To call February an interesting month would be an understatement for most people. There’s quite a lot going on, and while I was not actively seeking answers to the world at large, my reading seems to reflect a lot of the global situation.
Antiqua et nova
Billed as a Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence, this paper from the Vatican is a very comprehensive article on Artificial Intelligence. I would say it’s a must-read for people of all cultures and occupations.
Whether you like it or not, AI is here to stay. Scientists and Engineers are going to continue to refine it. Right now there may be an uncanny valley that prevents AI from replacing the works of humankind, but I would not expect that to last forever.
I am not a practicing Catholic, and I would not describe myself as a “man of God”, however I do have very firm ethical beliefs and a considerable amount of moral concern about how AI will be used. Everything from collecting source data for Large Language Models while maintaining individual privacy and intellectual propery, to environmental impact, to the quality of final products is covered by this article. I found myself agreeing frequently with the stances laid out by this article. More, I was reminded of the roles that entire industries should serve in the greater design of society and humankind.
As a software developer, AI is particularly close to my day to day. I myself make use of AI tools increasingly (not quite daily). I find them to be not without fault, but an answer from an AI can spur my own creative thoughts when I find myself at a standstill. I can very easily recognize the work of an AI when I review code from a colleague, and I think it’s going to be increasingly important for us to be responsible for work that we produce, even if it is penned by an AI instead of our own fingers – one point the Church makes evident is that the product of AI is the product of humankind.
The Hollow Men of Silicon Valley
This article from Notes From the Circus explores the role of reason and rationale in governance. The author posits that cold reason and efficiency alone is insufficient to provide the polestar of our society. These things are important, but I am firmly in agreement that ethics and morality deserve an equal role in how we function, and cannot be exercised when it is convenient for us and abandoned later.
It’s hard to look at modern day politics and see the efficacy of a harsh cognitive authoritarian government, but I would go a step further than this article’s author and say that his view of our political leaders is a best-case, not a realistic one. We aren’t being ruled by the rigors of reason and efficiency, but by self-serving individuals that hide their personal goals amidst a doctrine of reason and efficiency.
To revisit the topic of AI, I think it’s important to remember that the technocratic strategies described herein leverage what has been done before, but eschew any benefit of human intelligence’s capacity for intuition and creativity- leaps that are impossible for a nonhuman intelligence to grasp.
The privitization that is occurring here is also dependent on the principle of capitalistic efforts to solve societal problems, and it’s important to remember that in the game of capitalism, capitalists will be the first to win. I appreciated that the author of this article cited John Lewis, because another phrase comes to mind. Care for thy neighbor, because – “if not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
A Radical New Proposal For How Mind Emerges From Matter
In a far less politically charged nature, this article from Noema Magazine seeks to explore the nature of intelligence in all of it’s forms. Not only is it a dense read, it’s long. Still, I would recommend strapping in for the entire read.
The journalistic journey of gathering knowledge about intelligence that exists beyond the commonly accepted Cartesian definition of intelligence requiring a neural system and self awareness delves into all walks of life, from single cellular to multi, from nonsocial nomads to biological collectives.
As a programmer, I particularly enjoyed the example of slime molds solving complex Traveling Salesman Problems, a common test of algorithmic efficiencies.
Relatedly, I came across this article while reading the novel Semiosis by Sue Burke. Not having finished it, I won’t rush to describe or review it, but I will say that so far I am enjoying the viewpoint from biological flora intelligently guiding humans to a peacful and symbiotic relationship while simultaneously pondering “are they intelligent?” – so far, a good SF read.
I Tasted Honda’s Spicy Rodent-Repelling Tape
On a lighter, spicier note, Haterade (a food writer) makes questionable culinary choices regarding industrial materials. I just don’t know what else to say here, other than to go read it.
A brutally honest and exceptionally helpful review of the Kohler 4734 “Rutledge” elongated toilet seat with Grip-Tight™ bumpers, Quiet-Close™ release hinges, and Quick-Attach™ hardware (white)
Early on in my relationship with my partner, we shared the joy that was a love for certain webcomics. In the prime heyday of the amazing social features that Google Reader (RIP) had, someone had recommended that I take a look at Louis vs Rick – a delightful exploration into what might take place if you were to train your cat to use an instant messaging service while you have to work like an adult. This cat-human dialogue has affected our instant messaging habits to this day.
The author of that webcomic rose to fame and then faded into humble solitude, and perhaps lost a bit of sanity along the journey, as is indicated by the short story of a Toilet Owner who finds themselves faced with the quandary of not merely replacing, but upgrading a simple piece of home furnishing.
A cautionary tale. I hope it’s fiction.
March might be a different story
I’m trying to brush up again on some math skills and topics that I forgot, so I’m starting with this one:
