A Ukrainian Soldier (via Le Monde)

 « A force de franchir tous les paliers de la peur, j’ai compris que je ne suis rien, juste un corps en vie. »

 “By pushing through all the levels of fear, I finally understood that I am nothing, just a corpse in motion.”

Thought for the Day

 Some arguments have visceral force because they are true; others because large numbers of people believe in them.

How to design an exterminator AI

From OpenArt.ai

Posted here as a service to those misanthropists who wish to exterminate the human race, but lack the necessary strategic vision.

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First, don't go the pure AI route. You'll find that it's orders of magnitude easier to engineer a bunch of gain-of-function viral pathogens and let them loose. In fact, lose the idea of the dangers of high-intelligence entirely. Plenty of highly-intelligent people died in prison cells or death camps. An enhanced capacity for abstract thought only takes you so far.

To make humanity, or any species, extinct, you have to change the parameters of that species’ environment to ensure subsequent reproduction tends to zero.

A simple approach is to drop a sufficiently large rock on the planet. But sometimes the introduction of a new, invasive species is enough to do the trick - rats introduced onto a hitherto-pristine island is a well-known case study. 

Could you use advanced AI to enable a lethal threat to humanity? Create a new species to occupy our human niche, preventing humans in their totality from continuing?

Some of you will say that the TFR data shows that capitalism and contraception are already taking us way down that path. But not all humans will be affected: those who disdain such will inherit the Earth - a future paradise for the Amish (h/t Robin Hanson).

Putting both viruses and progressive antinatalism to one side, what people really want to hear about, it seems, are killer robots.

They're hard. 

It's easy to design a substantial point-threat: AI autonomous weapons for example. It's another thing to design a universal, all-consuming threat which prevails over any and all human countermeasures.

All existing AI systems - all our technological products - are strictly parasitic on our existing human global economy. Without that they can't power themselves, repair themselves or reproduce themselves. 

In principle, we can imagine a totally self-reproducing robot community-economy. If it had sufficient means of military aggression and defence, then we're simply positing a species like ourselves (in some possibly improved variant) implemented in metal/silicon or protoplasm depending on the engineering pros and cons.

Since we would be competing in-niche for land, resources and sources of energy, we would have to fight these aliens for our survival. But defeat is not foredoomed, not if we were paying attention all along.

In any case, I say to the misanthropes out there, we are centuries away from that future. You won't live to conceptualise, let alone design, that possible road to human extinction.

My advice? Stick to the viruses. 

Or go design the irresistible (but sterile) android life-partners - trust me, no one will stop you there.

What we think of when we think of death

The soldier: the first one can be hard; after that it's pretty easy.

The dualist: there may be some connection between the person I feel myself to be and the squidgy mass of cells-in-soup inside my skull - but the same thing?!

The neuroscientist: it's process - the mind is what the brain does; I concede we don't know how that could work.

The evolutionary biologist: natural selection has favoured the complex human nervous system. It supports sophisticated social behaviour in challenging, dynamic but mostly predictable environments. What's the problem?

The philosopher: to explain consciousness is categorically different to experiencing it. We both know you're in pain and why, but you're the one screaming.

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Me:

Sometimes when I think of dying I feel that a complex organ (my brain) will stop functioning and its constituents disperse into the biosphere. No big deal.

Sometimes I think that human subjective experiences are extraordinarily similar. Millions of people have sensations, feelings, thoughts and consciousness just like mine. My personal deletion in death is not dissimilar to me falling asleep and waking up next morning as a… slightly different person: someone very like me who is not me.

The human race (or successor conscious beings) may advance in times to come - or may become extinct. We all feel that to secure the former is worth any sacrifice (most of us!) but there is no evidence the universe is the kind of entity which could care either way.

The process of evolution ensures that we have to care - selection bias - so that's really no surprise. We each live within our individual consciousnesses, so structured that we have to care about ourselves and those others we take to constitute our mutually supportive community. If you like, those are the boundary conditions for being a socially adjusted human (not sociopathic, schizophrenic, psychotic, etc).

When we die, a universe may die with us and within us, but let's not be precious. The flow, the continuity of the collective consciousness of humanity gives me reassurance. Just like I'll not be too concerned about falling asleep tonight - as someone will likely awaken tomorrow morning with whom I identify.

Like most people trained in physics, I happen to accept the block universe concept in which the passage of time is a psychological construct, a product of local spacetime interaction between our bodies and the environment. In this sense the past and the future are equally existent and our lives exist in entirety - just as a DVD contains the whole movie, all at once.

