I like to read Smithsonian magazine. They have historical stuff and science stuff as well as some choice current event related stuff. The issue I focused on is about evolution. This is another of my favorite topics.
From where I sit human evolution is based on transportation. We need to get around. People who stay at home don’t evolve pretty much. That’s why most historical events seem to involve things like “migration,” “invasion,” and “conquest.” Everyone goes someplace and annoys the heck out of the people already there. Some of us call it “vacation.”
That’s why we read things that purport to talk about “rapid transit.”
Our species wants to go places. We’re now talking about going to Mars. I have a list of folks to send on the first trip, if you want it.
Well, it turns out the people already at our destinations came from someplace else. Our alleged “Native Americans” seem to have come from Asia back before they invented arrow heads. The two events might be related. Nobody’s living where their ancient ancestors evolved.
Anyway, the Smithsonian blurb says that evolution is random and without purpose. Many people believe things happen for a reason. A show on the Discovery Channel will say something like, “the bluebird developed a tough bill in order to pulverize the mealworms it eats.” Well, that’s backwards. Mealworms have plenty of good taste and nutrition if you’re a bluebird so the genes that randomly mutated to improve the bluebird bill were beneficial, therefore stuck around. It could have gone the other way for example the flimsy billed “maroonbird” went extinct. See the difference? The genes that cause blue feathers probably have nothing to do with worms. But that’s harder to say when you’re making a TeeVee show. By the way, ask someone else about the good taste of mealworms because I don’t like ‘em.
Then along comes a bunch of computer and artificial intelligence experts and they have a big meeting. The report from the meeting will come out “later this year.” In the mean time reporters are asking them what they did. Reporters can’t wait for the meeting report because it would require reading and they don’t have time for that.
Computer people are a fun bunch. So they tell the reporters that we need to be scared because computers will soon be smarter than us. Ever wait in line at the market because the scanner can’t read the barcode on spaghetti? This stuff about computers being smarter than us is a long way off.
But let’s explore it anyway. Why not?
The particular item I was reading pointed out that this one robotic computer had the ability to find an electrical outlet and plug itself in when its batteries got low. Is that really an example of intelligence? When I’m hungry I eat. It’s not that smart.
Then they suggested that computer research and development should be regulated in such a way that prevents going down the path toward independent thought. Pass a law that prevents a computer from making decisions. Make it illegal for a robot to imagine things. Imprison science fiction authors who write about machines that think.
My point here is that computers are probably already smarter than that reporter.
OK, maybe that’s not my point.
Here’s my point: it’s all about intention. Motivation. Goals. End Results. Consequences. Why on earth would a computer (robot) want to be in charge of a human? If there were no free range humans around then robots would soon run out of electricity. All you’d need to do is put a plastic cap on the electric outlet.
And what’re the robots’ goals of commanding the human species other than electricity? Do robots really have ambitions? Do they think running things means they can have all the Sweet Baby Ray’s barbeque sauce they want? That’s why I’d want to be in charge. But now you can get it at Costco so all I need is a Debit Card – I don’t need to be in charge.
Human evolution is a random and very slow process. Our DNA mutates in little insignificant steps over a fairly long timeframe. People in the time of Caesar were pretty much the same as we are now except they had completely different imaginary fears.
Now think of the concept of humans evolving the capability to worry about robots that can plan takeovers of various levels of government. What we should be afraid of are reporters that don’t know when they’re being fooled.
For extra credit tell me what I’m REALLY talking about.
Al
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