Kai-o-logos comments on Ben Goertzel interviews Michael Anissimov regarding existential risk [link] - Less Wrong

5 Post author: Kevin 20 April 2011 10:07PM

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Comment author: JoshuaZ 20 April 2011 10:29:40PM 1 point [-]

Michael:

Underestimating the significance of superintelligence. People have a delusion that humanity is some theoretically optimum plateau of intelligence (due to brainwashing from Judeo-Christian theological ideas, which also permeate so-called “secular humanism”), which is the opposite of the truth. We’re actually among the stupidest possible species smart enough to launch a civilization.

This doesn't seem to be a part of standard Christian or Jewish theology, so blaming that attitude on this seems misguided. His last sentence is also problematic- how does he know that with a sample size of one?

Michael:

Would you rather your AI be based on Hitler or Gandhi?

Seems to understate the case. Mindspace is large. The problem isn't an AI that acts like Hitler. That's not such a bad failure as things go. The worst case scenario more resembles Cthulhu than Hitler.

Anissimov correctly calls out Goertzel on his claim that he's sure he could design a properly functioning nanny AI.

Goertzel does correctly point out that it seems likely that a nanny AI would take less understanding than a full Friendly AI with stable goals under self-modification.

Comment author: Kai-o-logos 21 April 2011 12:15:20AM 4 points [-]

"This doesn't seem to be a part of standard Christian or Jewish theology,"

~Actually even if there is no outright statement in the Bible, through the years, it is commonly accepted that human supremacy is stated in Genesis 1:26 - "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image'". Man is created in God's image - making him superior to all. Also in Gen. 3:22 - “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil". Man is like a God - the only difference is that they are not immortal.

Not necessarily my opinion, just what I believe the theology says, and what I have heard from theist friends that the theology says.

Comment author: JoshuaZ 21 April 2011 12:54:09PM 1 point [-]

But both religions also have angels which are depicted often as in some ways superior to humans. (Incidentally, I suspect that Gen 1:26 was originally intended to be more literal, with a host of deities of roughly human-looking deities creating creatures that looked like themselves.)

Comment author: Sniffnoy 21 April 2011 09:36:26PM 1 point [-]

Though people may think of it as an optimum for non-supernatural beings.