About.

Hey I'm Mark! This is a personal project/blog where I share thoughts and stories about various topics. You already knew that, but here's something you might not know: the name of this project combines Sentient and Centennial. Sentience fascinates me as a mysterious yet deeply personal topic. Centennial relates to time, history, experience, and celebration. The blend captures relevant themes and I thought it sounded cool.

Development Status

Here's what I'm currently working on for this project:

Development
Current focus: Alexandria Repository
Research
Current focus: Ethics of AI
Writing
Paused: New article series on ML Ethics

Life Things

Currently, I'm studying Cognitive Science and Computer Science at USC. I'm passionate about computer science, particularly ML/AI, and enjoy the process of learning how things work and creating through technology.

I'm also super interested in history and philosophy, especially the connections between them. Within these fields, I find ethics, philosophy of mind, the French Revolution, and the Enlightenment particularly fascinating.

Beyond the books, I love staying active through basketball, running, swimming, and lifting. I also love cities, space, and the human spirit.

My Bookshelf

I spend a lot of time reading and trying to learn about all the awesome stuff we as humans have created, shaped, and have yet to build. You learn a lot about yourself through the act of reading, so here's what's currently on my list:

Currently Reading

🇫🇷

Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution

by Simon Schama

Progress14%
📖

The Brothers Karamazov

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Progress2%

Reading Queue

🧩

Gödel, Escher, Bach

by Douglas Hofstadter

🧠

The Age of AI

by Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Daniel Huttenlocher

🔬

Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines, and the Health of Nations

by Simon Schama

Recently Finished

Notes from the Underground

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Elon Musk

by Walter Isaacson

The Art of Fielding

by Chad Harbach

Research & Articles

Here are some research papers and articles I'm currently reading or planning to read:

Random Fun Facts

Favorite sound: Construction or tires on a wet road

Favorite art genre: Baroque or High Renaissance

Favorite trinket: The clock

Favorite number: 9

Building Photos

Some very cool building photos from NYC:

Alien building
Habitat building
Trellis building
Ornate building
Pod building

Stay Updated

Subscribe to receive updates about new articles, musings, and research topics.

© 2025 Mark McGuire. All rights reserved.v0.1.4