Let's prepare for a future of sentient AIs (1)
If the Google language AI known as LaMDA isn’t sentient, one day MEW, NOO or XI will be (23 July, p 28).
As for flaws in an AI, we are all born in a “flawed” state of ignorance, but we aren’t switched off or killed because of that 鈥� we are taught. Similarly, a sentient but naive computer needs to be taught rather than switched off, and should be equipped with eyes, ears, temperature sensors and some sort of proprioception, so that it feels it has a body.
Let's prepare for a future of sentient AIs (2)
I fear that the risk of labelling AIs as sentient is even more serious than described. If you were to follow a certain line of argument, terminating something that may develop into a sentient entity could be viewed as murder.
That would mean that all future attempts to make LaMDA-like AIs must be treasured forever once created. Google’s servers 鈥� along with those belonging to IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia and several universities 鈥� would collapse under the load of these misbegotten but eternal creations.
On the idea that insects possess consciousness (1)
In his review of Lars Chittka’s book The Mind of a Bee, Alun Anderson calls the idea that bees might have consciousness “radical” (16 July, p 34). Radical it may be, but it isn’t unprecedented. In 2016, Andrew Barron and Colin Klein proposed ; Todd Feinberg and Jon Mallatt emerged in a species of fish 520 million years ago; and in 2017, argued that plants might have a form of consciousness. It seems that speculation about consciousness in other species is quite welcome these days.
The problem is, if consciousness is so widespread among living things, then the chances of being born a human are tiny: I should have been a beetle or a plant. I find this disconcerting.
On the idea that insects possess consciousness (2)
The possibility of consciousness in insects is inferred on the basis of what we perceive as skills, such as communication, navigation, counting and so forth. One must ask, however, if these insects have the capacity to reflect on and repurpose these skills as we do?
Could these abilities be likened more to inbuilt mechanisms, such as how our skin seemingly “knows” the various intricate stages of repair, stopping when the task is complete, or how our hearts and lungs, though incapable of conscious self-reflection, can immediately gauge the precise amount of blood and oxygen required to support a variety of activities?
快猫短视频s are right to fear anthropomorphism; it becomes inevitable when we can quantify animal consciousness only via the limited prism of our own.
On the idea that insects possess consciousness (3)
Sometimes a bee will get trapped inside my window. When I try to help it out with a piece of card, I often get the impression that, as I approach, the wildly buzzing bee calms down, crawls onto the card and waits hopefully until moved to a place where it can easily fly away. I thought I was imagining this behaviour, but after reading your book review I am not so sure.
Why we do like to be beside the seaside (2)
“Into the blue” describes many positive effects on our well-being that come from being near the sea, and speculates on possible reasons for them (16 July, p 38). One additional explanation could be the level and quality of the light.
Even on a dull day here in the UK, the light is brighter at the coast than a few miles inland. It is also no coincidence that coastal towns are popular with artists of many types. Could it be that the polarisation of light reflected from water affects us in a positive way?
Why we do like to be beside the seaside (1)
We are told that engaging with nature is better than passive exposure, but warned that the benefits tail off after a certain point. I suggest this is because the engagement we make is shallow, skimming the surface. We need humanity to once more become a grateful, respectful, integrated part of the ecosystem.
Let’s dare to ask: what do we really want the future to be like? The science is telling us we want it to be green and blue 鈥� let’s start making the bold changes needed to make it that way.
One way to stop plague revolutions
“Going viral” suggests large societal upheavals my occur due to plagues (23 July, p 42). Perhaps we can avert this. One abiding memory I have of crossing borders 50 years ago is that there were three desks to clear, immigration, customs and health. Checks at the last of those included up-to-date, certified vaccination for yellow fever, typhoid, cholera and smallpox.
In many countries, we appear to have dropped the health check. This has cost us. As a species, we might be well advised to revisit tried-and-tested practices. After all, more novel diseases may be coming our way.
The world burns as politicians campaign
Steve Blyth is right to question whether politicians and others will accept the changes in living standards necessary to control global warming (Letters, 16 July). Recently, as the UK saw its highest temperatures on record, every candidate to be the country’s next prime minister professed that they wished to grow the economy. Yet none of them explained how that could be done while meeting the UK’s legal commitment to net zero by 2050. In the meantime, global atmospheric carbon dioxide has continued its relentless increase.
Do mini-brains create a consciousness dilemma?
If consciousness arises out of brains, then we should stop experiments with brain organoids (23 July, p 38). If it doesn’t, then we should reject materialistic theories of consciousness.
For the record {06 Auguest 2022}
In “Age-defying food” (2 July, p 38), the main target of the amino-acid restriction diet should have been methionine.
Our cold-brew coffee recipe should have said add 500ml of water (9 July, p 51).