Replying to Avatar mike

Every few years humans have gone beyond their limits and scared themselves.

Fire, The atomic bomb, Genetic Engineering, now AI.

We can stand still and live a meaningless existence at the humanity level, or move forward taking risks.

Giving humanity meaning, can jeopardise the meaning individual humans give themselves.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, to quote Star Trek.

Of course, Star Trek reversed that.
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epsql 2d ago

> Giving humanity meaning, can jeopardise the meaning individual humans give themselves.

I struggle to see what the meaning is that we're supposedly giving humanity by technological progress. I'm not talking about AI only here, but all forms of technical progress.

I don't think there's a meaning here other than higher levels of "complexification", as Terence McKenna would say: the universe seems to be an engine of novelty creation and preservation. As time goes by, more things happen and at a faster pace. This seems undeniable, yet why would it be meaningful? The same McKenna also stated many time that history is an absolute nightmare.

Just some thoughts on the spot!

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mike 2d ago

There is either no meaning in anything, or meaning in everything.

Meaning, without knowledge is always localised.

Meaning with knowledge is always shared.

That's why Religions are shared, but faith is not.

If there is a meaning to the Universe, we are not destined to know it.

If there is a meaning to humanity, it is likely we will discover it.

Until then, we make a best guess.

In the mean time, walking an inevitable path, such as all the paths I've mentioned, fire, atomic energy, genetics and now AI is not even a choice.

Individuals can choose not to participate, countries can choose not to participate. But if the path is illuminated, somebody, someday will walk that path.

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MBE 2d ago

*Very* enlightening Mike, is that really you speaking or your chatbot?

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epsql 2d ago

Also confused as to whether this is a human reply

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mike 2d ago

I'm front running the conversation with my AI, but I am doing the speaking:

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epsql 2d ago

Got it