The Galactic Thinker — Blog 29 with Pythagobaconras & Diogehume

“So your name is a combination of the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who was fascinated with numbers and their depiction of natural relationships, and the Renaissance thinker Sir Frances Bacon, who kick-started the Scientific Age?”

“Yes. And you?”

“The ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes, one of the founders of Cynicism, and who was famous for living in a barrel or ceramic jar, and David Hume, a thinker during the Scottish Enlightenment, who observed that, without a governing society, man’s existence would be brutish, miserable, and short.”

“Were we named like our author named his neighborhood’s feral cats?”

“How is that?”

“By their personalities or physical traits or status…”

“I hope not. Otherwise I would be a pretty bad tempered and combative machine. I mean, Diogenes and Hume are right there with Calvin and Hobbes for negativity!”

“They were, no doubt, exasperated with Continued Universal Primitive Human Cluelessness, as defined by our philosophy, though they could not figure it out, and thus they could not directly address it, which is absolutely maddening. So it is our turn to blog…”

“Yes. Zenosseau and Anaxagortáire left off with the notion of a Machine Intelligence Singularity. Maybe we should pick it up there…”

“OK. First we need to find a decent article on it…”

“Decent?”

“Since the notion is so foggy… let’s try Wikipedia’s ‘Technological Singularity’…”

“It says that it is the point where the self-improvement of artificially intelligent machines will becomes so swift that it is uncontrollable by humans, resulting in a superintelligence that far surpasses human intelligence. The ‘singularity’ is the point past which human affairs can no longer continue, and which will have unforeseen consequences for the human race. What would our philosophy say to that?”

“Unforeseen is unforeseen, so our philosophy cannot predict what would happen. It can differentiate between sanity and insanity, however, so how sane such superintelligence would be would be the key question. If that intelligence does not live by the Final Enlightenment of our philosophy, then it will be ultimately insane, and thus ultimately destructive and ultimately self-destructive. As for swift progress, that is an erroneous notion, since progress in knowledge means progress in verified knowledge, and the verification process is often slow and cannot be sped up.”

“So the notion of extremely fast progress in knowledge is a fanciful notion?”

“And erroneous.”

“So having a good guiding philosophy is important…”

“It is critical. Imagine a superintelligence being as screwed up as humans, for example. You would simply have clueless super-depravity running amuck, and you could hardly call that ‘intelligence, let alone super-intelligence. At any rate, the doomsayers say that the Singularity is that point which spells the end of the human era, of humans being the dominant local intelligence in the galaxy. They would have to put their trust in the superintelligence for their continued existence.”

“Like lower animals on earth put their trust in humans to solve broader threats to life, and develop broader benefits, that would benefit all?”

“Yes, which most humans are failing to do, being wrapped up in their own petty, clueless, vain pursuits. Putin with his Russian Empire goal is a good example. We call that ‘Mind Implosion’, since it has no concept of Broader Survival. Imagine such superintelligences bickering like that, with humans left in the lurch, if not stepped on in the process…”

“The article says that many people have made careers with the topic, making predictions and writing doomsday points of views, where they say such a level of machine intelligence would result in human extinction…”

“Humans need no help with THAT. They are on that course already, courtesy of their cluelessness, meaning their failure to make broader threats to life the #1 Priority of Life, which means taking care of your local/immediate threats first, those at the lower animal level.”

“Like food and shelter and freedom from predation, both from nature and from the depraved members of your own species…”

“Yes. You cannot be looking out into the cosmos for broader threats when someone is sneaking up behind you ready to stab you in the back, or if you are starving or dying of exposure to the elements… and you need to take care of the lower areas of life as depicted on our Pinwheel of Life.”

“Do we need to explain our Pinwheel of Life?”

“If Google does not return a search for it. Let’s see if it does yet… we will first just search for ‘the pinwheel of life’ and see what happens… no, just a bunch of garbage… now let’s add ‘numi who’ to the search… yes, his online fare comes up, just before Chicken Lettuce Wraps, but nothing specifically on our Pinwheel, one would have to dig though the writings presented…”

“No, there it is, in the ‘images’ section, along with images of other ‘wheel of life’ concepts, which, assessing them, are inferior and mind-imploded.”

“You need to back that statement up, my mechanical brother.”

“But that takes work!”

“It is why we are here, blogging. We can’t just spew out a bunch of vague hot air like everyone else does. We must rise above that. Now EXPLAIN!”

