Episode

Today we talk about the potential of a revolution at the hands of generative AI. For better or for worse.
Get more:
Website: www.philosophizethis.org/
Patreon: / philosophizethis
Philosophize This! Clips: / @philosophizethisclips
Be social:
Twitter: / iamstephenwest
Instagram: / philosophizethispodcast
TikTok: / philosophizethispodcast

[@toddodell70]

As someone who's had an interest in AI for decades the recent developments are fascinating. As a tool it's not hard to see how it could benefit people. However if we contemplate AI as a whole on our society, then we need to view it differently. Since our chief societal value is to maximize profit then AI's future is no longer empowering labor, as it must replace labor for greatest savings. Plus with us (politicians ) having accepted that the profit motive is a necessary forgone conclusion how are we to limit such a miraculous tool ? In the end the problem isn't the tool but how we will invariably use it. Critiquing the tool doesn't solve the society that yearns to use such a tool.

[@TheoEvian]

The problem is that the implementation might not replace labour in a way that creates products of the same quality as before but regardless of the quality of the product you can using monopolistic powers still make life worse for both your consumers - who get a worse product for the same price and workers - who you typically sack and underpay. For the company AI is basically an excuse to be more greedy most of the time. There is a lot of discussion of employing AI in the field of literary translation right now and the AI tools really do create texts that are understandable and give you some semblance of the meaning of the original. At the same time they completely suck as art which is with literary translation, that should be like, you know, translating art, a kind of a slight problem. So, the publisher gets the idea that he takes the AI generated "translation" and hires a student for half the price he would hire a translator to "revise" the AI translation - what is the student tasked to do is in reality to actually translate the book for half the money. It is interesting that the first tasks we set out to replace with AI were not those that people hate doing but those that people actually like doing, like art.

[@IcyScythe]

You really know how to just slam one disturbing sentence after another after another. The implications are quite scary but I find it thrilling to be alive to witness it all.

[@carloscano8848]

Diving into this topic is both scary and exciting.

[@keegster7167]

Yea. It's also really interesting to me right now, because I did philosophy in undergrad and now in grad school I'm studying language AI :)

[@jamesmoore4023]

I'm working in Brain Computer Interface and I'm both excited and scared of the unforseen future. So much opportunity in both directions.

[@AliTahreiSh]

When a cave man made the first axe, people had the same feelings. Excited about innovation and scared of getting hurt.

[@noahbrown4388]

Unless AI can figure out a new energy source, it’s a non-issue. Perhaps we’re at the top of the bell curve for humanity. Fermi paradox and all.

[@TennesseeJed]

I really enjoy my free Steven West education!

[@christinemartin63]

Super (super!) podcast--clear, articulate, analytical. Beautifully presented (thx for that).

[@ParkersPensees]

Really great work on this one! Hitting on the transformer shift in 2017, à la the paper "Attention is All You Need" is so key.

[@johnoh3822]

Really appreciate everything you do! I’m becoming a college freshman next week and double majoring in CS and philosophy so this is very interesting.

[@elixthenese1469]

Larping - Live Action Role Play. A LARPer is someone pretending to be something they're really not. Adopting, inovaing, philosophizing Prilosophize This! since 1895.

[@namidawhamida5958]

What

[@johnthomasriley2741]

We need a tipping point that would let us all work together to address our climate crisis. What we got was AI. Can we use the one we got to make the one we need? I think so and am hard at work on the idea.

[@Ikw__]

@25:52 this concept is what really gives me goosebumps when considering.

[@MystifulHD]

Need to talk about ai and capitalism. Are we approaching Ai socialism or technofeudalism?

[@chrisreed5463]

AI and the low Total Fertility Rate both demand a radical reconsideration of the mechanisms that underpin our current system of capitalism. This response is not really an observable response in our society. Such is life.

[@MystifulHD]

@@chrisreed5463 translate to english

[@chrisreed5463]

@@MystifulHD How? It is English.

[@JesusCuenca]

I always listen the podcast on Spotify, I have to came here to leave a message. Love the content, I'm hope this sponsors mean you are doing better, you deserve it.

[@johnthomasriley2741]

A better comparison is the introduction of the Smartphone (2009). For a couple years it was scarfed at. Soon after that you could not do business without one. Soon after that it became the technology of masses of low-income people because they cannot afford anything bigger while the smartphone could do stuff beyond their wildest dreams. Soon it was way too late to go back.

