Nice Machine, Nice Machine
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,084
I know this question is hypothetical and marginally relevant to reality but, what if most computers, particularly the larger ones and especially the most powerful ones could be programmed to be kind and beneficial to as much of earth’s life (land, sea, sky and subterranean) as possible? How would that kindness be meted out and to whom or what would it be most beneficent? What would the results of those machines' choices look like?
(Yes, “Who cares?” is an option. Patting your computer on the head is mechanopomorphic.)
(Yes, “Who cares?” is an option. Patting your computer on the head is mechanopomorphic.)
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Just joking. I hate to be a downer, but I think the computers would immediately come to the answer that their makers were the absolute enemy of mother nature, and that the most logical thing to do would be decimating the human population. Everything else would prosper except maybe rats and roaches.
Parameters decided by whom?
(and there ya go...so, I'd decline)
(and yes, I am pleasantly stoned :P )
Besides, it would be more fun to program the roaches. No wait, that's not what I mean...
...ah, forget it.
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Asking too much?
Well said, whg. As I think about it, I don't believe what I'm asking asking is too much-- although I may be guilty of asking it too often. I can also accept the unfortunate really that I often expect too much while at the same time hope for the, well, not impossible but perhaps the improbable.
Yes, good to keep Ishmael's teachings in mind as well.
I've found it helpful to keep in mind that much goodness happens often and all over; just because these acts don't make headlines (why would they?) doesn't mean they don't occur. And I'm sort of glad for that - in a way, to me anyway, kindness in obscurity means more.
All hail the glorious machine!
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Artificial Intelligence will most certainly attend to overpopulation. And, I don't think our civilized sensibilites would like the no-emotion no-feeling edicts metted out.
I'm guilty of hitting the repeat button too so I'll just hit it again: WE must find our way towards a more enlightened existence. WE can't hope for AI to do this for us because if WE do — overpopulation will most surely be at the top of AI's 'things to do list'.
I was thinking about some of your posts when I started this, dancepartner. It's a hard to avoid falling off into science fiction when getting into this subject but sometimes science fiction gets close to reality. Realistically, machines really are a major part of our existence. At this point that is unavoidable. I'd like to think our thoughts can do as much to control the machine as the machine can control us. If we put out useful/positive thoughts and information into the machine (the internet) those thoughts and idea spread outward. If AI is or does become a reality it couldn't hurt to saturate the machine with positive or useful thoughts and ideas.
Are you listening to me, HAL?
Interesting notion! So then the hypothetical question becomes- if computers develop to the point of AI, will they also develop a sense of responsibility and if so, would they shut themselves down or just block out all the unnecessary posting (like, 90% of our posts here
(Again, this subject skirts the edges of sci fi.)
I tried to respond like 100 times but for some reason the system wouldn't let me.
OK- here's one thought about the unlikelihood of the machine becoming benevolent to anything but the machine: In the preface to John Kline's book Great Possessions, An Amish Farmer's Journal, Wendell Berry describes Kline's Amish farmer way of life:
"...[it] does not divide the life of the mind from the life of the body."
A balanced life, Berry suggests, keeps both the mind and body whole. The machine has no body other than the mechanistic machine which in of itself has no life. Looked at this way, the machine can never be whole and thus ultimately cannot be benevolent to the living.
my first laugh of the day. thanks!
Anyone read 'Automate this'? Though I'm not giving up on encouraging people to read 'The Singularity' -- Automate this is smaller but they both delve into all these what ifs.
I'll go with Automate This: author spends a great deal of time using Wall Street for it's backdrop of how humans & machines are interfacing. He uses the backdrops of music & medicine as well but for Wall Street, it's no little thing he spends a good deal of time in this arena; (cuz it's where the Power Dance now takes place). Basically, AI won't materialize unless we continue to build it's patterns as human-like as possible. Something going on right now on Wall Street. BOT's make today's trades a zillion times faster than we can. Their codes are written (and have been for 20 odd years now) to make split second decisions which must be made from a sort of betting or gamblers view. Nuances, risks, what happens if such & such does this, what's the best case response for thus & so to the point where code runs DEEP. Really deep. So deep in fact that already, BOT's are running the show; making trades, hedging bets, selling low etc.. Some of the inventors are starting so see the nightmare they've unleashed.
One thing is certain: competitive mentality has been hard-wired so deeply already, Strong AI is well on it's way. It's in "IT'S" very nature to push towards 'beating the odds' - winning -- coming out on top. So I hate to rain on yer parade Brian but so far, Strong AI's miles & miles long & deep code is immersed in all things competitive -- not benevolent. :(
Oh & FYI; as for that energy thing, nanotech is already working on solar source energy to ensure our harmless & darling little computers will never want for power. Now if they'd just do that for us!