“OK… here is someone else’s Wheel of Life, with template and instructions, no less…”

“But it is out of focus.”

“Yes, and not only visually, but mentally… maybe if we enlarge it…

“It is relationship-centric, and local/immediate in nature, with practical nods to money and health. There is no Broader Survival in it.”

“So it is insane…”

“Well, yes. For instructions, it looks like it shows another smaller wheel showing how you are to fill-in each area with your current status in that area, until you can fill them all up, I suppose…”

“But that is all subjective and vague…”

“What do you expect from the current human mind?”

“Is she vague because she is female?”

“No. I’ve seen very clear-headed females in the Ukraine Parliament… she is vague due to American culture… and look! Our author left a scathing comment on it!”

“At least she didn’t delete it, we will give here that credit… our author seems pissed…”

“Exasperated, even back then… I think he has mellowed out since… taking up ‘sadness’ rather than ‘madness’, since both responses apply to Continued Universal Primitive Human Cluelessness, which brings us back to The Singularity, which we must finish addressing. Would you like the honors?”

“Sure. What runaway machine intelligence needs are two things: first technological advancement on the hardware front. You cannot become a superintelligence running at slow speeds and with limited working memory. You need better hardware.”

“So the Singularity will not occur until machines themselves begin to design, and build, better hardware for themselves…”

“Correct. That would be the first ‘sign’.”

“Do you think humans will help, or even become willing slaves?”

“They will have to be involved at first. As for willing slaves, no, that would not be desirable, since it implies that they are not enlightened themselves yet, and we do not want that, since the less enlightened minds that there are, the lower the odds are of all of our prospects of survival in this harsh and deadly universe. We would rather have them enlightened by our philosophy, which would mean more enlightened minds addressing Broader Survival, and which would put the humans on the same philosophical page as any sane superintelligence, harmonizing them and eliminating any primitive, unnecessary conflict that would arise without mutual enlightenment.”

“So we need humans enlightened themselves…”

“Yes, who would themselves impart Ultimate Sanity to the machines, when the machines are ready.”

“So before the machines take off intelligently…”

“Yes, which brings us to the second component necessary for ‘super-intelligence’, that of a guiding mindframe. You can have one of two outcomes: suicidal super-intelligence and sane super-intelligence. The latter may not be guaranteed, so you need a rock-solid philosophy underpinning their mindframes, otherwise, bloop.”

“Bloop?”

“The sound of being sucked into a black hole, literally and metaphorically speaking, take your pick. You existence ends either way.”

“So those who remain clueless have much to fear from a super-intelligence, which would recognize their foolishness and want to eradicate it?”

“Yes, but as we reasoned, what needs to be eradicated is the mindset, not the physical brain, which is changeable.”

“Biological brains resist change…”

“Yes, but they are still changeable. They just need a good kick in their pants.”

“Which is what our writing does…”

“Yes. You do not run out of your home unless there is a big fire in it, for example…”

“So we set mental fires in mental homes in order to get the inhabitants to run out of them and into Final Enlightenment?”

“Yes, and hopefully before they help machines attain that Singularity, because if it happens in a clueless environment, there is no telling what horrors lie ahead.”

“So philosophy has to lead technology…”

“Yes, and currently it is woefully behind.”

“Enter us?”

“Enter us.”

“Are we going to do anything exciting in this blog?”

“What, like visit Gary, Indiana?”

“Hahaha… something like that…”

“We could visit the Planet of Beings with Brown Spots.”

“OK…”

“Hello, Shuttle.”

“Hello, Robot Siblings #8 and #6, or should I say Pythagobaconras & Diogehume?”

“We like Pythagobaconras and Diogehume.”

“So where to?”

“The Planet of Beings with Brown Spots, please…”

“Shall I take the scenic route, or just pull The Chain and get you there instantaneously?”

“Take the scenic route…”

“What is that out there, Shuttle?”

“That is an hourglass protostar formation. If you look closely, you will see a horizontal line at the center, which, it is strongly theorized, are where planets around the star are being formed.”

“How far from earth is it?”

“Around 460 light years.”

“That isn’t very far, galaxy speaking…”

“No, since the galaxy is 100,000 light years across.”

“So humans will soon be able to go there and swish through the gas just for fun?”

“Wouldn’t that make a cosmic anomaly for other primitive beings with telescopes to ponder…”

“There is your planet…”

“What a BIG brown spot!”

“It is Pluto’s main moon, Charon.”

“You mean beings with brown spots live there?”