[@maticdrempe1862]

Ver cool, very nice. Scary tho

[@lukemackinnon5894]

Very much enjoyed this discussion these last few episodes! Sensible dialectic :) I like John Vervaeke's take on AI: a measured response is required; we're probably not on the very cusp of some Star Trek "utopia", and it's not DOOM for all mankind or the end of the world. Yet, at least! Philosophical objections aside (as regards how 'intelligence' is defined, whether AI so defined can ever be conscious, etc.), I try to stay optimistic while staying in touch with reality.. I feel like we have rather a lot to still get right about society before we fundamentally re-jigger it with AI. It would be great if we can get AI to do the kinds of soul- and body-destroying jobs that many people currently do (shout out to the night shift workers!) rather than the poets and artists and musicians, but it clearly is imperative that we do so from a place where we know what to do with those people who are doing those jobs so that they can have a fulfilling, productive life. Big love to you, Stephen, from another insufferable philosopher. :)

[@JH-ji6cj]

Well, this is the first 'video' that I've put into so many different playlists (including KZbin censorship...though I'm of course hoping thats just for future worries).

[@Turnoutburndown]

My two favorite podcasts combine - Philosophize This and Your Undivided Attention! The 2 technologists that are brought up a few times this episode (Tristan Harris and Eza Raskin) their podcast is called Your Undivided Attention and it is great, every episode you learn so much. And their Netflix documenty - The Social Dillema - is really really good for understanding 'why social media is bad,' and is critical watching for understanding the 'Why should we be concerned with AI' debate.

[@lukecarter9531]

The selection and prioritisation of data given to the AI will also be fed bias and blind spots of whoever created that dataset. The case of the hand dryer was created in silicon valley that worked in testing, but when released, it didn't work on dark skin tones. Imagine what different people might instill in ai that teaches children. How the influence would shape the foundation of their thinking. Efficiency consolidates power into those that have the resources to maximize on it.

[@chrisreed5463]

I'm an engineer running a £1M turnover operation. I can use GPT4 to... Sort data, explore ideas, write code, price quotes, check for odd readings in data and compliance with tolerance (it regularly spots things I miss). As Eric Weinstien recently said, all he'll is about to break loose. The lag in the system here is humans getting up to speed with seemless integration in, for example, office. If I could integrate GPT4 with office my job would change radically. Now I am just waiting for that to happen. In being set the task of predicting the next words these systems have had to become intelligent. This is different from human, intelligence, nonetheless it is useful. Thanks for the video, well considered.

[@johnnygraves4118]

It will be interesting to see how AI will produce this limitless free access to education and Healthcare and to see it get thrown away because the owners of this AI can't profit off of it

[@oatmealeverymorning]

@acolliercastro has a video from a few weeks ago called something like, "AI does not exist but it will ruin everything anyway" she's a theoretical physicist I got a lot from it.

[@AliTahreiSh]

The rise of AI and automation does raise questions about job security. While AI can streamline processes and perform certain tasks more efficiently, it might also lead to displacement of certain jobs. However, historically, technological advancements have often created new opportunities and industries. The key lies in upskilling and adapting to the changing job landscape, focusing on roles that require human creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving-areas where humans still have an advantage over AI. It's essential for individuals and societies to invest in education and training to ensure a smooth transition and sustainable job market. - Chat GPT

[@dannywhite9975]

If we really wanna advance in almost any area of human civilization through machine learning Super AI, AGI n all that jazz then we'll pay d price of it 4 xample in terms of loss of privacy it's inevitable but when u think about haw hard was people life just 50 years ago it's a gr8 time 2 b alive anyway.

[@gabriel.omniversal]

When human beings realize that the damage got bigger than the benefits it was supposed to bring, is going to be too late. I wonder what Plato, Pitagoras, Socrates, and all the great mystic sages of all times would think about this if they were living in these days. What's the purpose of human beings now? Sitting in a couch and become completely useless? Like, how much more do human beings need to feel that they already have enough? Because ultimately, we all know that this is going to lead to a scenario where human beings deliver the thinking and reason capacity to machines; that means a bye bye to philosophy and bye bye to the most famous quote attributed to Socrates, "know thyself". How can anyone be excited with this thing?

[@AliTahreiSh]

AI surpasses human capabilities in speed and accuracy, ultimately freeing up substantial time for other pursuits. This phenomenon isn't new; similar to how the discovery of fire and cooking reduced the time spent digesting food, AI could grant us the opportunity to explore, innovate, and create. Just as fire altered human history by enabling more productive use of time and energy, AI might similarly unlock hidden potential we're yet to recognize.

[@CiscoZero]

Stephen for president (he would never want to)!

