Matthew's Blog
Do You Have The Right to Share “Your” DNA?
Do you have the right to share your DNA with someone else? Most people would initially say yes. In fact, most people would say that it is you, and only you, who has the right to share your DNA. Certainly if you consider DNA as a medical test, this feels right. You...
Artificial intelligence in Healthcare: “Moonshot” or Manhattan Project?
Moonshot is a term you will occasionally hear used in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) community. If you ever hear it in a discussion about AI in Healthcare, take note. It's a red flag. You see, although ”moonshot” refers to a large-scale project - just out the...
Physicians: Deep Read Deep Books
Hey Doc, when was the last time you deep read a "deep" book? By deep reading I mean focused, consistent reading, pen and paper in hand, spanning several hours a day over several weeks. By a deep book, I mean a book that is just out of your grasp intellectually, books...
Artificial Intelligence, Value Neutrality, and Regulation
Technology is value neutral. A pencil is inanimate. In of itself, it is neither good or bad. A car is inanimate. In of itself, it is nether good or bad. A nuclear reactors is inanimate. In of itself, it is neither good or bad. We don’t regulate pencils, but we do...
Physicians: Master Twitter, or it Will Master You
Most physicians don’t like Twitter. They think it will waste their precious time. For most of them, approached without clear intention, they are probably right. But, as my mom use to say to me - “It’s not all about you.” For now, forget about Healthcare 3.0 advanced...
Learning About AI, DeepMind and The NHS From AlphaGo, The Movie.
To better understand the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Humanity take a look at the movie AlphaGo on Netflix, the story of an artificial intelligence program created by Google's company DeepMind. https://youtu.be/8tq1C8spV_g There is the drama of...
My Physician Journey into Programming and Python
As I mentioned several weeks ago, I am a doctor who is endeavoring to learn the programming language called Python. My reason for pursuing this, which sounds rational, goes something like this: 1. The future of healthcare is Artificial intelligence and Big Data. 2. To...
Children, Digital Screen Time, and Cognitive Development – A Reference
Have you ever been interested in what the research shows about the effect of digital screen time on children’s brains? The recent peer reviewed Pediatrics article Digital Screen Media and Cognitive Development is well worth a 20 minute read, and is also a good...
Physicians as Practical Ethicists
Most physicians have no interest in the theoretical aspects of ethics. Walk into the physician’s lounge at a hospital ( those that still have them), and start discussing Kant’s Categorical Imperative, or Nietzsche’s poetic reflections about individual moral...