A Haiku

Running in the rain

Forest smells waft through the air

Awaking the soul

What Happens When the Computers are Smarter than We Are? (reprint from April 7. 2011)

Since I have been alive, technology has been growing at an amazing rate.  The computing ability of electronics has been governed by “Moore’s Law,” in which the number of transistors on a computer chip doubles every 18 – 24 months.  Recently, Time Magazine published an article on computer superintelligence.   In this article, a project called The Blue Brain Project is described as “an attempt to create a neuron-by-neuron simulation of a mammalian brain, using IBM's Blue Gene super-computer.”  They have already simulated a neocortical column from a rat's brain and expect to have a human brain simulated in about 10 years.  In the same article, it is written that Raymond Kurzweil predicts that by 2045, computer intelligence would surpass humans.  This moment has been dubbed “The Singularity.”  It is even posited that humankind may achieve immortality.  [1]  What does this all mean?

Human intelligence has evolved over time and the question is whether or not it will continue to grow at a rate so as to not be caught by machine intelligence, assuming of course that machine intelligence will get there in the first place.  Eventually, though, organic boundaries would take hold, for instance, the speed at which communications happen in our brain is infinitesimal when compared to the speed of electrons in a circuit.  Yet, it’s possible that the human consciousness is too complicated and analog to be replicated by computers.   Biologist Dennis Bray: "Although biological components act in ways that are comparable to those in electronic circuits," he argued, in a talk titled "What Cells Can Do That Robots Can't," "they are set apart by the huge number of different states they can adopt. Multiple biochemical processes create chemical modifications of protein molecules, further diversified by association with distinct structures at defined locations of a cell. The resulting combinatorial explosion of states endows living systems with an almost infinite capacity to store information regarding past and present conditions and a unique capacity to prepare for future events." That makes the ones and zeros that computers trade in look pretty crude.” [2]

I believe, however, that given the current exponential growth of technology, superintelligent computers will be achieved.  “Kurzweil likes to point out that your average cell phone is about a millionth the size of, a millionth the price of and a thousand times more powerful than the computer he had at MIT 40 years ago. Flip that forward 40 years and what does the world look like?”  Once achieved, superintelligence will  not stop there.  In fact, superintelligent machines would take over the development of even higher intelligence, further accelerating its growth.  This is difficult to fathom because we are only aware of our current level of intelligence.  According to the Singularity Institute, trying to imagine what superhuman intelligence looks like is the same as chimps imagining what human intelligence looks like, or, people in the 1500s trying to imagine today’s technology.  [3]  To us, superintelligence would be magic, godlike.

How will these superintelligent entities behave?  Lev Grossman writes:  “Would that mean that the computer was sentient, the way a human being is?  Or would it just be an extremely sophisticated but essentially mechanical automaton without the mysterious spark of consciousness — a machine with no ghost in it? And how would we know?” [4]  How would a soulless intelligence act?  Whether or not a superintelligent machine has a soul, will they be good, evil, or both?  This may depend on who creates and/or controls the machine entity.  Now, what happens as these entities continue to evolve?  Will they have morality?  How do we program morality into them to prevent them from becoming evil and wiping out all life as we know it?

Then there is the question of the disruption of natural evolution.  Would a superintelligent machine “species” be happy with us and other species competing with it for limited resources?  Time:  “You don't have to be a super-intelligent cyborg to understand that introducing a superior life-form into your own biosphere is a basic Darwinian error.” [5]  It is clear that even if it has the best of intentions, machine superintelligence would be very disruptive to the natural order of things.  That being said, there is enough human evil in this world that evil superintelligence would also be created.  Can we prevent this from happening?  Certainly it would threaten the very existence of the human race.  Because of the great unknown of the behavior of a soulless superintelligent entity as well as the ever present factor of human evil, I see as the best way to manage this potentially catastrophic future development is to attempt to merge the organic human with the machine superintelligence.  In that way, our souls which are the Higher Power within us as well as our morality would mitigate the risks of launching an evil “superrace” into our midst.  For the future of our children, let us hope so.