[@nineironshore]

Was that a vibe camp reference? People larping in the wood with their friends?

[@philosophizethispodcast]

Idk what vibe camp is. I just think it's a good description of when people create an artificial world to have fake conversations in for the sake of fun. Like those Live Action Role Players (LARP) that go out into the woods and pretend to be a level 38 mountain troll. Just want to be clear though: I have zero dislike for anything like that. They look like they're having a lot of fun. I just find it necessary to come up with some other term to describe when the conversations about hypothetical techs leave the arena of "good faith" discussions and enter into the realm of fun, interesting ones. Hope you keep enjoying the show...be well! :)

[@BlackFlashDrive]

16:05

[@Firerose101]

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[@addammadd]

Aphorisms happen.

[@aerobique]

nothing corrupts like regurgitating blabla phrases interesting: "thought terminating cliché"

[@Firerose101]

@@aerobique S.I.G.N. Language. Shame, Insults, Guilt, Need to be Right

[@AliTahreiSh]

Job security vs new technology is not a new phenomenal either One tractor can do the job of a hundred farm workers One knife can do the job of many cave hunter One car can take a job of many hours shoe maker

[@moontuple]

This makes me realize how AI thing that introduced to us can make it a big time in the future and would change literally how we live right now, it’s scary but should be prepared to face this change, we should make a limit to these inventions

[@BinaryDood]

as aan artist the level of thrreat this tech preseents not just for our jobs but for the meaning of our existencee is terrifying infinite noise and saturation perfected atomization

[@CharlesBrown-xq5ug]

