The intro section of my site (Part 1, Part 2) outlines some of my thoughts regarding Engelbartian intelligence amplification. For what I regard as persuasive arguments in favor of the imminence of petrocollapse, I recommend Dmitry Orlov’s blog and dead-tree book.
As for my thoughts regarding AGI/FAI, I have not spoken publicly on the issue until yesterday, so there is little to read. My current view is that Friendly AI enthusiasts are doing the equivalent of inventing the circuit breaker before discovering electricity. Yudkowsky stresses the importance of “not letting go of the steering wheel” lest humanity veer off into the maw of a paperclip optimizer or similar calamity. My position is that Friendly AI enthusiasts have invented the steering wheel, playing with it—“vroom, vroom”—without having invented the car.
The history of technology provides no examples of a safety system being developed entirely prior to the deployment of “unsafe” versions of the technology it was designed to work with. The entire idea seems arrogant and somewhat absurd to me.
I have been reading Yudkowsky since he first appeared on the Net in the 90′s, and remain especially intrigued by his pre-2001 writings—the ones he has disavowed, which detail his theories regarding how one might actually construct an AGI. It saddens me that he is now a proponent of institutionalized caution regarding AI. I believe that the man’s formidable talents are now going to waste. Caution and moderation lead us straight down the road of 15th century China. They give us OSHA and the modern-day FDA. We are currently aboard a rocket carrying us to pitiful oblivion rather than a glorious SF future. I, for one, want off.
the fact that a decent FAI researcher would tend not to publicly announce any advancements in AGI research
Science as priestcraft: a historic dead end, the Pythagoreans and the few genuine finds of the alchemists nonwithstanding. I am astounded by the arrogance of people who consider themselves worthy of membership in such a secret club, believing themselves more qualified than “the rabble” to decide the fate of all mankind.
This argument mixes up the question of factual utilitarian efficiency of science, claim for overconfidence in science’s efficiency, and moral judgment about breaking the egalitarian attitude based on said confidence in efficiency. Also, the argument is for some reason about science in general, and not just the controversial claim about hypothetical FAI researchers.
You make a lot of big claims in this thread. I’m interested in reading your detailed thoughts on these. Could you please point to some writings?
The intro section of my site (Part 1, Part 2) outlines some of my thoughts regarding Engelbartian intelligence amplification. For what I regard as persuasive arguments in favor of the imminence of petrocollapse, I recommend Dmitry Orlov’s blog and dead-tree book.
As for my thoughts regarding AGI/FAI, I have not spoken publicly on the issue until yesterday, so there is little to read. My current view is that Friendly AI enthusiasts are doing the equivalent of inventing the circuit breaker before discovering electricity. Yudkowsky stresses the importance of “not letting go of the steering wheel” lest humanity veer off into the maw of a paperclip optimizer or similar calamity. My position is that Friendly AI enthusiasts have invented the steering wheel, playing with it—“vroom, vroom”—without having invented the car.
The history of technology provides no examples of a safety system being developed entirely prior to the deployment of “unsafe” versions of the technology it was designed to work with. The entire idea seems arrogant and somewhat absurd to me.
I have been reading Yudkowsky since he first appeared on the Net in the 90′s, and remain especially intrigued by his pre-2001 writings—the ones he has disavowed, which detail his theories regarding how one might actually construct an AGI. It saddens me that he is now a proponent of institutionalized caution regarding AI. I believe that the man’s formidable talents are now going to waste. Caution and moderation lead us straight down the road of 15th century China. They give us OSHA and the modern-day FDA. We are currently aboard a rocket carrying us to pitiful oblivion rather than a glorious SF future. I, for one, want off.
You seem to think an FAI researcher is someone who does not engage in any AGI research. That would certainly be a rather foolish researcher.
Perhaps you are being fooled by the fact that a decent FAI researcher would tend not to publicly announce any advancements in AGI research.
Science as priestcraft: a historic dead end, the Pythagoreans and the few genuine finds of the alchemists nonwithstanding. I am astounded by the arrogance of people who consider themselves worthy of membership in such a secret club, believing themselves more qualified than “the rabble” to decide the fate of all mankind.
This argument mixes up the question of factual utilitarian efficiency of science, claim for overconfidence in science’s efficiency, and moral judgment about breaking the egalitarian attitude based on said confidence in efficiency. Also, the argument is for some reason about science in general, and not just the controversial claim about hypothetical FAI researchers.
Name three.
Not being rhetorical, genuinely curious here.