About.
Hey I'm Mark! This is a personal project/blog where I record thoughts and stories about various topics. You already knew that, but something you didn't know, the name of this project. It's a combination of Sentient and Centennial. Sentience: I think is just a super intriguing topic, mysterious but also deeply personal. Centennial: Relates to time, history, experience, and celebration. It blends a lot of relevant themes and I thought it sounded cool.
Development Status
Here's what I'm currently working on for this project:
Life Things
Currently, I'm studying computer science at Cal Poly SLO. I'm super passionate about CS, as well as history and philosophy, which are also huge interests of mine.
In the field of computer science, ML/AI really interests me the most. But more generally, I just enjoy the struggle to learn how things work, and the act of problem solving and creation through technology.
History and philosophy are arguably bigger interests though, and I get a special feeling from untangling the connections between them. Within these two, ethics and the philosophy of mind are probably the most interesting, as well as the French Revolution and the Enlightenment.
Apart from that, I stay pretty active. I love basketball, running, swimming, and going to the gym. I also really 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
The Brothers Karamazov
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
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
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:
(These are all from a recent trip to NYC)
Stay Updated
Subscribe to receive updates about new articles, musings, and research topics.