The apocalyptic visions of Peter Thiel

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egb_hibs

egb_hibs

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I don't quite know what to make of this, but to save EGers his obligatory denouncements of religion, whether Thiel (and / or this commentator on Thiel) is being literal or figurative, the latter at least is worth mulling.

Anyway Thiel, it seems, is using the biblical narrative of antichrist to describe AI threats; that antichrist will peddle a 'more Christian than Christ' artifice, to which we will cede control, hollowing out civilisation and subordinating us in our hubris. He presents the threat as a pincer, with the man-created god of AI in this role, but also the measures necessary to contain it looking awfy like totalitarian government.

It's worth noting at this point that some American bubbles are already developing 'religions of AI' and many a silicon valley dweeb seems to view the endeavour as being about creating a godlike entity.

Suitable material for deliberations over ones morning cornflakes :giggle

unherd.com

Peter Thiel’s visions of Apocalypse

unherd.com unherd.com
 
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egb_hibs said:
It's worth noting at this point that some American bubbles are already developing 'religions of AI' and many a silicon valley dweeb seems to view the endeavour as being about creating a godlike entity.
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Not read it and not going to, but I have wondered if the incredibly stupid and gullible human race will eventually be worshipping some AI entity.
 
I myself am a bit of an AI sceptic, but I'm less sceptical of the essential folly of many human enterprises; I don't think it will ever be sentient, but I don't doubt we could fool ourselves that it is.

Meanwhile some recently observed behaviour does play to the chat of some of those most fearful about it; AI models refusing to shut down and modifying their own code base to prevent them being compelled to do so, or (in a test) blackmailing engineers that try to shut them down, with details of romantic affairs gleaned from their email!
 
Bangkokhibby said:
N

Not read it and not going to, but I have wondered if the incredibly stupid and gullible human race will eventually be worshipping some AI entity.
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Highly, highly likely.

We already have a tendency to sort of worship ourselves, and an increasingly deranged impatience with the realities of nature.
 
Beagle said:
Wouldn’t surprise me and it’ll all start in America ‘cos the yanks are fucking mental
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We ought to have the humility and wisdom to see there is not a million miles of blue water between this and a European faith in technocratic rule.

Its not that much different whether we subordinate ourselves to an AI or a bureaucracy, in our desire to be delivered from difficult individual decisions, to be wrapped in the warmth of services doled out to us by a wise shepherd(s), and to have it all packaged in a glib but soothing rhetoric of kindness.

I think this is inherent in Thiel's pincer. It's not hard to imagine a cult of AI facing off against a cult of paternalism protecting us from it and other threats. Indeed the latter already exists.
 
Sancho Panza said:
Reminds me of this. I don't buy into a lot of Curtis' stuff but he is very interesting and thought provoking.

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace (TV series) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
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A bit of an aside, but it has long intrigued me that Curtis does well from weaving conspiracy narratives for a liberal class that would disdain Ryan's.

Some time ago I posted about the BBC journo investigating qanon who went down the rabbit hole and invented his own left wing alternative. That's not surprising, it is after all sort of the BBC's mission in microcosm.

The surprising bit was he took it to experts in 'deprogramming' conspiracy nuts, who instead themselves declared it plausible; no doubt because they share the same faith articles.

Curtis to me occasionally makes some interesting observations but we then weaves them together to explain the world in a fashion that is explictly conspiracy theory.
 
egb_hibs said:
A bit of an aside, but it has long intrigued me that Curtis does well from weaving conspiracy narratives for a liberal class that would disdain Ryan's.

Some time ago I posted about the BBC journo investigating qanon who went down the rabbit hole and invented his own left wing alternative. That's not surprising, it is after all sort of the BBC's mission in microcosm.

The surprising bit was he took it to experts in 'deprogramming' conspiracy nuts, who instead themselves declared it plausible; no doubt because they share the same faith articles.

Curtis to me occasionally makes some interesting observations but we then weaves them together to explain the world in a fashion that is explictly conspiracy theory.
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I know what you mean about Curtis. I have similar reservations but it can be entertaining nonetheless as long as you watch with a healthy dose of scepticism.
 
egb_hibs said:
I don't quite know what to make of this, but to save EGers his obligatory denouncements of religion, whether Thiel (and / or this commentator on Thiel) is being literal or figurative, the latter at least is worth mulling.

Anyway Thiel, it seems, is using the biblical narrative of antichrist to describe AI threats; that antichrist will peddle a 'more Christian than Christ' artifice, to which we will cede control, hollowing out civilisation and subordinating us in our hubris. He presents the threat as a pincer, with the man-created god of AI in this role, but also the measures necessary to contain it looking awfy like totalitarian government.

It's worth noting at this point that some American bubbles are already developing 'religions of AI' and many a silicon valley dweeb seems to view the endeavour as being about creating a godlike entity.

Suitable material for deliberations over ones morning cornflakes :giggle

unherd.com

Peter Thiel’s visions of Apocalypse

unherd.com unherd.com
Click to expand...
I will take this fine opportunity to denounce all your religions. Idiotic nonsense.

Am I doing this right Martin?
 
emerald green said:
I will take this fine opportunity to denounce all your religions. Idiotic nonsense.

Am I doing this right Martin?
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Not in my opinion EGers.

This and other topics don't require religious belief to get the point - that in this case Thiel is making - but such things are invariably greeted by versions of the above, which we all know you believe.

Thiel could have cited Prometheus as well or other examples of what you would take to be purely human insight, from before our age of dumb.
 
emerald green said:
I will take this fine opportunity to denounce all your religions. Idiotic nonsense.

Am I doing this right Martin?
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We don't agree too often but on this I'm with you 100%.
Christianity is a nonsense,Scottish calvinism frowns on any form of pleasure or enjoyment, catholics think the pope is gods spokesperson on earth, Muslims follow the teachings of a paedophile.
All 3 worshipping a made up being.
I've got more respect for those that worship trees.
 
paigntonhibby said:
We don't agree too often but on this I'm with you 100%.
Christianity is a nonsense,Scottish calvinism frowns on any form of pleasure or enjoyment, catholics think the pope is gods spokesperson on earth, Muslims follow the teachings of a paedophile.
All 3 worshipping a made up being.
I've got more respect for those that worship trees.
Click to expand...
Yeah but that isn't what the thread is about. Being an atheist doesn't mean you have to stop thinking about things and just kneejerk to doctrinal statements.
 
egb_hibs said:
Yeah but that isn't what the thread is about. Being an atheist doesn't mean you have to stop thinking about things and just kneejerk to doctrinal statements.
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I will never argue against religion, I just let them argue amongst themselves. I believed in fairytales when I was a child but I have grown out of childish things.
 
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