#241 Andy Whiskeyman on Cognitive 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, Andrew Whiskeyman discusses his co-authored article: . "COGINT" is the systematic mapping, safeguarding, and operational exploitation of decision-making architectures in the contemporary cognitive battle space. Topics include: understanding and protecting human decision-making...
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#240 Anthony Vinci on the Fourth Intelligence Revolution
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, Anthony Vinci, author of , discusses how the battlefield has shifted from physical territory to the human brain. From China’s influence within U.S. education and gaming to the subtle "mind hacking" potential of AI-generated misinformation, Anthony breaks down the strategic...
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#239 Ian Brown on Snowmobiles and Grand Ideals
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. John Boyd is well known to have formally written down very little of his own theories on war and conflict, making researching his concepts challenging and leading many to infer meanings based on their own interpretations—or others’—of what little easily accessible evidence of his thinking remains....
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#238 Bill Wall on AI in Information 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, Bill Wall discusses ’s comprehensive AI platform. The conversation explores the necessity for the U.S. to balance military focus with information strategies, diplomacy, and a deeper understanding of the populace to achieve success in modern conflicts. Recording Date: 9 Dec 2025...
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#237 Josh “Bugsy” Segal on Ukraine, Electronic Warfare, and Fast Battlefield Innovation
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. Josh “Bugsy” Segal recaps his recent observations from the Ukraine battlefield and concerns for Western governments which don’t adapt quickly. Ukraine's rapid development of sophisticated, cost-effective domestic defense technology, including advanced counter-drone...
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#236 Michael Lissack on Anticipatory Agents
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, Michael Lissack discusses –a unified theoretical framework that reconciles Quantum Bayesianism (QBism), Robert Rosen's theory of Anticipatory Systems, the causal bubbles interpretation of quantum mechanics, and pragmatic constructivism through Hans Vaihinger's philosophy of 'as...
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#235 Rob Thelen on the US Army IWAR Initiative
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, COL Rob Thelan discusses the US Army’s Information Warfare (IWAR) Branch. IWAR aims to integrate the IO (Information Operations) and PSYOP (Psychological Operations) communities into a unified, conventional force branch. Other topics include: U.S. lagging behind adversaries like...
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#234 Robert Thibadeau on a Million Identities and Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
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, Bob Thibadeau returns to the Cognitive Crucible and discusses the fundamentals of computational cognitive neuroscience and privacy. He asserts that everyone should manage a million identities on an embodied chip, share these identities selectively, and change them frequently....
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#233 Orlandon Howard on Rethinking Strategic Communication
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, Lt. Col. Orlandon Howard discusses rethinking strategic communication for U.S. military public affairs, exploring topics such as the PESO model and the balance between informing and influencing. The discussion centers around his recent article: “.” Recording Date: 24 Sep 2025...
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#232 John Pennell on Russia's Actions in Ukraine and Syria
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. John Pennell discusses his book and Ph.D. research: . Recording Date: 4 Sep 2025 Research Question: John Pennell suggests an interested student or researcher examine: How can we better inform the American public about the information space; focusing on informing the...
info_outlineThe 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, Libby Lange discusses her recent article: Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare: The Next Frontier in China’s Quest for Global Influence.
Recording Date: 9 Dec 2024
Research Question: Libby Lange suggests an interested student or researcher:
- Take the concept of Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare from the hypothetical and theoretical into the real world and find evidence of Chinese researchers who are actually retrieving data from data brokers.
- Investigate how Russia is pursuing adjacent or complementary Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare capabilities.
Resources:
- Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
- Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare: The Next Frontier in China’s Quest for Global Influence by Libby Lange
- Decoding China’s AI-Powered ‘Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare’ by Libby Lange
- Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP)
- Active Measures by Thomas Rid
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: Libby Lange is a Director of Intelligence at the Special Competitive Studies Project. Prior to SCSP, Libby worked as an Intel Analyst at Graphika, where she focused on Chinese state-linked influence operations and public health misinformation. Prior to Graphika, she served as a speechwriter and communications manager for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, accompanying the President on multiple state visits. Libby holds an M.A. in Global Affairs from Yale University and a B.A. in Political Science from National Taiwan University.
About: The Information Professionals Association (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.
For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.
Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.