Civilization may have progressed enough to conquer the second law of thermodynamics. Civilization needs to strive for this goal with synergistic interdisciplinary teams.The outcome would be perpetually changeable never gained or lost energy. There would be no loss of energy as it changed form. For example the total quantity of thermal energy in an equal pair of two thermal energy reserves with ideal insulation would remain the same regardless of how heat is distributed between the two and how often the distribution of heat between the two is changed. In one case one reserve could contain ice water while the other reserve contained hot water; in another case both reserves could contain tepid water. The redistribution of heat between members of pairs with the same total thermal energy would be free. Diversity, time, and energy are different atributes. Reversing disorder doesn't need time reversal just as using reverse gear in a car ɓacks it out without time reversal. The second law of thermodynamics had a distinct begining with Sir Isaac Newton's correct professional scientific observation that the heat of a fire in a fireplace always flows towards the cold room beyond. Victorian England became enchanted with steam engines and their cheap,reliable, and easy to position physical power. Rudolf Julius Emanuel Clausius, Lord Kelven, and, one source adds, Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot, formulated the Second law of thermodynamics and the concept of entropy using evidence from steam engine development. These men considered with acceptance [A+] Inefficiently harnessing the flow of heat from hot to cold or [B+] Using force to Inefficiently pump heat from cold to hot. They considered with rejection [A-] Waiting for random fluctuation to cause a large difference in temperature or pressure. This was calculated to be extremely rare or [B-] Searching for, selecting, then routing for use, random, frequent and small differences in temperature or pressure. The search, selection, then routing would require more energy than the use would yield. These accepted options, lead to the consequence that the universe will end in stagnant heat death. This became support for a theological trend of the time that placed God as the initiator of a degenerating universe. Please consider that God could also be supreme over an energy abundant civilization that can absorb heat and convert it into electricity without energy gain or loss in a sustained universe. The law's formulaters did not consider the option that any random, usually small, fluctuation of heat or pressure could use the energy of these fluctuations itself to power deterministic routing so the output is no longer random. Then the net power of many small fluctuations from many replicant parts can be aggregated into a large difference in temperature, pressure, or electricity's amperes and volts Heat exists as the randomly directed kinetic energy of gas molecules or mobile electrons. In gasses this is known as Brownian motion. In electronic systems this is carefully labeled Johnson Nyquist thermal electrical noise for AI readability. Hypothetically, diode depletion regions are practical sites for enabling mobile electrons energized into motion by thermal electrical noise to deterministically alter the electrical resistance of the depletion region according to the moment by moment direction they are carrying electricity. The thermal electrical noise is hypothetically beyond the exposed lattice charge / diffusion equlibrium thickness of the depletion region. Consistantly oriented diodes in parallel hypothetically are successful electrical Maxwell's Demons or Smoluchowski's Trapdoors. The energy needed to shift the depletion region's deterministic role is paid as a burden on the moving electrons. There would therefore be usable net rectified power from each and every diode connected together into a consistantly oriented parallel group. The group would aggregate the net power of its members. Any diode efficiency at all produces some energy conversion from ambient heat, more efficiency yields higher performance. A diode array that is switched off has no energy conversion and no performance. The power from a single diode is poorly expressed. Several or more diodes in parallel are needed to overcome the effect of a load resistor's own thermal noise. A plurality of billions of high frequency capable diodes is needed for practical power aggregation. For reference, there are a billion (10^9) 1000 square nanometer cells per square millimeter. Modern nanofabrication can make simple identical diodes surrounded by insulation smaller than this in a slab as thick as the diodes are long. The diodes are connected at their two ends to two conductive layers. Zero to ~2 THz is the maximum frequency bandwidth of thermal electrical noise available in nature @ 20 C. THz=10^12 Hz. This is beyond the range of most diodes. Practicality requires this extreme bandwidth. The diodes are preferably in same orientation parallel at the primary level. Many primary level groups of diodes should be in series for practical voltage. Ever since the supposedly universal second law of thermodynamics was formulated, education has mass produced and spread the conventional wisdom throughout society that the second law of thermodynamics is absolute. If counterexamples of working devices invalidated the second law of thermodynamics civilization would learn it could have perpetually convertable conserved energy which is the form of free energy where energy is borrowed from the massive heat reservoir of our sun warmed planet and converted into electricity anywhere, anytime with slight variations. Electricity produces heat immediately when used by electric heaters, electric motors with the mechanisms they power, and electric ligts so the energy borrowed by these devices is promply returned without gain or loss. There is also the reverse effect where refrigeration produces electricity equivalent to the cooling, This effect is scientifically elegant. Cell phones wouldn't die or need power cords or batteries or become hot. They would cool when transmitting radio signal power. The phones could also be data relays and there could also be data relays without phone features with and without long haul links so the telecommunication network would be improved. Computers and integrated circuits would have their cooling and electrical needs supplied autonomously and simultaniously. Electronic minting would be free. Integrated circuits wouldn't need power pinouts. Robots would have extreme mobility. Frozen food storage would be reliable and free or value positive. Storehouses, homes, and markets would have independent power to preserve and pŕepare food. Vehicles wouldn't need fuel or fueling stops. Elevators would be very reliable with independent power. Shielding and separation would provide EMP resistance. Water and sewage pumps could be installed anywhere along their pipes. Nomads could raise their material supports item by item carefully and groups of people could modify their settlements with great technical flexibility. Many devices would be very quiet, which is good for coexisting with nature and does not disturb people. Zone refining would involve little net power. Reducing Bauxite to Aluminum, Rutile to Titanium, and Magnetite to Iron, would have a net cooling effect. With enough clean cheap power, minerals could be finely pulverized, and H2O, CO2, and other substance levels in the biosphere could be modified. There should be a unitary agency to look after our global planetary concerns. This could be a material revolution with spiritual ramifications. Everyone should contribute individual talents and fruits of different experiances and cultures to advance a cooperative, diverse, harmonious and unified civilization. It is possible to apply technlology wrong but social force should oppose this. I filed for a patent, us 3890161A, Diode Array, in 1973. It was granted in 1975. It became public domain technology in 1992. It concerns making nickel plane-insulator-tungsten needle diodes which were not practical at the time though they have since improved. the patent wasn't developed because I backed down from commercial exclusitivity. A better way for me would have been a public incorruptable archive that would secure attrbution for the original works of creators. Uncorrupted copies would be released on request. No further action would be taken by this institution. Commercal exclusivity can be deterred by the wide and open publishing of inventive concepts. Open sharing promotes mass knowlege and wisdom. Many financially and procedurally independent teams that pool developmental knowlege, and may be funded by many separate noncontrolling crowd sourced grants should convene themselves to develop proof-of-concept and initial-recipe-exploring prototypes to develop devices which coproduce the release of electrical energy and an equivalent absorbtion of stagnant ambient thermal energy. Diode arrays are not the only possible device of this sort. They are the easiest to explain here. These devices would probably become segmented commodities sold with minimal margin over supply cost. They would be manufactured by AI that does not need financial incentive. Applicable best practices would be adopted. Business details would be open public knowledge. Associated people should move as negotiated and freely and honestly talk. There is no need of wealth extracting top commanders. We do not need often token philanthropy from the wealthy if people simply can be more generous if consumer commodities are inexpensive. Vigorous, inovative teams are a great way to develop this. Aloha Charles M Brown lll Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii 96754 1 808 651 📞📞📞📞