I believe that if it is not this year that
large language
model (LLM)-based chatboxes will take off when it comes to their
widespread adoption by the general public, it will be next year. Simply
put, LLM-based artificial intelligence (AI) will become a fixture of our
daily lives. Given the rather uncanny ability of LLM-based chatboxes to
mimic intelligent conversations, there is a legitimate fear that more
powerful developments of such algorithms could wreak havoc to our lives
if AI were to become sentient and, more importantly, hostile towards
humans. As I was pondering about this late last night, I recalled that
the famous theosophist Helena Blavatsky believed that the legendary
Atlantis had been destroyed by its misuse of technology. This
association prompted me to query some AI chatboxes about this topic
(including the names of some authors who might have written about their
angst that AI will lead to the downfall of Western
civilisation) as well as about the philosophical debate on whether AI
can develop intentionality. Only time will reveal whether advocates for
responsible AI practices were right to voice their concerns or whether
such worries were unfounded.
Me:
Which authors have described the destruction of Atlantis as the result of the misuse of technology?
Bing Copilot:
Several authors have explored the theme of Atlantis’s destruction due to the misuse of technology. Notably:
- Plato is the earliest author to write about Atlantis in his dialogues "Timaeus" and "Critias", where he describes the fall of Atlantis due to a combination of natural disasters and moral failings³.
- Helena Blavatsky, in her book "The Secret Doctrine", describes the destruction of Atlantis as a result of the misuse of technology and spiritual corruption³.
- Graham Hancock presents a theory in his Netflix series "Ancient Apocalypse" and related books, suggesting that a sophisticated culture, possibly Atlantis, was destroyed by floods triggered by a comet impact, which he links to a misuse of ancient technology¹.
These authors provide a mix of historical, speculative, and fictional accounts of the destruction of Atlantis.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 3/28/2024
(1) Destruction of Atlantis: The Complete Guide - Mysterium Academy. https://mysteriumacademy.com/destruction-of-atlantis-the-complete-guide/.
(2) Lost city of Atlantis rises again to fuel a dangerous myth. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/27/atlantis-lost-civilisation-fake-news-netflix-ancient-apocalypse?ref=black-catholic-messenger.
(3) Why the myth of Atlantis just won’t die | National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2023/04/why-the-myth-of-atlantis-just-wont-die.
(4) Getty. https://media.gettyimages.com/id/919807752/photo/helena-blavatsky-1886-private-collection.jpg?b=1&s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=wbBIE6TzSsc7GOnTO28ZS7pzjHGqnT4gIybWQ4unkyI=.
Me:
Can you tell me how many passages in Helena Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine describe the destruction of Atlantis as a result of the misuse of technology?
Perplexity.ai:
Based on the search results provided, it appears that Helena Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine describes the destruction of Atlantis as a result of the misuse of technology in several passages. The key points are:
1. Blavatsky claimed that the Atlanteans had developed advanced technology, including "aeronautics, Viwan Vidya (the ‘knowledge of flying in air-vehicles’), and... meteorography and meteorology"[1].
2. She asserted that the Atlanteans misused these psychic and supernatural powers, which ultimately led to the destruction of their civilization through "internal warfare"[4].
3. Blavatsky stated that the destruction of Atlantis occurred around 11,000 years ago, when "a world destruction as happened to Atlantis" took place[1].
4. The Secret Doctrine includes an "esoteric Commentary" that describes the actual sinking and submersion of the "chief continents of the Atlantean race" as witnessed by an enlightened being from the Fifth Root Race[3].
So in summary, Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine appears to describe the destruction of Atlantis in multiple passages, attributing it to the Atlanteans’ misuse of their advanced technological and psychic capabilities[1][3][4].
Citations:
[1] https://www.crystalinks.com/blatvatskyatlantis.html
[2] https://www.theosophy.world/portfolio/term/ebooks
[3] https://blavatskytheosophy.com/the-destruction-of-atlantis/
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis
[5] https://sacred-texts.com/the/sd/sd2-3-08.htm
Me:
Do you think that AI might play the same role for our civilisation, i.e. that it will lead to its destruction?
