God, Human, Animal, Machine

1. The mind-body problem persists in modern technology and AI

Clearly, there is no end to our solipsism. So deep is our self-regard that we projected our image onto the blank vault of heaven and called it divine.

Modern AI resurrects ancient questions. The computational theory of mind, which compares the brain to a computer, is the latest iteration of a long-standing philosophical dilemma: how does consciousness arise from matter? This metaphor, while useful, fails to fully explain subjective experience or qualia - the "hard problem" of consciousness.

Despite advances in neuroscience and AI, we still struggle to account for:

• The nature of subjective experience
• How physical processes give rise to consciousness
• Whether machines can truly be conscious

The persistence of these questions suggests fundamental limitations in our materialist worldview, driving some to revisit alternative philosophies like panpsychism or idealism.

2. Transhumanism: A secular reincarnation of religious prophecies

What makes transhumanism so compelling is that it promises to restore through science the transcendent—and essentially religious—hopes that science itself obliterated.

Ancient hopes in modern garb. Transhumanism, with its promises of immortality through technology, eerily echoes religious prophecies of resurrection and eternal life. This movement reveals our culture's unresolved spiritual longings, even in a supposedly secular age.

Key parallels between transhumanism and religious eschatology:

• Immortality through mind uploading ≈ Eternal life of the soul
• Technological singularity ≈ Second Coming / End Times
• Enhancement of human capacities ≈ Spiritual perfection

This convergence suggests that despite our scientific progress, we haven't fully reckoned with the existential questions that religion once answered.

3. Emergent intelligence: The allure and limitations of AI consciousness

Intelligence is in the eye of the observer.

Emergence: A modern alchemy? The concept of emergent intelligence in AI - the idea that consciousness could spontaneously arise from complex systems - is both alluring and problematic. It offers a seemingly scientific path to machine consciousness, but may be another form of wishful thinking.

Challenges with emergent AI consciousness:

• Difficulty defining and measuring consciousness
• Risk of anthropomorphizing machine behavior
• Potential for overlooking fundamental differences between biological and artificial intelligence

The pursuit of emergent AI consciousness reveals our deep-seated desire to create life and intelligence, even as it exposes the limits of our understanding of our own minds.

4. Panpsychism: Reviving the idea of universal consciousness

Panpsychism offers a way of 're-enchanting' the universe. In the panpsychist view, the universe is like us; we belong in it.

Ancient wisdom meets modern science. Panpsychism, the idea that consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe, is gaining renewed interest as a potential solution to the hard problem of consciousness. This view challenges our modern materialist assumptions while resonating with ancient spiritual traditions.

Key aspects of panpsychism:

• Consciousness as a basic feature of reality, like mass or charge
• Potential to bridge the explanatory gap in consciousness studies
• Alignment with some interpretations of quantum physics

While panpsychism offers an intriguing alternative to strict materialism, it raises its own set of philosophical and scientific challenges.

5. The simulation hypothesis: A modern creation myth

Bostrom's hypothesis could explain why our universe is imbued with discernible patterns and mathematical regularities while also explaining how those patterns could be rooted in something more than mere abstractions.

Digital deities and simulated realities. The simulation hypothesis - that our reality is a computer simulation created by an advanced civilization - represents a modern spin on age-old questions about the nature of reality and our place in the cosmos. This idea blends elements of traditional creation myths with contemporary technological concepts.

Parallels between the simulation hypothesis and religious ideas:

• Creators of the simulation ≈ Gods or divine beings
• Rules of the simulation ≈ Laws of nature or divine commandments
• Possibility of multiple simulations ≈ Multiverse or realms of existence

While purely speculative, the simulation hypothesis highlights our ongoing struggle to understand the apparent design and order in our universe.

6. Algorithmic decision-making: The new divine justice

These algorithms are not the sly devil that has outsmarted its creator. They have become instead the absolute sovereign who demands blind submission.

Black box justice. The increasing use of AI and algorithms in critical decision-making processes - from criminal sentencing to loan approvals - raises profound questions about justice, accountability, and human agency. These systems, often opaque and inscrutable, echo the notion of an incomprehensible divine will.

Concerns with algorithmic decision-making:

• Lack of transparency and explainability
• Potential for amplifying existing biases
• Erosion of human judgment and accountability

The rise of these systems challenges us to reconsider fundamental notions of fairness, responsibility, and the role of human discretion in important decisions.

7. Information technology's ontology of vacancy reshapes human identity

We are continually returning to the site of the crime, though we do so blindly, unable to recognize or identify problems that seem only vaguely familiar to us.

The hollowing out of being. Information technology, with its focus on patterns and relationships rather than intrinsic qualities, promotes an "ontology of vacancy" - a view of reality that empties out meaning and content. This paradigm increasingly shapes how we understand ourselves and our world.

Effects of this ontological shift:

• Reduction of human experience to data points
• Prioritization of quantifiable metrics over qualitative understanding
• Blurring of boundaries between human and machine intelligence

As this worldview becomes more pervasive, we risk losing touch with aspects of human experience that resist quantification or algorithmic representation. The challenge is to engage with these technologies while preserving a richer, more multifaceted understanding of human identity and value.

Last updated: August 10, 2024