Image Credit: ESO, VLT, HAWK-I, H. Drass et al.
Bill Joy wrote an article that was never adequately responded to(that alone is telling of the intellectual state of affairs, of our top minds.) -- > Why the future doesn't need us until now . . .
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Hello Wired.com,
I've finally gotten around to reading the entire Pauline exegesis of Bill Joy's "Why the future doesn't need us" . . .
Bill Joy say how he's always been into the ethical dimensions of science and technology; yet, he doesn't mention Jacob Bronowski, James Burke, Alvin Toffler and so on - Arthur C. Clarke/ Isaac Asimov
- They(Bill Joy and the Unabomber) dystopian nightmare considers two possibilities 1) the machines are given complete control to make all decisions(where do they get the data from to make decisions?), or 2) people maintain control. They say the A.I. will probably decide it doesn't need humanity anymore and get rid of humanity. If Humans maintain control(keep themselves in the loop seems to be the way to say it), they'll be an elite. Maybe they keep a few humans around as pets; maybe they don't and wipe out all they don't like. But, there's a third possibility which seems to be a real no-man's land that they don't want to talk about - merging with the machines. Evolving in a way that combines both. Bill Joy mentions that Ray Kurzweil champions the this third possibility in his "Age of Spiritual machines." He later notes that a Danny Hillis also believes in this. But, Bill Joy essentially says this impossible and dangerous anyways.
Bill Joy says merging with machines will take away the biological nature of mankind. Here, I actually agree with him. I believe in chaos theory of consciousness and free will. But, I don't think that merging with machines actually takes away from the biological part of mankind - if done right. Today's calculators/computers are essentially technological augmentations. I suggest nothing more. One can imagine wearing a headset kind of like a heads up display to further augment mankind without disrupting the biological nature of human intelligence. There's more things like genetic engineering that also don't take away from the biological nature of human intelligence.
Bill Joy also brings up extreme individuals. I agree that enhanced bullies and violent people presents a bit of a problem. But, then again, there will be enhanced rational people as well. If he wants to fight enhanced terrorists and other such people, I'd suggest he become merged! In fact, I'd suggest that he criticize irrationality, or shut up. Seems that Bill Joy and co . . . Eric Drexler, Chris Pheonix, Ray Kurzweil, the whole lot of them don't want to fight irrationality. In fact, they're willing to do whatever they can to keep disturbing truths(like religions are bullshit) from being pointed out.
Bill Joy says the Unabomber is criminally insane, yet he agrees with his logic. Then, he says we should relinguish science. Mankind is defined/distinguished from the other life on earth by its dependence on science/technology for survival. To relinquish it is insanity. Combining this with his bah-humbug attitude towards the third possibility, suggests an emotional problem with science winning out by solving all human medical problems, including aging by means of A.I./Nanotech and so on.
They love to talk about the coming science/technology dystopian future. Bill Joy speaks of "Murphy's law" - what can go wrong will go wrong. Mentions his mother prevented him from getting a ham radio because "he's anti-social enough." Mr Joy says technological augmentation will destroy democracy. He says this will destroy equality. He clearly doesn't understand that equality in American Democracy doesn't mean everyone is the same - like some technological dystopian nightmare, manufacturing the same person out of a assembly line. Bill Joy is really going crazy here. What all this has in common is that he refuses fight irrationality. He wants to fight dangerous individuals from becoming superhuman, which is fine. But, notice he never brings up who is the irrationalists.
Bill Joy says science makes one anti-social. This is as bad logic as scientists don't appreciate art. No, it's the other way around. Arts and 'social people' don't appreciate science/technology. If they did, maybe they could socialize with scientists. This is proof Bill Joy is an ass kisser to people who twist things around to cover up their own problems.
Everyone wants to suggest some science/technological dystopian nightmare. That of manufacturing everyone the same, controlling their minds. But, wait a minute; isn't that what religions are? Don't all these people believe in their religions because they are conditioned from birth to believe what the clergy tells them to believe? Isn't that what all those medieval abbeys, high up in the foothills were doing? Closing themselves off from the world . . . walking around mumbling hymns, with blank stares like the Easter Island statures? Then he mentions Murphy's law. Well, I agree again; let's consider Murphy's law. What can go wrong will go wrong. If we let anti-science irrationalits(the real extreme individuals), lock ourselves up here on Earth to prevent anyone from getting away(I pointed this out to Chris Phoenix, and his reaction was to play silence games), then those who don't want their ideas challenged will take over, implant 'believe in our religion' chips, and end the human adventure to learn the universe and survive in the universe.
Bill Joy considers the go out in space option. He then says, "isn't there the danger that we drag our problems with us out to space?" I rest my case! If Bill Joy wants to fight dangerous individuals from becoming superhuman, then fight irrationality, or shut the fuck up! He uses the same logic the Christians used in the City/Library of Alexandria, "did not Greek science sap the vitality of the Roman empire" Therefore God exists, knowledge is evil, lets close ourselves up on some mountain from the world."
- Note, I've yet to actually e-mail wired magazine this response of mine. I should probably generalize my response based on my postings about Sophie and Silas below, and even my Gospel of Truth(still in progress; yes, I have ideas of adding more material and editing/smoothing it up).
There's been all kinds of scientific/technological advances since my last post. One sticks in my mind - programmable rna vaccines. If true, this solves cancer, viruses from the common cold to HIV and even Ebola! Sounds impossible? Read this --> Engineers design programmable RNA vaccines
- More evidence Planet9 might exist; it solves the Sun's tilt with respect to the solar system -- > Planet Nine may have tilted entire solar system except the sun
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