Perplexity.ai:
As for whether AI might play a similar role in the destruction of our own civilization, the search results provide some concerning insights:
1. The article from The New Yorker suggests that as AI systems become more advanced and capable of finding their own solutions, they could pose existential risks that were previously dismissed as "silly"[1].
2. The article from The Independent warns that advanced AI could be the "Great Filter" that wipes out intelligent life in the universe before it can make contact with others, similar to how the Atlanteans’ misuse of technology led to their downfall[2].
3. The article from The Economist argues that AI has the potential to "hack the operating system of our civilization" by creating new cultures, stories, and even religions that humans may become trapped within, unable to distinguish from reality[3].
4. The article from The Guardian emphasizes the urgent need for collective human action to control and constrain the development of powerful AI systems, before they become an uncontrollable threat to our civilization[5].
In conclusion, the search results suggest that there are valid concerns about the potential for advanced AI to play a similar role in the destruction of our own civilization, as the Atlanteans’ misuse of technology led to the downfall of their civilization according to Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine[1][2][3][4][5].
Citations:
[1] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/doomsday-invention-artificial-intelligence-nick-bostrom
[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ai-human-extinction-great-filter-b2337487.html
[3] https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2023/04/28/yuval-noah-harari-argues-that-ai-has-hacked-the-operating-system-of-human-civilisation
[4] https://blavatskytheosophy.com/the-destruction-of-atlantis/
[5] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/26/future-ai-chilling-humans-threat-civilisation
Me:
Do you know of any [other] authors who have incorporate the theme of artificial intelligence leading to the destruction of Western civilisation into their work?
Perplexity.ai:
Based on the search results, it appears that several authors have incorporated the theme of artificial intelligence leading to the destruction of Western civilization into their work:
1. Nick Bostrom, a philosopher, has warned that it is "entirely possible" that advanced AI could lead to the extinction of humanity[1]. His work explores the existential risks posed by transformative AI systems.
2. In the book "The Age of AI" by Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher, the authors argue that the rapid rise and deployment of AI "augurs a revolution in human affairs" that could send human history in a dangerous direction without proper forethought and management[2].
3. The blog post from the LSE Media@LSE discusses how the "Western illusion of human nature" reflected in the way we train AI systems could endanger our existence. It suggests that by teaching AI to understand the world through Western cultural categories and hierarchies, we are amplifying the divisions and inequalities of our society[3].
4. Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of Inflection AI, has called for a "generational response" akin to the Cold War containment strategy to keep AI in check and prevent it from creating catastrophe and undermining Western societies[4].
5. The article from The Independent cites a new study that warns advanced AI could be the "Great Filter" that wipes out intelligent life in the universe before it can make contact with others, similar to how the Atlanteans’ misuse of technology led to their downfall[5].
So in summary, several prominent authors and thinkers, including philosophers, technologists, and researchers, have explored the potential for advanced AI to pose an existential threat to Western civilization and even human existence as a whole, drawing parallels to the destruction of Atlantis described in Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine.[1][2][3][4][5]
Citations:
[1] https://www.science.org/content/article/could-science-destroy-world-these-scholars-want-save-us-modern-day-frankenstein
[2] https://time.com/6113393/eric-schmidt-henry-kissinger-ai-book/
[3] https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2022/12/13/ai-the-western-illusion-of-human-nature-and-the-human-error-project/
[4] https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/containment-artificial-intelligence-mustafa-suleyman
[5] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ai-human-extinction-great-filter-b2337487.html
There is an opposing stance on this issue, however. This view holds that AI is merely a set of instructions put together by humans, that algorithms, on their own, lack intentionality and therefore cannot cause harm to humans by themselves. This perspective was expressed by a reader of RT.com, whose comment I came across on 18th May 2023, and which I am reposting here verbatim:
Rabelais
Of course if you use a hammer and you think it is intelligent, it is indeed stupid. Now people confuse a tool, the computer, with reality.... Now reality is quadrillio quadrillion times more complex than any goddamm AI program. These toys because that is what they are, toys or if you wish a hammer, should be used as a help and in no ways be a decisionnal tool. Because indeed bugs exist... and secondly even the best program on Earth merely simulates intelligence....As if programs which are written by humans or a machines can reflect the infinite complexity of reality...Impossible. Now the main danger is evil people using it to control people and do evil ... You know not so nice people like Bill Gates or Serguei Brin or George Soros. Choose your bad guy. LOL Who programs it. What is programmed... It is fundamentally the danger..As for the bullshit about machines having a conscience, this is truly science fiction.
