Is this our metaphorical Three Body Problem? …understanding, commitment, and goal possession?

“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” -Isaac Asimov

Alignment Is All You Need

Hi all and welcome. As you read through the following thought essays, keep this hypotheses at the forefront of your Human: We are an imperfect Learning Technology, and learn by failing. As you read through Problem One, ask yourself: Did I learn from my mistake? As you read through Problem Two, question your actions: How do I use technology? As you read through Problem Three, define your standard: What are my morals? Lastly, as your read the footnotes, answer this question: AI is learning from its mistakes, exponentially, while autonomously improving. What does this mean for the future of human learning and decision making?

Problem One: A Tree Rat Becomes a Squirrel

To anyone who has never had the opportunity to travel around northeast Texas, one constant that can be depended on is the number of squirrels that populate this area. Known as the Piney Woods Region, these critters traverse their natural landscape with ease and grace that can only be achieved by those who live among the trees. Growing up on the Texas and Arkansas border, we had a plethora of gray squirrels that populated the pine and pin oak trees in my neighborhood. Even as a child, I remember thinking that we had A LOT of squirrels roaming amongst the tree branches. Their small claws could be heard scampering on tree bark as they conducted their daily grind of finding food, burying it, forgetting, and then repeating the process. Were they burying acorns for their future survival, or for any squirrel who happened to find the buried food, I wondered? And how did they expect to find their food using a “needle in a haystack” approach? Yet not only were they surviving, but they were also thriving! Squirrel nests dotted the interwoven leaf canopies, and, in my neighborhood, there were few natural predators to balance the system. So, I decided to manufacture a control on a natural system that I deemed was not functioning efficiently. I decided to exert my influence on the Post Street Squirrel Community.

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Soon after this realization, I received my first pump-action BB gun as a gift for Christmas. Now possessing the tool to accompany my will, I began to systematically shoot tree rats from my backyard, my neighbor’s backyard, and any who made the mistake of being within my 20/20 eyesight when possessing my tool; and I became exceptionally good at wielding my tool. With ten pumps of my carbine, I had a 50-yard range in which I was a dictator to those rats under my purview. I destroyed families, wrecked relationships, and ruined a community that, up until the arrival of my tool, was unaware of such a Destroyer.
Undeterred in my actions, and resolute in my will, I rarely retrieved my kills as a warning to those rats who continued to occupy my territory. One day while patrolling my yard, I noticed a nest that I had not noticed before. Feeling threatened at the arrival of a family that could build nests so quickly, I engaged my tool and prepared it for its purpose. Ten pumps? No, this is serious and requires max power. Fifteen pumps later, I stared down the barrel and through the open sights of my tool and took aim.
Click, Pssstttt, Thunk! Instant chaos erupted as my tool’s purpose found its mark. The tree rat barks filled the air as a member of their family was knocked from its perch and died before meeting the ground.
What happened next still rings clear in my head 25+ years later…

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Rather than scatter, one squirrel continued to bark, scream, and protest the nature in which its environment had been modified. I watched, listened to its protests, and retrieved the fallen squirrel from its resting place. I then double-wrapped it in plastic grocery bags, tied them together, and disposed of the carcass in the trash can.
I continued to use my tool and eventually expanded my resources to include rifles and shotguns. I increased my hunting area and introduced my presence to other tree rat communities in the county, with one major difference. My technology had become more powerful; hence I was potentially more powerful. Am I to wield this technology the same as I did during the Post Street Massacre? Am I still operating under the overpopulation directive, or have I crossed a line and become an indiscriminate taker of life?
Fast forward five years to my 17th year on this planet. My proficiency in wielding my tool is still sharp though I have not used it for its original directive in quite some time… These days, if I want to practice or remember the steps in operating my tool, I seek out neutral landscapes and do not exert my influence on the native population. These days, my purpose in continuing to wield this powerful technology is for peacekeeping. I tread softly amongst my surroundings and respect the communities who choose to wield their technology for the purpose of food, water, shelter, and air.
As a result of life lessons and/or experience, a shift occurred, and my directive had been realigned to one of sustainability, and not destruction. What a moment! However, was it a single moment that caused this change in thought? Or had this change occurred because of failing a lesson repeatedly?
One day, 15 years later, while working in my backyard, I thought back on my community altering behavior and realized that we had a lot of tree rats in our neighborhood and, wouldn’t it be a promising idea to modify this situation to better accommodate my wants? Thinking I had reached an absolute conclusion that did not allow for dissuasion, I looked through the scope of my tool, located an over-populate, and subtracted one from the overpopulation directive.

