In his 2015 Edge annual question response - at: http://edge.org/response-detail/26035
...Daniel Dennett argues that hypothetical future apocalypses are distracting us from more imminent problems involving over-reliance on dumb machines - namely: * We will anthropomorphise machines and over-rely on their decisions; * Over-reliance on machines could lead to big problems if the internet crashes. I'm generally sympathetic to the idea that dumb machines are the problem - and that smart machines are the solution. The carnage on the roads illustrates well the perspective that we could save many lives with networked transportation. However as bad causes go, I think we should be pointing the finger at global warming, drug, gambling and copying prohibitions, minimum wage hikes, immigration restriction, cute animal charities - and the like - and not so much at those looking into the implications of superintelligent machines. Dennett's first proposed cause seems to be mostly fluff - IMO. The second cause seems more reasonable: we should certainly devote some resources to improving civilizational resilience. However, I don't think Dennett makes a great case for his preferred causes being much better than more long range ones involving superintelligence. I don't really buy the idea that flashy 'terminator' scenarios are distracting folk from more mundane but more worthwhile causes. A big problem with far-future causes is that is sometimes difficult to know what to do to make a positive difference. However, machine superintelligence no longer looks like an especially far-future phenomenon. It's about time for people to be thinking seriously about how to make the best of it. -- __________ |im |yler http://timtyler.org/ [email protected] Remove lock to reply. ------------------------------------------- AGI Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/21088071-f452e424 Modify Your Subscription: https://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=21088071&id_secret=21088071-58d57657 Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