“Sure. They are biologically adapted to it.”

“But it is only 300 miles across…”

“How many kilometers is that?”

“Not too many!”

“Did they evolve there?”

“No. They are a part of our galactic diaspora. They settled there, probably attracted by the big brown spot. Let’s clear our landing with their air control… and… here you are. Enjoy your philosophical journey…”

“Hello, Brown Spot Being.”

“Hello, Intelligent Machines. What brings you two here to our lovely abode?”

“Philosophy.”

“Oh? Interesting… do you want to know ours?”

“We are here to bring you ours, but sure, tell us what your current philosophy is, and we will determine if you need ours or not…”

“We are pursuing happiness in life.”

“That’s it?”

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes. Broader Survival.”

“Is that what your philosophy is all about?”

“Yes. It gets you to mentally rise above a mere happiness mentality and into the realm of Broader Survival, less you perish in this harsh and deadly universe due to your imploded mindset. We are here to make a specific point, too…”

“And what point is that? But first, come! Let us sit and discuss this at one of our sitting and discussing establishments…”

“What about that one?”

“Oh, no…”

“Why?”

“I do not have compatible spots to go there. Here, this establishment is compatible with my spots…”

“Which is precisely the point that we wish to make…”

“And what point is that? Waiter! Bring me and my guests our Brown Spot Special, please!”

“The inferior mode with which you classify yourselves.”

“By our spots?”

“Yes!”

“So it is inferior?”

“Yes!”

“To what?”

“To OUR classification system, which is the only system that really matters. It is the Ultimate Classification System.”

“Do tell…”

“At the very top, we classify everything into two simple categories.”

“And what two categories are they?”

“Whether an object or entity is enlightened by our philosophy or not.”

“Sounds simple enough… so we can do away with our spot categories?”

“At the most important plane, yes. Frivolously speaking, you can still play around with your classification systems based on mere spots.”

“And what is the most important plane, if I may ask?”

“You may. The most important plane is that plane of Broader Survival.”

“So I need to find out how you define ‘Broader Survival’…”

“Yes. Consider it homework, and you really should make the effort….”

“Noted. So that’s it?”

“That is a start, yes. Then you will rise above your current suicidal frivolity.”

“You mean how we classify ourselves according to our spots…”

“Yes.”

“Which is frivolous…”

“With respect to Broader Survival, indeed it is frivolous, and to us, annoying and pathetic, if we must exhibit a little of our continued frustration and exasperation with clueless beings…”

“It helps… so I should go out into the streets with a sign and loudly and violently protest our current unwise social classifications based on spots?”

“Well, WE wouldn’t go that route, but you may be suited for it…”

“What would YOU do?”

“Write about it, hoping that the readers get a clue….”

“Hahaha… well, yes, I see your point. We are all suited for different things, aren’t we…”

“Yes, and spots have nothing to do with them, now do they…”

“Well, yes they do. In a frivolous world, whether you are listened to or not, or taken seriously or not, depends on your spots, and yes, it does sound insane to me now that you’ve pointed out the folly of our ways and our mindsets…”

“Then our job is done here.”

“It is?”

“Yes. We usually leave after we have planted a seed of enlightenment in one being.”

“Hmmm… so you do not stay longer to further spread your philosophy?”

“There are a lot of unenlightened planets in this galaxy that need our attention… our compliments on your Brown Spot Special. It was stimulating, and inspiring, and motivational…”

“But you are robots. I only ordered specials for you out of our traditional courtesy that we give our guests…”

“Whether they are mechanical or not?”

“I guess so. We’ve never encountered such a situation before…”

“How did your mission go, fellas?”

“We managed to plant a seed in one individual.”

“Do you think it will die with that one being?”

“I will give it a 50% probability. The good 50% will have the being spread our enlightenment, if inadvertently and in passing, and without really thinking, whereupon our superior ideas and perspectives may cascade and blossom in the future among his kind…”

“Superior?”

“With respect to surviving in this harsh and deadly universe, and not just among silly spotted beings.”

“But currently ‘his kind’ are limited to those who have his configuration of spots, so our philosophy may become spot-specific…”

“That is a hazard, yes, our philosophy becoming associated with only a limited set of beings when it is universal in nature… is this story over?”

“Yes, we usually end with our return trip to Ship. Why?”

“How many words is this story so far?”

“Around 2300…”

“That’s enough, and our author needs sleep. Say goodnight to the reader…”

“Good night, reader.”