“The problem is this: we have Paleolithic brains, medieval institutions, and godlike technology” - EO Wilson
The printing press ended the thousand year reign of Papal Rome in medieval Europe. Thanks to Gutenberg and Luther. But not before tens of thousand perished in the reformation and counter reformation .
Humanity survived. Democracy emerged. Things got better.
Large digital networks + AI connected to “the internet of things” will similarly obsolete democracy and send it to the museum of ancient governance artifacts next to monarchies and theocracies. Humanity cannot organize democratically side-by-side with this social solvent that atomizes each person into “right for me” individualism. Like Burger King, we all demand “have it your way” (You Rule).
Our godlike technology will rip our medieval institutions and Paleolithic brains to shreds. We will be forced to update our social/civic OS.
Describing technology as god-like is a dangerous exaggeration. Boeing would never tell the FAA that their new planes are safe because god will protect the passengers in the event of a plane crash. If tech CEOs start using language like that (and yes, they are starting to do so https://turingpolice.substack.com/p/the-great-deception), it means that their egos are reaching dangerous levels of grandiosity.
Our institutions, especially US gov't institutions, are a product of the enlightenment, not the medieval era (aka the dark ages). Think about that contrast, and who stands to gain by putting these institutions down.
Biologically and genetically, we are not very distant from primates, but if you focus on nurture over nature, the human mind is incredibly malleable and adaptive. We can set higher expectations for ourselves and our children than this. (On a side-note, I reviewed A Brief History of Intelligence, which is on this subject here - https://substack.com/@turingpolice/p-159958679).
I wouldn't put a lot of money on our "paleolithic" brains, or our "medieval" institutions standing up to "god-like" technology, but I'm certainly hoping that they prevail.
Seems like an odd time to bet long on humanity vs godlike tech. As AI rapidly surpasses us (in everything), it sure feels like Wilson will be more correct than ever.
Fantastic piece Yascha.
“The problem is this: we have Paleolithic brains, medieval institutions, and godlike technology” - EO Wilson
The printing press ended the thousand year reign of Papal Rome in medieval Europe. Thanks to Gutenberg and Luther. But not before tens of thousand perished in the reformation and counter reformation .
Humanity survived. Democracy emerged. Things got better.
Large digital networks + AI connected to “the internet of things” will similarly obsolete democracy and send it to the museum of ancient governance artifacts next to monarchies and theocracies. Humanity cannot organize democratically side-by-side with this social solvent that atomizes each person into “right for me” individualism. Like Burger King, we all demand “have it your way” (You Rule).
Our godlike technology will rip our medieval institutions and Paleolithic brains to shreds. We will be forced to update our social/civic OS.
I have some beef with your EO Wilson quote.
Describing technology as god-like is a dangerous exaggeration. Boeing would never tell the FAA that their new planes are safe because god will protect the passengers in the event of a plane crash. If tech CEOs start using language like that (and yes, they are starting to do so https://turingpolice.substack.com/p/the-great-deception), it means that their egos are reaching dangerous levels of grandiosity.
Our institutions, especially US gov't institutions, are a product of the enlightenment, not the medieval era (aka the dark ages). Think about that contrast, and who stands to gain by putting these institutions down.
Biologically and genetically, we are not very distant from primates, but if you focus on nurture over nature, the human mind is incredibly malleable and adaptive. We can set higher expectations for ourselves and our children than this. (On a side-note, I reviewed A Brief History of Intelligence, which is on this subject here - https://substack.com/@turingpolice/p-159958679).
I wouldn't put a lot of money on our "paleolithic" brains, or our "medieval" institutions standing up to "god-like" technology, but I'm certainly hoping that they prevail.
Seems like an odd time to bet long on humanity vs godlike tech. As AI rapidly surpasses us (in everything), it sure feels like Wilson will be more correct than ever.
In the words of Demis Hassibis, AI is overhyped in the short-run, and underhyped in the long-run.