“If the word «intelligence» evokes Einstein instead of humans, then it may sound sensible to say that intelligence is no match for a gun, as if guns had grown on trees. It may sound sensible to say that intelligence is no match for money, as if mice used money. Human beings didn’t start out with major assets in claws, teeth, armor, or any of the other advantages that were the daily currency of other species. If you had looked at humans from the perspective of the rest of the ecosphere, there was no hint that the soft pink things would eventually clothe themselves in armored tanks. We invented the battleground on which we defeated lions and wolves. We did not match them claw for claw, tooth for tooth; we had our own ideas about what mattered. Such is the power of creativity.”
Eliezer Yudkowsky, AI as a pos neg factor, around 2006
note that most biologists know that the “daily currency of other species” is not claws, teeth, or armor; it is a strong sense of smell or an immune system that can handle specific germs in specific environments e.g. vulture stomachs.
this is significant because policymakers might hire biologist consultants in order to test a report to see if its claims are accurate
“If the word «intelligence» evokes Einstein instead of humans, then it may sound sensible to say that intelligence is no match for a gun, as if guns had grown on trees. It may sound sensible to say that intelligence is no match for money, as if mice used money. Human beings didn’t start out with major assets in claws, teeth, armor, or any of the other advantages that were the daily currency of other species. If you had looked at humans from the perspective of the rest of the ecosphere, there was no hint that the soft pink things would eventually clothe themselves in armored tanks. We invented the battleground on which we defeated lions and wolves. We did not match them claw for claw, tooth for tooth; we had our own ideas about what mattered. Such is the power of creativity.”
Eliezer Yudkowsky, AI as a pos neg factor, around 2006
note that most biologists know that the “daily currency of other species” is not claws, teeth, or armor; it is a strong sense of smell or an immune system that can handle specific germs in specific environments e.g. vulture stomachs.
this is significant because policymakers might hire biologist consultants in order to test a report to see if its claims are accurate