When Ken Haase, a brilliant academic and one of the foremost experts in Artificial Intelligence in the world took over temporarily, we had a short window to do something different. Ken has a deep spiritual sense, and he came to me one day and asked did I know anyone in Ireland that could challenge us ‘spiritually’ on what we are doing.
In a moment of serendipity, I had just watched the Would You Believe show on John Moriarty. RTE were trying to convince me to take part in the show and had sent me a copy of the piece that had been done on John and it had blown me away.
I replied to Ken that I ‘thought’ that I might know somebody.
And so, with the help of Marie Hughes, John and I arranged to meet one day in Hughes Pub in Stoney Batter.
I went into the meeting with John armed with a position that Technology could play a positive role in moving humanity forward. That we could shape the Universe in a way that was ultimately constructive.
12 hours of conversation and debate ensued. A whole day in his beautiful presence. Something I did not appreciate at the time but now I see as a wonderful gift.
And in that meeting the Prometheus and the Dolphin talk was forged.
I cannot take any credit for the content but maybe the conversation allowed John to pull from his vast repository of stories, a way to talk to scientists in the room.
A few days later he arrived into Media Lab Europe, with no props and no notes and he delivered the lecture that we recorded. If you watch the lecture, you can sense his mild trepidation delivered his talk to an audience of scientists. It was remarkable meeting of the waters moment.
Media Lab Europe closed its doors in 2005. There was a disagreement about how to continue funding the operation. The lecture, to my knowledge, is one of the only remaining recordings of internal talks in the lab.
GMcD 26/06/2024
And below, John’s lecture at Media Lab Europe titled Prometheus and the Dolphin.
Dr. Gary Mc Darby has a background in Electronic Engineering and Neuroscience. Over the last twenty years or so he has been involved in several technology projects designed specifically to help and support disadvantaged communities. He is the founder of the Liberties Computer Clubhouse, a state-of-the-art learning centre, where experts in technology work on projects with young people struggling in mainstream education. The Computer Clubhouse was the early inspiration Kinia, a national project supporting youth groups through technology and creativity. He is a founding director of Camara Education, an organisation established to distribute refurbished computers to disadvantaged schools in Africa. He recently returned from Tasmania, Australia where he established the Enterprize project, an incubator supporting very early-stage entrepreneurs and he also established the family code club where parents learn to code with their children.
He is founder and CEO of Edgeliot, a company developing a novel platform to measure Carbon emissions and Air Quality in Cities.
He got to know John Moriarty in the last few years of his life and helped launch the ‘One Evening in Eden’ CD boxset to bring John’s voice to more people after his passing.
He lives in Greystones, Co Wicklow with his family. He has four children, three girls and a boy who inspire him daily.
Dolphins in ocean image: werdepate on Pixabay