https://www.rt.com/news/576443-chatgpt-creator-ai-dangers/
Me:
Could artificial intelligence become capable of intentionality?
Perplexity.ai:
Based on the search results, there are a few key points regarding whether artificial intelligence could become capable of intentionality:
1. Intentionality is a complex and controversial concept in philosophy, referring to the "aboutness" or directedness of mental states towards objects and states of affairs in the world. [1]
2. There are different notions of intentionality - the intentionality of internal mental representations, the intentionality of behavior, and the biological roots of intentionality in living organisms. [1]
3. The question of whether AI systems could develop genuine intentionality, akin to human intentionality, is a longstanding debate in philosophy of mind and AI. [3][4]
4. Searle’s Chinese Room thought experiment argues that even a perfectly programmed AI system would not have true intentionality, only an observer-relative appearance of intentionality. [1][3]
5. However, some philosophers argue that as AI systems become more advanced and autonomous, they may develop forms of artificial intentionality, even if not identical to biological intentionality. [1][2]
6. A key challenge is how to ground the semantic content of AI representations in a way that gives them genuine intentionality, rather than just formal symbol manipulation. This is known as the "symbol grounding problem."[3][5]
In summary, the question of whether AI could become capable of true intentionality remains an open and highly debated issue in philosophy and cognitive science. While current AI systems may exhibit some appearances of intentionality, developing genuine intentionality comparable to human minds is seen as a major challenge. Further advancements in AI autonomy and cognition may be needed to resolve this longstanding philosophical puzzle.
Citations:
[1] https://direct.mit.edu/artl/article/29/3/351/115326/Understanding-Social-Robots-Attribution-of
[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jocb.585
[3] https://journals.ku.edu/auslegung/article/download/12897/12193
[4] https://philpapers.org/rec/TENIIA
[5] https://philarchive.org/archive/AYDCIA
Me:
Which authors have described the destruction of Atlantis as the result of the misuse of technology?
Bing Copilot:
Several authors have explored the theme of Atlantis’s destruction due to the misuse of technology. Notably:
- Plato is the earliest author to write about Atlantis in his dialogues "Timaeus" and "Critias", where he describes the fall of Atlantis due to a combination of natural disasters and moral failings³.
- Helena Blavatsky, in her book "The Secret Doctrine", describes the destruction of Atlantis as a result of the misuse of technology and spiritual corruption³.
- Graham Hancock presents a theory in his Netflix series "Ancient Apocalypse" and related books, suggesting that a sophisticated culture, possibly Atlantis, was destroyed by floods triggered by a comet impact, which he links to a misuse of ancient technology¹.
These authors provide a mix of historical, speculative, and fictional accounts of the destruction of Atlantis.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 3/28/2024
(1) Destruction of Atlantis: The Complete Guide - Mysterium Academy. https://mysteriumacademy.com/destruction-of-atlantis-the-complete-guide/.
(2) Lost city of Atlantis rises again to fuel a dangerous myth. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/27/atlantis-lost-civilisation-fake-news-netflix-ancient-apocalypse?ref=black-catholic-messenger.
(3) Why the myth of Atlantis just won’t die | National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2023/04/why-the-myth-of-atlantis-just-wont-die.
(4) Getty. https://media.gettyimages.com/id/919807752/photo/helena-blavatsky-1886-private-collection.jpg?b=1&s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=wbBIE6TzSsc7GOnTO28ZS7pzjHGqnT4gIybWQ4unkyI=.