(Maybe the universe is really some complex multiverse structure in Hilbert space - who knows?).

Anyway, because I'm a reasonably adjusted human being, I'm a fan of sensual, emotional, smart, prosocial consciousnesses having an indefinite, fulfilling future. I'm reassured by progress so far - at least in this branch of the universal wavefunction. These emotions are conditioned by my future-ignorance, of course.

And for reasons mentioned, I'm not too scared about the eventual unavoidable extinction of the personal consciousness of this author.

You, dear reader, will take up the torch.

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Greg Egan's short story "The Walk" in his collection "Axiomatic" uses this approach as setting. 

Roger Scruton in his book "On Human Nature" makes the distinction between being conscious and having a theory of consciousness.

And I wrote a short piece about this - 'Live Forever' - at sciencefiction.com.

See also Adam Carlton's short story, "Doppelgänger": memory discontinuity hangs heavy.

My 'Talk' with the Karate Sensei

Sensei: “Welcome. You wanted this meeting, so what did you want to talk about?”

Me: “Traditional Shotokan Karate: I think you have an identity crisis.”

Sensei: “Why?”

Me: “Focus first on the 'Traditional'. You don't like competitive sports karate. You think it distorts the art, moves it away from combat effectiveness.”

Sensei (gruffly): “That's right. It's all about dancing up and down, high-kicking, lightness of touch and fast, instant withdrawal for point scoring. And so they lose true lethality.”

Me: “Your own classes are quite kinetic though. Plenty of technique (kihon), and kata. But looking at the class, the students seem overwhelmed by the number of techniques and kata they have to learn. And they don't do much sparring (kumite).”

Sensei: “That's because it takes at least two to three years to get technique into automatic muscle memory so that sparring practice is useful.”

Me: “Yet surely a disinterested observer would conclude that sports such as boxing and MMA, which make sparring central, are more effective on the street. You get what you train for. And you get to be effective within the first year.”

Sensei: “Karate isn't just fighting skills: it comes with a cultural tradition of personal development, honour, self-discipline and spirituality.”

Me: “That is mostly anchored in the kata, 26 in all, which could take a lifetime to learn well - and that's not at all a criticism. Yet the combat application of kata, the bunkai, isn't well integrated with sparring and seems ill-understood, even controversial?”

Sensei: “Yet the essence of karate is to be found in the kata.”

Me: “It seems to me that if you want to be an effective street fighter then boxing or MMA are the ways to go. Motobu Choki pointed out that kata are almost irrelevant. The martial values of self-control, self-discipline and honour are present in all the formalised fighting traditions.

“If, on the other hand, you want the health benefits of balance, flexibility, suppleness, mental calmness and spirituality, then the T’ai Chi Ch’uan form, which is equivalent to kata, has exactly those objectives.

“Surely Traditional Shotokan Karate is simply trapped between these two poles, neither one thing or the other?”

Sensei: “The two aspects you point out are indeed dimensions within karate. Different masters emphasise one more than the other perhaps, depending upon their interests and inclinations. 

“Yet there is no shallow route to deep understanding of the art. Once their energy goes, people have to retire from the practice of boxing and MMA. T’ai Chi Ch’uan can lose its grounding in brutal combat effectiveness, veering off into the arbitrariness and superficiality of choreography: 'mere dance'. 

“The lifelong study of karate in all its complexity - it's a deep immersion into an ancient warrior culture: one which is absent and even deprecated in modern life.”

Me: “Agreed. But your class really falls between two stools. Many students are middle class and not very aggressive: your focus on power, speed and martial spirit falls upon stony ground. Yet the level of physical engagement in kihon, kata and kumite (when performed with speed and power which is always the end objective) makes the class too strenuous and damaging for seniors like me.

“Perhaps you should have two classes: one focused on the external form of the art, forceful kihon and kumite with kata backing it up; the other inclining to the internal art, centred around mindful, low-adrenalin study of the kata?”

Sensei: “Had we but world enough and time! It won't have escaped your notice that ninety five percent of people who attend karate class want to develop effective combat capability. Those who lose the physicality to train migrate across to T'ai Chi, as do those who are primarily interested in health or spiritual matters.

“So I believe you'll find what you need in T'ai Chi. I regret that I can't run a health and spiritual class founded on karate technique and kata; I simply can't afford the opportunity cost.” 

A psychotherapist intervenes.

Psychotherapist: “Nigel, you are just driven and you aren't even aware of it. You are bereft unless you can latch onto a goal, then focus all your efforts on attaining it. You are too old for karate! Get over it - let it go!