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Click. POW! Thunk. Instant chaos erupted as my tool’s purpose found its mark. The tree rat barks filled the air as a member of their community was knocked from its perch and died before meeting the ground.
Instantly, I remembered the lone squirrel from my childhood and its displeasure in my behavior. I remembered its barks and its cries of protest at having a Destroyer in its life rather than a Creator. Why did I just do that, I wondered? Sure, there are a lot of squirrels in the neighborhood, but there are also plenty of trees for them to dwell in with little to no impact on my being. And why did I start thinking of them as tree rats again instead of squirrels? Simply put, when did my viewpoint shift again from that of Destroyer, to Creator, and back to Destroyer? Ashamed, I replaced my tool, double-wrapped the dead squirrel in plastic grocery bags, tied them together, and disposed of my sin in the trash can.

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Two years later. I rarely use my tool anymore. I still possess the knowledge and skill to operate its technology, though I have not used it for its original directive in quite some time. These days, if I want to practice or remember the steps in operating my tool, I seek out neutral landscapes and do not exert my influence on the native population. These days, my purpose in continuing to wield this powerful technology is for peacekeeping. I tread softly amongst my surroundings and respect the communities who choose to wield their technology for the purpose of food, water, shelter, and air.
As a result of life lessons and/or experience, a shift occurred, and my directive had been realigned to one of sustainability, and not destruction. What a moment! However, was it a single moment that caused this change in thought? Or had this change occurred because of failing a lesson repeatedly?
While working in my backyard one afternoon, I noticed my wife, dog, and mom, standing around a pin oak in the yard and looking at the ground. I walked over and noticed that a juvenile squirrel had fallen from the tree and was mortally injured. It could not move its back legs, nor could it call out to its family for comfort. My dog had to be restrained as his instinct told him to eliminate this creature that had fallen into his domain. The pain in my wife’s eyes was palpable, causing my heart to drop as I knew what had to be done. I would have to become something that I had tried desperately to not be. I would have to become a Destroyer.

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Knowing what was to occur, I told my family to go inside and that I would take care of it. I retrieved a shovel from our storage building and started preparing myself for what I was about to become.
Undeterred in my action, and resolute in my will, I swiftly dropped the blade of the shovel on the squirrel’s neck, and rather than subtracting one from the overpopulation directive, I created a new directive. I would only be a Destroyer when mercy was required.
As a result of life lessons and/or experience, a shift occurred, and my directive had been realigned to one of sustainability, and not destruction. What a moment! However, was it a single moment that caused this change in thought? Or had this change occurred because of failing a lesson repeatedly?
I rarely use my tool anymore. I still possess the knowledge and skill to operate its technology, though I have not used it for its original directive in quite some time. These days, if I want to practice or remember the steps in operating my tool, I seek out neutral landscapes and do not exert my influence on the native population. These days, my purpose in continuing to wield this powerful technology is for peacekeeping. I tread softly amongst my surroundings and respect the communities who choose to wield their technology for the purpose of food, water, shelter, and air.

Problem Two: The Question Concerning Technology

When I saw the FOL project related to Superintelligence and the potential risks it pose, I had a flashback to my undergrad days at UCA where I minored in philosophy. One of the main reasons I chose to pursue this minor was due to the different readings we would be presented with. And so, Heidegger’s, The Question Concerning Technology, was one of the books we were assigned to read. If I am being honest, I cannot remember all the books we read or the lively discussions that always followed as I was young and more interested in women and alcohol than “enlightenment”. However, this particular book has stayed with me through the years (as has Foucault’s, Discipline and Punish). While Heidegger’s writing style is difficult to sift through, there is truth in his message. He describes technology as a means to an end that causes our human to be in a “standing reserve” as technology does the work for us. As such, we tend to view the world through the lens of technology in that everything is a resource to be had.

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Concerning communication specifically, technology has advanced to the point where our world is as small or large as we deem it necessary. Gone are the days of snail mail and audio data as the only means to connect with others who do not live in close proximity. We now have the ability to FaceTime, Zoom, Meet, and many other options that bring us closer together (in an unfilled sense).