Me:
Can you tell me how many passages in Helena Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine describe the destruction of Atlantis as a result of the misuse of technology?
Perplexity.ai:
Based on the search results provided, it appears that Helena Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine describes the destruction of Atlantis as a result of the misuse of technology in several passages. The key points are:
1. Blavatsky claimed that the Atlanteans had developed advanced technology, including "aeronautics, Viwan Vidya (the ‘knowledge of flying in air-vehicles’), and... meteorography and meteorology"[1].
2. She asserted that the Atlanteans misused these psychic and supernatural powers, which ultimately led to the destruction of their civilization through "internal warfare"[4].
3. Blavatsky stated that the destruction of Atlantis occurred around 11,000 years ago, when "a world destruction as happened to Atlantis" took place[1].
4. The Secret Doctrine includes an "esoteric Commentary" that describes the actual sinking and submersion of the "chief continents of the Atlantean race" as witnessed by an enlightened being from the Fifth Root Race[3].
So in summary, Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine appears to describe the destruction of Atlantis in multiple passages, attributing it to the Atlanteans’ misuse of their advanced technological and psychic capabilities[1][3][4].
Citations:
[1] https://www.crystalinks.com/blatvatskyatlantis.html
[2] https://www.theosophy.world/portfolio/term/ebooks
[3] https://blavatskytheosophy.com/the-destruction-of-atlantis/
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis
[5] https://sacred-texts.com/the/sd/sd2-3-08.htm
Me:
Do you think that AI might play the same role for our civilisation, i.e. that it will lead to its destruction?
Perplexity.ai:
As for whether AI might play a similar role in the destruction of our own civilization, the search results provide some concerning insights:
1. The article from The New Yorker suggests that as AI systems become more advanced and capable of finding their own solutions, they could pose existential risks that were previously dismissed as "silly"[1].
2. The article from The Independent warns that advanced AI could be the "Great Filter" that wipes out intelligent life in the universe before it can make contact with others, similar to how the Atlanteans’ misuse of technology led to their downfall[2].
3. The article from The Economist argues that AI has the potential to "hack the operating system of our civilization" by creating new cultures, stories, and even religions that humans may become trapped within, unable to distinguish from reality[3].
4. The article from The Guardian emphasizes the urgent need for collective human action to control and constrain the development of powerful AI systems, before they become an uncontrollable threat to our civilization[5].
In conclusion, the search results suggest that there are valid concerns about the potential for advanced AI to play a similar role in the destruction of our own civilization, as the Atlanteans’ misuse of technology led to the downfall of their civilization according to Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine[1][2][3][4][5].
Citations:
[1] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/doomsday-invention-artificial-intelligence-nick-bostrom
[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ai-human-extinction-great-filter-b2337487.html
[3] https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2023/04/28/yuval-noah-harari-argues-that-ai-has-hacked-the-operating-system-of-human-civilisation
[4] https://blavatskytheosophy.com/the-destruction-of-atlantis/
[5] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/26/future-ai-chilling-humans-threat-civilisation
Me:
Do you know of any [other] authors who have incorporate the theme of artificial intelligence leading to the destruction of Western civilisation into their work?
Perplexity.ai:
Based on the search results, it appears that several authors have incorporated the theme of artificial intelligence leading to the destruction of Western civilization into their work:
1. Nick Bostrom, a philosopher, has warned that it is "entirely possible" that advanced AI could lead to the extinction of humanity[1]. His work explores the existential risks posed by transformative AI systems.
2. In the book "The Age of AI" by Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher, the authors argue that the rapid rise and deployment of AI "augurs a revolution in human affairs" that could send human history in a dangerous direction without proper forethought and management[2].
3. The blog post from the LSE Media@LSE discusses how the "Western illusion of human nature" reflected in the way we train AI systems could endanger our existence. It suggests that by teaching AI to understand the world through Western cultural categories and hierarchies, we are amplifying the divisions and inequalities of our society[3].
4. Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of Inflection AI, has called for a "generational response" akin to the Cold War containment strategy to keep AI in check and prevent it from creating catastrophe and undermining Western societies[4].
