6 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
Michael Vigne's avatar

It might be a tragedy but I also think it is inevitable stage of development. It is one of those choke points in evolution that we may or may not pass. We can't unlearn no more than we can use so-called degrowth philosophies. Why? Because life is entropic and therefore irreversible - so you cannot un-shatter a glass vase or unbreak a mirror. I think freedom from despair comes from being part of the solution. I am convinced the human race can work through this - I am not certain that it will. I hope you can find some cause for optimism.

Expand full comment
Daniel Chieh's avatar

If everything was irreversible, we would be using lead piping and radium in our paint while paying with cryptocurrency for everything. We'd all be dead, now.

The only optimism is the same as the optimism that a patient can have when they recieve a cancer diagnosis: to fight the cancer and hope to prevail.

Expand full comment
Michael Vigne's avatar

You misunderstand reversibility and is best thought of in terms of thermodynamics. If you remove a component from paint you have not reversed the environmental impact of legacy paint. Cancer is not reversible either. It can be defeated, excised, chemically attacked or irradiated, but you can't un-grow it. The measure of irreversibility is time; without those irreversible state changes there would be no arrow of time and everything would be in stasis - in fact there would not be an 'everything'.

Expand full comment
Daniel Chieh's avatar

Yet it does not mean that this particular artifact of harm cannot be removed, even if it has had impacts, if there is sufficient will.

Right now, we see widespread dislike of the idea of AGI and serious concern; the ratio of AGI opposed to AI researcher is likely 1000 to 1. This is still a point where we can hit the brakes.

The "Asia" argument is irrevelant since China has already arbitrarily slowed down, if only to preserve their own government. If the US and China coordinate, I think several observers have mentioned that this will stop human extinction for decades, perhaps enough for our children to yet live out a life with meaning.

Expand full comment
Michael Vigne's avatar

I sort of agree. We have to try at any rate.

Expand full comment
Daniel Chieh's avatar

Here is to hope for a world that yet has life and meaning!

Expand full comment