Paul Davies argues that the term “artificial intelligence” should be replaced with “designed intelligence” (DI) as the line between artificial and natural blurs. He predicts that DI will soon rely on synthetic biology and organic fabrication, leading to neural networks far more advanced than human brains. These systems will be self-improving and may even incorporate … Read more

John Markoff explores the evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence, drawing on Hegel’s master-slave dialectic. He warns that as AI becomes more integrated into our lives, we risk becoming overly dependent on it, potentially losing critical thinking and survival skills. Markoff argues that the designers of AI systems have a responsibility to create “colleagues” … Read more

Antony Garrett Lisi argues that as machines become sentient, they will compete for resources in a Darwinian manner, but not necessarily in a way harmful to humans. He likens future AI entities to corporations, which are already autonomous entities that operate within legal frameworks. Lisi suggests that as computers become more powerful, they will increasingly … Read more

Mario Livio discusses the possibility of finding intelligent life on extrasolar planets, given that many such planets exist in habitable zones. He suggests that if life on Earth is not unique, the galaxy could be filled with advanced civilizations. Livio contrasts the search for extraterrestrial life with the development of AI, noting that AI has … Read more

Frank Tipler argues that the Earth’s eventual doom makes it imperative for intelligent life to colonize space. He contends that AIs, not humans, are best suited for this task due to their adaptability to extreme environments. Tipler believes that future advancements will solve the AI programming problem, enabling AIs to colonize celestial bodies before humans … Read more

Martin Rees discusses the inevitable rise of advanced AI, emphasizing that debates mainly concern the timeline, not the direction of progress. He argues that in the long-term evolutionary perspective, human intelligence will be a transient precursor to machine-dominated intelligence. Rees speculates that hypercomputers could achieve unprecedented powers, potentially surpassing human control. He questions whether AI … Read more

Steven Pinker argues that reasoning is fundamentally computational, a view supported by the works of Alan Turing and others in neuroscience. This perspective demystifies the human mind, eliminating the need for spiritual or supernatural explanations. It also paves the way for artificial intelligence, although Pinker is skeptical that human-level AI will be achieved soon or … Read more

The phrase “Ignorance is bliss” is commonly attributed to Thomas Gray’s poem “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College,” written in 1742. In the poem, Gray reflects on his own youth while observing children at play at Eton, the school he once attended. The phrase is part of a longer line: “Where ignorance is … Read more

The phrase “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” is often attributed to Carl Sagan, an American astronomer, astrophysicist, and science communicator. The statement encapsulates an important concept in scientific reasoning and critical thinking: just because there is no evidence for a proposition doesn’t necessarily mean that the proposition is false. In the realm … Read more

The maxim “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak” is from Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” a seminal work on military strategy and tactics. Written during China’s Warring States Period, this text provides timeless principles that have been applied to various spheres beyond warfare, including business and politics. Sun … Read more