5. The article from The Independent cites a new study that warns advanced AI could be the "Great Filter" that wipes out intelligent life in the universe before it can make contact with others, similar to how the Atlanteans’ misuse of technology led to their downfall[5].
So in summary, several prominent authors and thinkers, including philosophers, technologists, and researchers, have explored the potential for advanced AI to pose an existential threat to Western civilization and even human existence as a whole, drawing parallels to the destruction of Atlantis described in Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine.[1][2][3][4][5]
Citations:
[1] https://www.science.org/content/article/could-science-destroy-world-these-scholars-want-save-us-modern-day-frankenstein
[2] https://time.com/6113393/eric-schmidt-henry-kissinger-ai-book/
[3] https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2022/12/13/ai-the-western-illusion-of-human-nature-and-the-human-error-project/
[4] https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/containment-artificial-intelligence-mustafa-suleyman
[5] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ai-human-extinction-great-filter-b2337487.html
There is an opposing stance on this issue, however. This view holds that AI is merely a set of instructions put together by humans, that algorithms, on their own, lack intentionality and therefore cannot cause harm to humans by themselves. This perspective was expressed by a reader of RT.com, whose comment I came across on 18th May 2023, and which I am reposting here verbatim:
Rabelais
Of course if you use a hammer and you think it is intelligent, it is indeed stupid. Now people confuse a tool, the computer, with reality.... Now reality is quadrillio quadrillion times more complex than any goddamm AI program. These toys because that is what they are, toys or if you wish a hammer, should be used as a help and in no ways be a decisionnal tool. Because indeed bugs exist... and secondly even the best program on Earth merely simulates intelligence....As if programs which are written by humans or a machines can reflect the infinite complexity of reality...Impossible. Now the main danger is evil people using it to control people and do evil ... You know not so nice people like Bill Gates or Serguei Brin or George Soros. Choose your bad guy. LOL Who programs it. What is programmed... It is fundamentally the danger..As for the bullshit about machines having a conscience, this is truly science fiction.
https://www.rt.com/news/576443-chatgpt-creator-ai-dangers/
Me:
Could artificial intelligence become capable of intentionality?
Perplexity.ai:
Based on the search results, there are a few key points regarding whether artificial intelligence could become capable of intentionality:
1. Intentionality is a complex and controversial concept in philosophy, referring to the "aboutness" or directedness of mental states towards objects and states of affairs in the world. [1]
2. There are different notions of intentionality - the intentionality of internal mental representations, the intentionality of behavior, and the biological roots of intentionality in living organisms. [1]
3. The question of whether AI systems could develop genuine intentionality, akin to human intentionality, is a longstanding debate in philosophy of mind and AI. [3][4]
4. Searle’s Chinese Room thought experiment argues that even a perfectly programmed AI system would not have true intentionality, only an observer-relative appearance of intentionality. [1][3]
5. However, some philosophers argue that as AI systems become more advanced and autonomous, they may develop forms of artificial intentionality, even if not identical to biological intentionality. [1][2]
6. A key challenge is how to ground the semantic content of AI representations in a way that gives them genuine intentionality, rather than just formal symbol manipulation. This is known as the "symbol grounding problem."[3][5]
In summary, the question of whether AI could become capable of true intentionality remains an open and highly debated issue in philosophy and cognitive science. While current AI systems may exhibit some appearances of intentionality, developing genuine intentionality comparable to human minds is seen as a major challenge. Further advancements in AI autonomy and cognition may be needed to resolve this longstanding philosophical puzzle.
Citations:
[1] https://direct.mit.edu/artl/article/29/3/351/115326/Understanding-Social-Robots-Attribution-of
[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jocb.585
[3] https://journals.ku.edu/auslegung/article/download/12897/12193
[4] https://philpapers.org/rec/TENIIA
[5] https://philarchive.org/archive/AYDCIA
Lausanne, the above was
published on the twenty-ninth day of the
third month of the year two thousand and
twenty-four.