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#18 Tom Sear on Xenowar

The Cognitive Crucible

Release Date: 11/30/2020

#141 George Pullen on the Space Economy show art #141 George Pullen on the Space Economy

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, George Pullen discusses the space economy through a national security lens. Along the way, he answers some basic economic questions like: what is an economy, and what is GDP and why does it matter? Research Question: George Pullen believes the following questions should be studies...

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#140 Tom Ferris on Cognitive Ergonomics show art #140 Tom Ferris on Cognitive Ergonomics

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. Tom Ferris discusses his fascinating research related to cognitive ergonomics. Research Questions: Tom thinks the following questions need additional study: Human sensing and cognitive insights obtrusive physiology; making inferences during human studies; finding ways of...

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#139 Austin Branch and Andy Whiskeyman on Phoenix Challenge London show art #139 Austin Branch and Andy Whiskeyman on Phoenix Challenge London

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. Austin Branch and Andy Whiskeyman, both professors of the practice at the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), discuss the recent Phoenix Challenge Conference which was held in London from Feb 27th to Mar 3rd 2023. The Conference was meant to bring together: Academia,...

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#138 Matthew Canham on Cognitive Security show art #138 Matthew Canham on Cognitive Security

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. Matthew Canham discusses the importance of cognitive security, and his neurosecurity framework. Research Question: Are there a finite and discoverable set of Principles of Influence for AI analogous to the Principles of Influence in humans? (Reference: Dr. Robert Cialdini’s...

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#137 Vic Garcia and Mike Berger on Information Operations and Intelligence show art #137 Vic Garcia and Mike Berger on Information Operations and Intelligence

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Vic Garcia and Mike Berger of give a deep dive into IO-related challenges facing the United States and allied nations, plus dynamics between the intelligence and the operations communities, and the importance and current state of IO assessments. Research Question:  Vic Garcia...

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#136 Victoria Nash on Internet governance and Regulation Related to Children show art #136 Victoria Nash on Internet governance and Regulation Related to Children

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr Vicki Nash discusses the Oxford Internet Institute, Internet governance, and regulation related to children. Research Question: What are the benefits of technology use in children or young people; for example: benefits related to forming one’s own identity, one’s own sense...

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#135 Dave Maxwell on North Korea and Influence Operations show art #135 Dave Maxwell on North Korea and Influence Operations

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dave Maxwell discusses the importance of human rights upfront, influence campaigns, the pursuit of a free and unified Korea, resting on a foundation of deterrence and defense in the context of countering North Korea. Research Questions: Dave suggests technologies be developed...

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#134 Daniel (Plato) Morabito on a Comprehensive Theory of Information Warfare show art #134 Daniel (Plato) Morabito on a Comprehensive Theory of Information Warfare

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Air Force LtCol Dan “Plato” Morabito discusses his . Plato takes what may be considered a first principles approach by defining objectively information, knowledge, and problems with knowing. Then, he assembles a novel taxonomy of information warfare which combines trust,...

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#133 Joe Littell on Cyber-Enabled Influence Operations show art #133 Joe Littell on Cyber-Enabled Influence Operations

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Army MAJ Joe Littell discusses his recent article: –including emergent technologies, disinformation, and implications for democracy. Joe also presents some of the things we can do to protect ourselves. Research Question: How did China use social media to control the COVID...

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#132 Brian Russell on OIE Truths show art #132 Brian Russell on OIE Truths

The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Brian Russell returns to the Cognitive Crucible to discuss what he calls: “OIE Truths.” Based on his extensive information operations experience, these truths represent the best advice he can give to commanders and service members on how to embrace and exploit emerging OIE...

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During this episode, John Bicknell has a wide-ranging discussion with Tom Sear about his stunning piece on Xenowar--a fictionalized possible future rooted in philosophy, second order cybernetics, and state of the art digital weaponry. Xenowar provokes conversation about data stacks, sovereignty in the Digital Age, and new PTSD management techniques. (Note: During the episode, John Bicknell inaccurately referenced Joseph Campbell's most famous work; the correct reference (linked below) is The Hero with a Thousand Faces.)

Click here for full show notes & resources

Tom Sear is one of Australia’s leading commentators, researchers and advisers on democratic resilience in an era of cyber conflict and social media manipulation. Tom has advised the Australian and New Zealand Governments along with the US Department of Defense on cyber security and social media manipulation, counter influence initiatives and digital literacy policy. His PhD concerns how to build tolerant national cultures in social media to defend pluralistic societies. Tom led grant-funded data analysis projects to analyze cross platform nation-state social media propaganda influence operations during the recent Australian Federal election. Tom is an advisor and cyber security practitioner to government and Industry. He is an experienced and DST grant funded researcher in global multi platform social media analysis including cross lingual work with WeChat.

IPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain.

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For more information, please contact us at [email protected]

Or, you can connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell on LinkedIn.