Shortcuts and Artificial Intelligence

This is a fantastic article from Wired on Artificial Intelligence and what it may give rise to in the future. It is a long article; but, I highly recommend that you read it.

The idea is on of creating transhumanists. With technology we will be able very soon to link the computer to your brain. You would have immediate access to all the knowledge of the world. Just imagine being able to compete at math with the greatest mathematician in the world. Imagine everyone having access to the same information, not having to worry that you are not as smart as the next guy.

That is the allure of transhumanism. We are told that the threat is that the machines may take over. That is not what worries me. Letting machines think for you means giving up your free will. The goal of life is to grow, to mature. As we do, our understanding of ourselves and the world changes. To be supplied with all of the answers is a shortcut. It is achieved by accepting the answer of another.

I have been waiting for an article like this to explain a very important trend. It is social data mining to find solutions to problems. I want you to follow this link to apps.gov, it is a Federal Government site that provides software for the federal government as they turn to cloud computing.

If you look around the site, there is a whole section dedicated to Social Media Apps, why? A social network for government employees. Why? People are getting dumber. They are more tech savvy; but, they are dumber. The number of things that people are no longer capable of doing themselves is astounding. The purpose of the social apps is to share the little that people know, group think.

Lets say I want to know the best way to deal with a particular problem. Fixing a broken chair. The social network will allow all participants to put in their input in the belief that they will be able to see which answer was the most valid. Participative management. Very democratic and very stupid.

Good decision makers earned that right. They didn't earn it because of what they know, they earned because of what it took to learn the information. It is about learning to be responsible with the information you earn. As we learn complex information we learn it's proper use.

I have a fairly good mind. I earned it. Genetics gave me an ability; but, I did seven years of college and have read more books that I can count. It taught me to retain large amounts of information and see trends. The process of learning helped me to change my view, to see things others did not.

Information is just that, it does not give solutions. Experience helps one to see what works and does not work. Shortcuts avoid the experience and therefore the person does not understand all of the repercussions of their actions. It is like giving a baby a hand grenade.

Some people have photographic memories. I have seen them fail in law school. It is not about what you remember, it is about how you use the information. It is about the meaning of the information.

The biggest question is why would we want to head down this road. People will and are. The apps you use on your phone mean that you don't have to learn your City, the learning is the fun part. Driving through some part of town and finding that little restaurant you never knew was there, the surprise is the fun.

How much individual growth will we see in a transhumanist world? Very little, growth takes effort. This little blog is the result of lots of research. Each day I ponder what I will write about. I scour the news looking for things of interest, things other people might not see the consequences of. I then start researching. The easiest part is writing it. While searching I find a lot of information that is not needed for my post; but, it often ends up being researched separately and becoming it's own post.

Most people will take the shortcut. It will result in a world of immature people having lots of knowledge and little understanding. They will be easily led and not even know it. They will think they are as smart as the person who earned the knowledge, they will not be.

In a few years this type of argument will be considered evil. Once people actually start taking the shortcuts to knowledge, to deny them or question it will be seen as anti-social. People will say that those who are against these technologies just want to have an advantage, to have control over them. Personally, I am not big on control, I much prefer influence, that leads to discussions and growth.

Wisdom is not knowledge. Knowledge by itself does not lead to wisdom. Wisdom requires knowledge and experience. You cannot get wisdom from another's answers. You get wisdom by searching within yourself for understanding and experience.