In this second episode of “Knowledge for Breakfast”, we chat with Ranj Ilangantileke, a former US military pilot, now flying commercial cargo. According to Ranj, “Technology is so advanced these days. Planes can fly themselves”. One way to think of this is that in aeroplanes, machine blend with humans in creating a form of cyborg knowledge. So who or what knows what’s going on while in the air? And who is responsible for those strange things that pass for chicken sausages in airplane breakfasts? And yes, those background noises are from an airport.
Episode 2: Cyborg Epistemology in the Air
Hosts: Fabien Medvecky and Michiel van Oudheusden
❧ What is this podcast about, and why are we here 0.15 s.
❧ Welcome 0.15 s
❧ Introducing cyborg epistemology 5.08
❧ Our Guest, Ranj Ilangantileke, joins us 10.04
❧ The future of piloting 19.06
❧ Safety, control and knowledge 23.24
❧ Trust in technology 30.03
❧ The Statement: “Humans are better knowers when they work with machines”. A for and against debate. 37.50
Speaker’s Background
Ranj was born in United States, but grew up in Sri Lanka and Thailand. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and went through Reserve Officers Training Corp to join the US Air Force where he received pilot training. In the Air Force, Ranj Flew C-130 Hercules aircraft with multiple deployments to the Afghanistan and Iraqi Theater of Operations then left the US military in 2007 and joined commercial aviation to fly cargo. He now flys wide body cargo aircraft around the world.
Main Topics
The knowledge of commercial flying and how it has changed overtime. Human/machine epistemic interactions. Trust and reliance on technology.

Knowledge for Breakfast (KFB): A Podcast
Categories: Podcast
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