This brings a second major development into play when the singularity is achieved: the possibility for immortality.  Assuming that we can successfully control machine superintelligence, the prospects for enormous life extension become possible.  Kurzweil suggests that biotechnology and nanotechology will allow us to engineer the human body to extend life indefinitely.  DNA could be literally reprogrammed.  [6]  Singularitarians, those who believe in and are preparing for The Singularity, believe that old age and death are just “diseases” that can be cured.  There are examples today of biological advances that support their view.  From the Singularity Institute web site: “…it's well known that one cause of the physical degeneration associated with aging involves telomeres, which are segments of DNA found at the ends of chromosomes. Every time a cell divides, its telomeres get shorter, and once a cell runs out of telomeres, it can't reproduce anymore and dies. But there's an enzyme called telomerase that reverses this process; it's one of the reasons cancer cells live so long. So why not treat regular non-cancerous cells with telomerase? In November, researchers at Harvard Medical School announced in Nature that they had done just that. They administered telomerase to a group of mice suffering from age-related degeneration. The damage went away. The mice didn't just get better; they got younger.”  [7]   Researchers at Berkley University as well as other universities are further studying this enzyme as a lifespan enhancer.  [8]

Given the exponential growth in intelligence, which will be applied to all scientific fields including biology, it may well be possible for the organic human form to solve the riddles of aging and death and to extend lifespan indefinitely.  Even if this is not achieved, it may be possible that a human being could integrate their mind into a machine superintelligence and continue life as a machine entity.  I argued earlier that this may be required in order to keep machine intelligence under control.  This, however, brings up more questions.  Lev Grossman writes: “If I can scan my intelligence into a computer, am I still me? What are the geopolitics and the socioeconomics of the Singularity? Who decides who gets to be immortal? Who draws the line between sentient and nonsentient? And as we approach immortality, omniscience and omnipotence, will our lives still have meaning? By beating death, will we have lost our essential humanity?”  I ask these very same questions and one additional one: if we “scan” our minds into a computer entity, does our soul also transfer to the machine or does it stay behind in the discarded organic shell to be liberated by death back to the spiritual realm?  This is the key question, for if the soul does not transfer, does that leave behind a soulless machine race that has no purpose or spiritual guidance?  And what kind of a world would that be?  Would that ironically be the extinction of the species Homo sapiens?  Or because all human souls would ultimately enter the spiritual realm, would that be the final rapture?

Finally, is immortality a good thing for humankind?  I contend not.  If we have forever to do anything, does anything get done?  What happens to art, music, literature, human relationship, vocation, and even the art of thought?  I predict everything would stagnate and life would become profoundly boring.  Why get out of bed, there is always tomorrow.  Another question is the impact of immortality on the limited resources of our planet or solar system.  If no one dies and babies are continually born, what happens to those resources?

If the organic form were still necessary, would machine intelligence discard it entirely because it no longer was useful, soul and all?  Is that our ultimate fate?  Finally, if death is extinguished, do we miss out completely on the experience of the spiritual realm? 

The only way I see that such a profound world-changing event may be managed is if the human race somehow is able to unite in common cause, as one entity.  The Dalai Lama: “In a world in which demographic growth and progress in communications have put us in very close contact with our neighbors, the very survival of humanity depends on our working together. That is why more than ever, we must look upon humanity as one entity. The problems that we face go beyond individuals and nations. We can only resolve them through an effort of shared responsibility.” [9]  By coming together before The Singularity, the issues of what happens to the soul, how to ensure that machine superintelligence is benevolent, and how to manage life extension without snuffing out the drive that is the amazing beauty of the human race may successfully be balanced and managed.

We only have 34 years to get it together.  Will we?

References:

1.         Lev Grossman, http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2048138,00.html

2.         Ibid

3.         http://singinst.org/overview/whatisthesingularity/

4.         See [1]

5.         See [1]

6.         See [1]

7.         http://sciencematters.berkeley.edu/archives/volume6/issue46/story1.php

8.         See [3]

9.         https://www.facebook.com/DalaiLama

Diary Of A Runner III

 

On a spectacular Sunday afternoon, I went for a run in Mines Falls Park, our hometown park.  I love running in the fall – colors blazing in the trees, crisp cool air, sunlight sparkling off the river and millpond, no heat and humidity to slow me down.  Normally I turn on my music and zone out while I settle into a groove and the next thing I know, six miles are behind me and I am doing my cool-down exercises.  Lately I have been doing something different.  I leave the headphones behind, choosing silence instead.  Well, the park is not silent.  There are the sounds of wildlife – birds, croakers, crickets, squirrels and chipmunks scurrying around.  There are the sounds of cheering from a nearby soccer field.  And there are the greetings from fellow runners, cyclists, and walkers enjoying the park.  I still bring my phone with me and I ran the timer, but it wasn’t about running a fast time.  It was about relaxation…meditation…reconnecting with nature and the universe around me.  Doing something I have not been doing much of lately.  Why not?  Well, to summarize in one word, life.  Well, in actuality, work.

