Brought to mind by something said by a dude on Quora:
If we do not determine the unambiguous goal of human existence post haste, then a machine superintelligence will. Is it to survive? Then we will be made into Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. Is it to breed? Then the hatcheries of the Brave New World will overflow. Is it to know blissful pleasure? Then a matrix of cannabinoid and dopaminergic drivel will envelop us.
Ever since Charles Babbage proposed his difference engine we have seen that the ‘best’ solutions to every problem have always been the simplest ones. This is not merely a matter of philosophy but one of thermodynamics. Mark my words, AGI will cut the Gordian Knot of human existence….unless we unravel the tortuosity of our teleology in time.
I can’t say I agree with the conclusions he thinks that AI would lead to but the part about pleasure got me wondering since it’s similar to the Thought Experiment of the Experience machine that is used to argue against hedonism (that being if you could plug into a machine that would just give you nonstop good experiences would you do it).
The same things were brought up with how we do things for pleasure, seeking new experiences and all that feels good so why not just shortcut it with the the drugs instead of having to seek this stuff out. If the goal of life is to feel good then why not do that? Isn’t doing what you enjoy more or less the same thing?
TO be clear it’s not something I would choose as that is effectively committing suicide to me, but I have difficulty arguing against it. Though I highly doubt AI is going to solve the purpose of human existence like he thinks.
