Surviving the Technological Apocalypse: A Reflection on Human Nature and the Dangers of Progress
Our goal should be to gain knowledge and avoid entropy, just as nature does. If we continue on this path, we may be eliminated by our own creations, maybe leading to a new version of humanity…
New technologies are often met with skepticism. First, they are ridiculed, then vilified, and finally, attempts are made to regulate or halt their progress. However, I refuse to submit to apocalyptic predictions. History has shown that the greatest harm is inflicted by humans upon other humans and the environment. — If chaos were to arise, it would be a result of our greed and thirst for power.
Humans are domesticated primates that harbor obvious cognitive biases that affect daily decisions and having real conversations with one another. With a human OS that hasn’t been upgraded for a long time, we have been trying to cope with technologies far ahead of our human OS. — So it’s no surprise that our emotional hardware is badly coupled with our ability to reason effectively about how we should prioritize/manage the risk.
Our greatest misfortune is that we climbed the food chain too quickly and are still struggling to adapt to our new way of life. We are trapped in a prison of our own making, controlled by the very technology we created. Our cognitive abilities may have advanced, but we are still apes when it comes to survival. Wars, both territorial and global, are simply a continuation of our primal instincts from the savanna. — Now, we seek power and status rather than simply surviving.
Nature has been perfecting its balance for billions of years, but greed is a new concept that messes with that balance and causes entropy. — Our goal should be to gain knowledge and avoid entropy, just as nature does. If we continue on this path, we may be eliminated by our own creations, maybe leading to a new version of humanity.
AI is a computer program that can understand, synthesize, and generate knowledge in ways similar to humans. It is not a killer software or robots that will destroy the world but instead can be used to make everything we care about better.
AI has already started to augment human intelligence and is rapidly escalating, and if we let it — it can help us reach new heights in science, technology, medicine, energy, construction, transportation, communication, art, music, culture, philosophy, ethics, and morality.
The development and use of AI have the potential to revolutionize our lives in many ways. AI tutors, assistants, collaborators, and advisors can help us maximize our potential and make better decisions. This could lead to increased productivity, economic growth, new industries, new jobs, and wage growth. — AI can also help us make breakthroughs in science and technology, and create a golden age of the creative arts.
AI can even be used to reduce the death toll of war by helping leaders make better decisions. — Ultimately, AI can be a force for good, making the world warmer and nicer, and it is our moral obligation to make use of it.
The current moral panic about AI is a classic example of a technology-driven moral panic, where exaggerated fears and paranoia about the potential negative impacts of AI are leading to calls for policy action.
While it is important to be aware of the potential negative impacts of AI, it is also important to recognize the moral panic for what it is and to not let it distract from the real issues.
All of the current technological advancements have the potential to create either a paradise or a hell. It is certain that we will become more powerful than ever before, with capabilities that may even exceed those traditionally attributed to gods. — We will gain the divine ability to create in ways that were previously unimaginable.
However, as our technology continues to become more advanced, we must ensure that we are also becoming wiser in order to avoid a potential bottleneck of risk that could lead to disastrous consequences. — We must strive to not only progress technologically but also psychologically and socially.
Each of us lives in our own reality, but we are also playing god, manipulating life and creating artificial intelligence that may one day surpass us. — Will we listen to the unbiased intelligence of our own creation, or will we continue down a path of destruction?
Only time will tell.
Uluc Yuca