A few weeks ago, on another run, but this time with my daughter, I was explaining to her the wheel of life and how important it was to keep the seven spokes of the wheel in balance.  I learned of the wheel from Paul Brown of Leadership Dynamics, who was running a managerial effectiveness course for our organization.  The seven spokes, all equal to one another, are career, family, health, mental development, social (friends, clubs, giving to society), spiritual, and financial.  As I was explaining to her, it is important to have balance in all seven areas.  Neglecting just one area throws everything out of balance.  Or, overly focusing on one area causes the other areas to whither.  After a lively conversation about some of the concepts, she seemed to grasp the wheel and the importance of balance.  Ironically, I was paying little attention to my own balance at the time.

In looking back at the summer, my intense focus on our product launch as well as having to solve several major problems, some of which still remain unsolved, was throwing me out of balance.  I gave up my noonday meditation walks to squeeze in another half-hour of work.  I worked long hours into the evening and ended the day exhausted.  I still made it a point to spend time with family and friends, but had all but given up reading and writing, choosing instead to zone out.  Instead of running five times a week, I was running two or three.  I would find myself working on weekends rather than going to church and managing our investments.  I felt stressed out most of my waking hours.  Work was siphoning energy from the other aspects of my life, leading to disruption and unbalance.  Luckily, I have caught myself and have taken measures to restore my life balance. 

Bringing life back into balance is providing positive benefits all around, including at work.  Ironically, working fewer hours has improved my overall effectiveness at work, and we are making good progress in solving the problems threatening the product launch.  And I am happier as a result.  With gratitude, I head back to the park and embark on another Sunday run.  I not only feel the exhilarating crisp cool air, but more importantly, the warm Presence and life-giving energy that is always there when we tune out the distractions, quiet our minds, and open our souls.

Original photo - covered bridge over the Wissahickon Creek, Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, PA

Setting One's Intentions with the Universe…to Win the Powerball

Set your intentions with the universe and the universe will provide.  Or, set your intentions in the form of prayer and God will provide.  There are many variations of this sentiment and each faith has its own name for it.  There are prayers for healing, for peace, for wisdom, for the faithful departed, for better times.  There is spiritual channeling in the form of Reiki healing.  There are numerous documented cases where setting intentions or petitioning for healing has led to spontaneous recovery from terminal illness.  So as I walk to the supermarket counter to buy a Powerball ticket, I ask a simple question: can I set my intention with the universe so that my six numbers will perfectly align with the six numbered balls that bounce out of the machine tonight?

I’m sure if you talk to anyone knowledgeable about prayer that they would suggest that God considers that a frivolous prayer.  Well, is it really that frivolous?  When the Mega Millions drawing hit over $400 million a couple of weeks ago and I bought two tickets, it came to mind that $400 million is much more than I would ever need in order to live comfortably.  Let’s say that when that check hits the bank, I take $20,000,000 and invest it carefully, allowing my family and me to live comfortably for the rest of our lives and allow my daughter to go to the university of her choice.  That leaves $380,000,000, which is serious money.  That would do a considerable amount of good in the world.  I would donate it to charities that improve the education and well-being of our children, especially those who through financial hardship do not have access to a good education, or for that matter, to food and shelter.  The money could also be used to promote sustainability of our resources and to support technologies that allow industry to manufacture their products without damaging the planet.  It would help rebuild areas that have been ravaged by a natural disaster.  It would help find cures for cancer and other terrible diseases.  There are so many good causes in which to invest the money.  It would be a rewarding vocation.

Then the rational scientist in me takes over.  The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 175 million.  I’m more likely to be struck by lightning; the odds for that are about one in a million.  And the average payback on two dollar invested in Powerball is $1.00, or 50%.  I’m better off putting the two dollars in a piggy bank.  By doing that, I will have twice as much money on average as I would if I buy lottery tickets.  And it gets worse – if I win the big jackpot, I have to pay taxes on it!  Subtract another 40% or so depending on what state you live in.  Long story short: a Powerball ticket is a terrible investment - do not buy one!