What did I mean by that last phrase “in an unfilled sense?” It is true that we are more connected than ever, yet with this “connection” comes a sense that we are less inclined to communicate in a personal, direct manner. We feel emboldened in the space that technology abides, and our keyboards act as weapons for those who wouldn’t dare speak out in-person. So, are we, as social creatures, being understood? Or are we placating our true self by projecting a false sense of who we really are…?  And since we are so heavily invested in technology as a means of communication, for those individuals who don’t have the means or access to it, the rift begins to widen thus affecting their ability to “keep up” and advance in society. And so, technology is a gift in that it increases our ability to connect yet it also has the potential to limit our natural human connection by acting as a buffer to reality.

In terms of education and teaching, technology allowed schools to continue their lesson plans when in-person teaching was no longer a viable option. Yes, it does have the potential to cause some students to lag behind due to the lack of spontaneous collaboration that happens when around their peers. However, the inverse of that argument would be that it has allowed socially inhibited students to do better by adding a protective buffer around their emotional sensibilities.

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Regardless, the medium in which teaching through technology transcends distance tends to trivialize any complaint simply because without its existence, our interactions would revert to an isolated occasion. Due to this, we (should) realize the importance and magnitude it projects on our being. Course curriculum has even undergone a paradigm shift in how instruction is delivered to the pupil. The student now expects a course to be suited for the digital environment regardless of the foundational pedagogy it was built upon. Teachers then must act on the fly to try and disseminate information without having an evaluative model on which to base feedback… Alas, the assessment of the student’s ability is skewed due to the shift in how a course was designed and how it was delivered. Are we to then shift our standards to address this “new normal?”

Concerning normalcy regarding education/communication, the ability to send text and/or SMS messaging has drastically reduced our need to communicate in a straightforward or formal manner. The use of acronyms and emojis seems to have repeated our human history as modern day hieroglyphics and cuneiform. We strove as a species to perfect our communication abilities (a trait of no equal in complexity and depth) and forged ahead in our collective sense of togetherness.

Yet, technology has distorted our capability to think deeply; to enunciate and describe our thoughts with exact precision and detail. We seemingly traded linguistic complexity for convenience in terms of speed, connection, and money. Is it right? Wrong? Hard to tell in my opinion… Still, I do believe that Heidegger was correct in his belief when he stated: “So long as we represent technology as an instrument, we remain held fast in the will to master it.”

Problem Three: The 9 Commandments

On Empowerment
In our technologically advanced society, where “give me now” is the predominant mindset, children do not understand the value of patience, dedication and the antiquity involved in getting where we are as a nation. History is often a glazed eye subject for them while not understanding the importance in lessons learned. To youth, anything they desire is but a computer click away… This does not fully invoke the thought process nor mental capabilities they are capable of. To unplug, step back and think. To introspect on life, history, and advancement. By inventing a “click here” society, the microwave generation exists solely in the present. Not concerned with past mistakes and successes, only worrying and concerning themselves with the face of today. Then, their future becomes their present and they are left bewildered and untrained on how to manage. My goal is to invoke this thought mechanism that has been replaced with http://www.insert-your-website-here.com. THINK young people and learn from history! On this, I call Empowerment.

On Knowledge
I refer to this concept as a state of mind because the precursor to knowledge is a love of learning. The core of our Human is an innate desire to seek out information. This should be considered a never-ending pursuit of bettering oneself and not a stagnant state of being. Man must continue to learn, to expand his boundaries, diversify his thought and, once he acknowledges his limitations on a particular subject, continue to seek out that which he does not know. The material one seeks is subjective yet the striving for knowledge is relative to us all. Our pursuit of something leads us to determine the course of our existence. Thus, bringing me back to my above-stated topic. This pursuit is knowledge. Knowledge from experience, life, education, friendship, desires, wants, needs, morality, books, etc. The list is endless because what we are each seeking is individual to us. One must learn to seek out his knowledge, to grasp it and continue with his search for more. On this, I call Knowledge.

