Here on Earth, evolution has produced in humans and other animals a creature that has self-awareness and feels pain and fear. Yet it seems that evolution could have produced a creature without self-awareness and feelings, but which was nevertheless able to evaluate and act on sensory input to avoid threats, to propagate its genetic material, and to communicate for its own benefit and the benefit others of its own kind, the same as we do. For instance, such a creature might cry in pain when injured for the simple reason that it attracts help or warns others of danger, so it seems that consciousness and feelings are entirely superfluous. If we were to encounter some extra-terrestrial species, how would we know which of these kinds of evolved creature it is?
A good implementation of artificial intelligence could work tirelessly, first to create better and more compact versions of AI machines, to discover more effective algorithms and paradigms for problem solving, and ultimately to solve all of Man's problems. A rapid evolution from its advent to a virtually godlike intelligence could be a matter of just a few years. Therefore, it seems silly to suggest that any extra-terrestrial intelligence could have the slightest interest in us, unless it was motivated only by sympathy to alleviate our suffering. It would have solved all of its own problems, and full comprehension of life on Earth would take just a few brief seconds of advanced thought. Though there is always the possibility that it might want to hinder the development of a dangerous competitor to itself at some time in Earth's future, either by Earth's intentionally or accidentally unleashing some rogue artificial intelligence. Thus, monitoring of nearby space might justify a significant allocation of its resources.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Philosophical Tenets
There are some things about which I am quite sure.
There is no "God". Taking the definition of "God" as omniscient, omnipotent, and good, the Existence of Evil argument shows "God" is impossible by definition, since there is great evil in the world and any being that is able to intervene to prevent the most horrible things imaginable happening to the most innocent creatures, but does not, cannot be good. End of subject.
I assume that I am able to perceive the world freely subject to the limitations of my senses and my mind. I am not a brain in a vat being fed perceptions or having my thoughts manipulated, the object of some great conspiracy. Anything else would be inherently unverifiable because my senses and mind are my only means of judging Truth, yet these are the very things that would need to be proven unreliable.
Extravagance and wastefulness are immoral. In a world without pain, this would not be true, but this is a world in which there is great suffering, and the resources under your control could be used to mitigate the suffering of innocent creatures. To use your resources for trivial and unnecessary things implies that the suffering of innocent creatures is less important than indulging your every whim. The typical human thus serves his gluttony by either being ignorant of the pain of others or by rationalizing that pain using some fatuous ideology such as religion.
Religious people are cowards because they are willing to sacrifice their moral and intellectual integrity for the sake of the illusion of eternal life. However scary a final death may be, there is ultimately a greater price to be paid for living without integrity. The freedom to think without fear and the confidence to express your own moral sense are indispensible requirements of your own mental health and for guiding you in your relations with others.
There is no "God". Taking the definition of "God" as omniscient, omnipotent, and good, the Existence of Evil argument shows "God" is impossible by definition, since there is great evil in the world and any being that is able to intervene to prevent the most horrible things imaginable happening to the most innocent creatures, but does not, cannot be good. End of subject.
I assume that I am able to perceive the world freely subject to the limitations of my senses and my mind. I am not a brain in a vat being fed perceptions or having my thoughts manipulated, the object of some great conspiracy. Anything else would be inherently unverifiable because my senses and mind are my only means of judging Truth, yet these are the very things that would need to be proven unreliable.
Extravagance and wastefulness are immoral. In a world without pain, this would not be true, but this is a world in which there is great suffering, and the resources under your control could be used to mitigate the suffering of innocent creatures. To use your resources for trivial and unnecessary things implies that the suffering of innocent creatures is less important than indulging your every whim. The typical human thus serves his gluttony by either being ignorant of the pain of others or by rationalizing that pain using some fatuous ideology such as religion.
Religious people are cowards because they are willing to sacrifice their moral and intellectual integrity for the sake of the illusion of eternal life. However scary a final death may be, there is ultimately a greater price to be paid for living without integrity. The freedom to think without fear and the confidence to express your own moral sense are indispensible requirements of your own mental health and for guiding you in your relations with others.
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