“You know the T'ai Chi form, you know the T'ai Chi sword form. Practise them when you want to, otherwise don't bother. You don't need a schedule, you don't need a plan to continually 'get better', there is nothing to achieve.

“Relax, and enjoy the people in your life. In fact, grow up!”

Me: “Thank you Sensei and wise counsellor. I see now that you are both wholly in the right.”

AI Regulation: what will really happen?

 

In the previous post, I joked about concerned liberals writing anguished prose about vague AI-related dangers: robust regulation is certainly required!

Hmm.

'So what would you do?' is a fair question. I answer thus: meta-regulation.

Two questions: What problem are we addressing? Under what conditions do we regulate?

We are certainly at the start of a multi-year AI revolution, driven by deep learning systems using artificial neural networks. In truth, what we have today are the electronic analogue of a disembodied, dessicated human neocortex. GPT systems induce concepts at increasingly abstract levels and produce relevant-ish output.

This is a platform technology. Think early demonstration steam engines, or petrol engines or electric motors. There is a limited market for concepts-in/concepts-out: although for academic intellectuals it must seem as if these systems are undermining their whole way of life.

In economics, we learn that we regulate when we have a market failure. Externalities occur when providers don't properly internalise costs or benefits; monopolies undersupply; some human market relations (drugs? prostitution?) are held to violate social and/or biological norms. We use the power of the state to redress the balance through regulation. 

What are the market failures attributable to the new AI? Apart for mass-production of text/images (where such falsifications may already constitute possible crimes) we don't have too many examples as yet: just suspicions that with cognitive platforms problems could spring up anywhere.

This may remind you that with smart people who've gone to the bad, crimes can spring up anywhere. Law books consequently bulge.

We're not going to know for ages if 'AI' is the granularity where we need to legislate (I really doubt it). I do understand, however, that politicians need to be seen to be doing something given the general air of panic and hysteria. 

They should take their time and prevaricate. The threat of regulation should be used to prod over-mighty tech companies to consult their corporate consciences a little more. 

The answer is meta-regulation.

AI Regulation - could we get real, please :) ?

The AI Power Paradox: Can States Learn to Govern Artificial Intelligence — Before It’s Too Late? by Ian Bremmer and Mustafa Suleyman, August 16, 2023.

This is the latest heavyweight article in the 'heavyweight' international journal, Foreign Affairs. Like all articles on this topic, it's long on pious concerns and feeble technology extrapolation while offering little to nothing compelling in public policy.

So what's the answer? My first thought was that a prudent military might create a last ditch Fortress on the Moon, in case it all goes pear-shaped back on Earth.

But the out-of-our-control AI adversary would be smarter than that. We would be like Neanderthals holed up in some cave with axes and spears against a fully equipped 21st century military task force.

No: instead this. The military should have its own super-smart combat AI systems, massively funded and massively loyal. Then we'd have a chance. Our AIs would be better than their AIs plus those dangerous wild ones.

Forget regulation, it's for ineffectual wimps. Get that black budget request in now!

Next: AI Regulation: what will really happen?

Bard summarises my karate plans

 Can You Still Do Karate With Health Issues?

Karate is a great martial art that can provide many benefits for people of all ages and fitness levels. However, if you have health issues like sciatica or joint pain, you may be wondering if you can still continue practicing karate.

The good news is that you can still do karate even if you have health issues. In fact, karate can actually be beneficial for your health.

One way to continue practicing karate with health issues is to focus on kata. Kata are choreographed sequences of movements that are used to develop muscle memory and technique.

Kata can be practiced slowly and fluidly, which is gentle on the joints and muscles. This makes kata a great option for people with health issues.

In addition to being gentle on the body, kata has many other benefits for people with health issues. Kata can help to improve balance, coordination, and flexibility. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety.

If you have health issues and you're interested in continuing to practice karate, I encourage you to talk to your Sensei about focusing on kata. Kata is a great way to stay active and healthy, even if you have health limitations.

Here is a more detailed look at the benefits of practicing karate kata for health reasons:

• Improved balance and coordination: Kata requires you to move your body in a variety of ways, which can help to improve your balance and coordination. This is important for people of all ages, but it can be especially beneficial for older adults who are at risk of falls.

• Increased flexibility: Kata can help to increase your flexibility by stretching your muscles and joints. This can help to improve your range of motion and reduce your risk of injuries.

• Reduced stress and anxiety: Kata can be a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. The repetitive movements and focus on breathing can help to calm the mind and body.