And what happens to the money that is not paid out in prizes?  Many states advertise that the lottery proceeds go to good causes, for instance, to education or to the elderly.  However, a substantial amount of the lottery revenue comes from people who can ill afford to buy lottery tickets.  As reported by NBC, three Cornell economists found a strong correlation between lottery revenue and poverty rates.  [1]  Sadly, many people have a gambling addiction and spend money uncontrollably on lottery tickets that they need for food and shelter

Then why would I buy a lottery ticket?  “If I had a million dollars…...”   When I have my ticket, I buy that dream and anticipate eagerly the drawing of those very numbers that will make me a millionaire.  So now I have a better idea.  Certainly I can channel luck my way.  What if I set my intentions with the universe to win the jackpot and proceed to use the money for doing as much good as I can in the world?  Can’t I tilt the odds into my favor?  Sounds good in practice; however, what if everyone else sets their intentions with the universe to win the jackpot?  How does the universe deal with that?  Everyone can’t win – there is only one jackpot to split – and only $0.50 per dollar paid in.

Now I have completely talked myself out of the possibility of winning the jackpot.  In doing so, I have set my intentions with the universe.  So I will skip buying the ticket and put the two dollars in my piggybank.  And sleep soundly tonight.

[1] http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/powerball-profits-dont-all-go-where-you-think-they-do-f1C7324290

A haiku

Run in the warm sun

Contemplate life’s mysteries

Sensing nature’s dance

I Think I Can...I Think I Can

           

           “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” ~Henry Ford

The mind is truly a powerful thing.  There are countless examples of people using their mind to perform something amazing, accomplish something never done before, or even conquer a terminal disease.  A book by the Reverend Dr. Norman Peale book teaches The Power of Positive Thinking.  Many management courses train employees to use positive affirmations to help achieve their work goals.  There are countless resources that instruct on how to set positive intentions with the universe so that the universe will fulfill those intentions.  Religions guide their followers to pray or meditate to have their petitions fulfilled or for something positive to happen.  With all this in mind, how often have we heard…

            “Enjoy it while it lasts, ’cause it never does.” ~Hal Holbrook

            “Anything that can possibly go wrong does.”  ~Murphy’s Law

How many times have we told ourselves “I’ll never be able to do that anyway, so why bother trying?”

The power of the mind can work in both directions.  Negative thoughts are as crippling as positive thoughts are beneficial.  Why then do we self-sabotage our minds with these types of thoughts?  It may be a habit; it may be learned from parents, family members, coworkers, friends, or loved ones.  Our media spends an inordinate focus on what goes wrong.  In business and on work projects, a significant amount of time is spent on what can go wrong.  We are taught from a very young age to be risk adverse.  Certainly recognizing risks and taking preventive measures are a good practice.  However, we tend to spend far less time on using the power of positive thinking and applying positive affirmations to accomplishing our goals and fulfilling our dreams.  Learning to focus more on the positive and using the power of the mind in your favor will be the key to your success, to accomplish the impossible, or to make your dreams come true.

So think you can… you really can.

Personal photo: Sand Beach, Acadia National Park

To all of my Facebook page followers,

Over the last several months, I have watched the demands on my time increase, both at work and in my personal life.  Everything is going beyond well, just crazy busy.  I have been diligently posting to the page during this period of time.  Yet, for the last several months, the page following has declined.  I’ve kept at it in the hope that things would turn around; however, it has become apparent to me that things are not going to improve and I have to face reality.

It is so easy to blame Facebook for the page’s decline.  Since they have become a publically traded company, they have been attempting to get the pages to pay for distribution of their content and have increasingly restricted how many page followers see the posts for free.  Despite this being a not-for-profit activity, they apply the same rules to us non-profit pages that they do for the large commercial pages.  It is all about profit and I understand that.  However, other non-profit pages are managing to find success in the current environment.  When taking a sober look at the situation, I realize I have been going through the motions and perhaps my heart has not been completely into it.  And the page statistics reflect that.

Over a year ago, I stopped regularly posting to my blog by the same name.  I was experiencing  writer’s block at the time and convinced myself that the page was more important.  In the last few weeks, I have realized that I truly miss writing and the creative process that goes into it.  Therefore, I have made the difficult decision to take the time I currently use to run the page and apply it to other areas of my life, including resurrecting my writing.  I will still post, but far less than I currently do.

I would like to thank everyone for their support over the last two amazing years and for taking this journey with me.

All my best to everyone and continue to be amazing,

Gregg

Personal photo from Brandywine Creek State Park, DE