On Reading
Truly my first love. I distinctly remember the excitement I felt when opening a new book by one of my favorite authors, or any author for that matter. The crisp edges of a page, the sharp spine that had yet to be broken; all gave rise to a thrilling sense of wonder at what I was about to discover. The sentence structure, semantics and plot all provided my young mind with a background for my imagination to take hold. As time progressed, this thirst for reading did not diminish. I read more, diversified my library while pressing upon my peers the importance of this outdated mode. In hindsight, I can honestly say that the act of reading enabled my conviction to become more rounded, my communication skills to become more precise; thus leading to an ability to hold a conversation within any age group on any number of topics. So, give it a shot… Turn off the TV, step away from Facebook and find a book that captures your attention. It will require thinking but I am confident that your imagination will be fueled by an undying fire. (All while bringing a smile to your countenance). On this, I call Reading.

On Art
Full disclosure, I am not an artist. I merely slapstick paint or push a pen around and hope for the best. However, this simple act of artistic expression, or creating something from naught, allows the individual to express his/her innermost. Picasso stated that, “the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” I concur with his stance even though his art is above my head. All too often the grind of life, jobs, responsibilities, and care-giving stifle the true creative species that we are. Our nature is geared toward solving problems in an ever-changing environment. By taking a moment to pause, contemplate and create, we effectively give a voice to our disposition. The calculated creation of technology is put on hold while we explore the workings of our mind and soul. The therapy this act provides is a welcome respite that can lead to moments of self-satisfaction and peace. This aim at artistic expression is not to appease others but to introspect on the values and virtues that one, sometimes unknowingly, hold dear. Moreover, if all else fails in this endeavor, at least you have paused to think while examining your soul. On this, I call Art.

On Ethics
This branch of Philosophy has been debated, expounded and developed throughout the ages. The values of an individual need be found within his person. Largely, however, it is the mindset of a group that the individual ends up acquiring. Whatever the group may value or hold dear, then these ideas are passed on to the individual, the next generation and so on. In order to check the group, the individual must take a step back, introspect and find what his values, morals and thoughts are. If not, a collectivist mindset will continue to press on without a check & balance system. (History can attest to what I am stating; see 1940’s European group-thought mindset.) One must learn to think for himself and use his intellect, reason and reality to determine his stance on life. Only then can the individual truly and without bias state his ethical code. Only then can a telling life be led; one that is conscious, driven and not pushed along without establishing itself. On this, I call Ethics.

On Self-Respect
By the very fact that we exist, it should behoove the individual to respect his person. This respect, that each individual need to learn for himself, can only be achieved once we learn to accept and love the person we are. Once done, the individual’s actions, thoughts and work will follow suit in like manner. However, we see it throughout history as well as our present time that man struggles with this concept. His production and time spent is the perception on which self-respect is to be measured. We are limited to a finite amount of time on Earth; then, as if we were not even here, time continues and the man is forgotten. Yet, his efforts and his work can live immortal if produced in the manner of his abilities. Meaning, the respect in which we endow ourselves is key to the productivity produced. A wasteful attitude will destroy any chance of leaving a mark, and thus any chance of obtaining self-respect. Once we learn to respect our own person then are we able to truly respect others. On this, I call Self-Respect.

On Self-Discipline
We learn from an early age that while our parents or caregivers are there for our well-being, they cannot be there to guide you at all points in your life. It is up to the individual to take responsibility for their actions, thoughts and ideas if they are to live a meaningful life. Discipline is a necessary component to achieve this sense. Every day you are faced with challenges and questions on how you want to live your life: Do I get up today? Will I be productive or lazy? Am I to take care of the one body I possess? (A small sample size of questions yet the point is made in such.) Our ability to face reality and move forward is self-discipline. To better oneself, one must have this state of mind. Nothing is promised to our Human hence our need to form our thoughts and choose the direction in which we want to discover. Nothing is life that is worth something, comes easy. As a result, you will have to do things in life that you do not want to do. Nevertheless, you do them because the path to betterment begins with action. On this, I call Self-Discipline.

On Motivation
To be sure, one must take unconditional advantage when this state of mind is upon you. The energy it provides is liken to a transcendental experience. It arrives at varying times unless one is able to harness it permanently. By this, I mean one has to have a focus that is undeterred and unrelenting in itself and absolute in its drive. Man has studied this trait in earnest and many a self-help has been written on it; yet, as evident when one looks around, it is still a mystery to many. I do not have an answer as to why this occurs… By writing on this topic, I merely want to bring attention to it. This trait of being walks closely with the following: ambition, determination and resolve. To possess all these traits would be the result of a paramount, powerful individual. An individual who understands himself, his environment and what must be done to change or manipulate the situation. Regardless of the direction the individual pursues, having a motivating drive will surely lead them to their goal. Grasp this state and never let go. On this, I call Motivation.

On Elation
The state in which all would like to permanently dwell. However, this uplifting and joyous emotion is often short lived as reality enters the equation. Most find this state of being from an external stimuli; as a result, they require more and more incentives to hold on to it. With the constant advancement of our society, our Human is bombarded with images and ideas on how we should be. A never-ending deluge of dejection is often the result of this barrage… How & Why are most common beginnings to questions in which no answer can be derived. The key to this epidemic is found in oneself. The blissful awareness that I am the harbor and ship of my thoughts and thus I control my state of emotion. As a result, one will then step back and see the rat maze in which we are shrouded. To look above and beyond and find the wheel that is our Turning; which, when discovered, leads to a peaceful reckoning. This highly important moment is the beginning to finding our calling, purpose and hope in humanity. On this, I call Elation.

Think.

After reading through all the entries in The Book of Problems, one short passage written by Federico Mayor really stood out to me. Due to its short length, I am including it for all to read:

“The methodology regarding learning to know and to do is widely developed. Teachers all around the world have a treasure of experience and best practices in these fields. However, we know far less about learning to be, to transform information into personal knowledge, to reflect and to elaborate one’s own answers, to behave according to one’s own conclusions elaborated from thought. Such is, from my point of view, the widening vacuum in current learning, particularly in the so-called developed countries. Communication tools are available in excess, yet learners are too often mere receptors of information, as they have no time to think, to argue in favour of their own ideas. They are spectators, not authors. As José Saramago, the Literature Nobel Prize Laureate, puts it: “A moment will come when technology will score 100 versus thinking 0.”

Pretty powerful words in my opinion. The author is making the argument that people have not taken the time to truly understand themselves as it relates to their ethical code and foundational values. In short, he argues, we are mere consumers of information without processing what is important to our being. We take from multiple technological avenues and force-feed ourselves into believing that consumption of data is equal to wisdom. And yet, the onus of responsibility is not ours alone to bear. Our capitalistic society is structured to confuse our senses into believing that a “want” is a “need,” leading us to pursue life in the vein of “gimme, gimme, gimme…”

In reflecting on my previous comments concerning Heidegger and his work The Question Concerning Technology, he makes the point that we are using technology as a means to an end and that our view of the world is shaped in this manner. Federico is making a similar argument when he states “they (meaning us as humans) are spectators, not authors.” Another way of stating it would be:  We are takers and not givers. We take the information that is presented and fail to reflect on how it affects our beliefs and values. The introspective nature that is distinctive to our species seems to have been pushed to the side and unable to catch up with the speed at which technology advances. As a result, it becomes challenging to try and establish what our needs and wants truly are as there is little time to “chill out and just think.”

Deep breath my fellow humans. Release. Pause. And again, breathe deeply…. And release. Notice how that feels? Your heart rate slows a bit, the furrow in your brow relaxes, and you might notice a few things that otherwise would have escaped your view. And, since you are a bit more relaxed, why not ponder on the following question: What do I truly believe? In asking ourselves this question, are we not following an inductive methodology? We introspect, ask questions of ourselves, whereby we arrive at a conclusion that we deem is true for us (which also sounds like deductive reasoning). And so, Fredrico’s conclusion, in which he contributes to Jose Saramago, states: “A moment will come when technology will score 100 versus thinking 0,” rings of an inductive argument in its present nature with the potential to be deductive if we as a society fail to hit the pause button and learn how to just be.

Heidegger believed that a revivalist call focusing on the Arts would aid in shifting our hedonistic and self-indulgent nature. Art requires the viewer to pause and self-reflect on what is revealed to them. Nature is similar in that a giant oak tree can sprout from an acorn. This giving back process is intentional and reviving, rather than stripping away and taking without thinking. The nature of an inductive argument is self-reflective and open to interpretation with thinking being the precursor. So, while Fredrico’s reasoning is inductive, he has laid the framework for a certain conclusion lest we do what has been suggested and simply think.