• Improved mental focus and concentration: Kata requires you to focus on your movements and breathing, which can help to improve your mental focus and concentration. This can be beneficial for people who have difficulty concentrating or who are easily stressed.

• Increased self-confidence and self-esteem: Kata can help to improve your self-confidence and self-esteem. As you master the kata, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. This can lead to a more positive outlook on life.

If you are interested in learning more about how karate kata can benefit your health, I encourage you to talk to your Sensei or a qualified karate instructor. They can help you develop a safe and effective kata practice routine that is tailored to your individual needs and fitness level.

Here are some tips for practicing karate kata for health reasons:

• Start slowly and gradually increase the speed and intensity of your kata practice as you get stronger.
• Focus on proper form and technique. This will help to prevent injuries.
• Listen to your body and take breaks when you need them.
• Make sure to warm up and cool down before and after your kata practice.
• Practice in a safe environment.
• If you have any health concerns, talk to your doctor before starting a kata practice routine.

With a little planning and effort, you can enjoy the many benefits of karate kata for health reasons, even if you have health issues.

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

How martial should the T'ai Chi forms be?

At the gym today: twenty five minutes practicing the 24 posture T'ai Chi form and the 54 posture sword form: two or three times each. The Cheng Man-ch'ing versions.

Cheng Man-ch'ing demonstrating the sword form

The common image is of old men doing exercises in the park, very slowly. But I've always felt that the core of the discipline is its martial intent. You should know the bunkai (the combat intent) for each posture.

I also think that at least some of the time you should do the forms fast and lethally, as if you intend to dispose of an opponent. That's the story for karate kata - slow while you're learning and to hone technique - fast when perfected and with power and spirit. When I look at videos of Cheng Man-ch'ing and his student Ken van Sickle demonstrating the sword form (e.g. below) they are much faster than is currently convenient for me.

When practicing, I run through the forms slowly then faster with an opponent in mind.

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Ken van Sickle demonstrating the sword form

What I'm re-reading

An occasional review of my books on the go.

Amazon link

Dan Simmons rates the novels of John Fowles highly, perhaps not surprisingly as they are writers of a similar style, and has stated that he regularly returns to "Daniel Martin". A product of the mature Fowles, this elegiac novel is superior to "The Collector", "The Magus" and - IMHO - even "The French Lieutenant's Woman".

Amazon link

David Wallace says in his intro that this is accessible to anyone with a graduate level understanding of quantum mechanics. Well, that includes me but, of course, it's heavy going. The deep mystery is the relationship between the spacetime we appear to inhabit and the configuration space (high/infinite dimensional Hilbert space) which quantum-theoretic entities inhabit. I read on and wait for enlightenment.

Amazon link

Another deeply poignant work: the theory of endless recurrence from a Catholic point of view (space here perhaps for a little homage to the recently deceased Milan Kundera, a prominent member of my revered author list). Currently being read to Clare and we've just started part three: Fiat Voluntas Tua.

The T'ai Chi Sword Form

Part of the Cheng Man-ch'ing sword form

My last post was about stopping karate training. The chronic sciatica which prompted this is still with me, five weeks later, but I sense an improving trend.

The Cheng Man-ch'ing T'ai Chi form (empty handed, 24 postures) and the weapon form shown above are not a health problem however. The movements are slow, symmetrical and balanced without powerful impulsive strikes, turns and kicks. 

Puting the Daoist paradigm to one side, from a purely functional point of view T'ai Chi 'katas' are training balance, coordination, kinaesthetic sense, relaxation and, of course, a meditative psychological state. Such benefits come only when the sequences are as natural as driving, after many years of practice: I have been working on the sword form for six months.

Nine Months of Karate

After my yellow belt grading last month (May).

A short chronology

• First karate class: Saturday 3rd September 2022
• First grading: 9th kyu orange belt, Tuesday November 22nd 2022.
• Second grading: 8th kyu red belt, February 14th 2023.
• Third grading: 7th kyu yellow belt, May 20th 2023.
• Ceased training (sciatica): Tuesday June 13th 2023.

Despite my best hopes, my aging seventy-two year old body is incapable of supporting the endless repetitions of strikes, blocks and kicks of an unarmed combat art. There is a reason why the armed forces don't take guys my age.

I contemplate the deep pains in my left buttock, left leg and foot; the numbness and the tingling; the sharp jolts in the joints: and reluctantly leave my friends in the club to continue their long journey. By departing I affirm the very difficulty and exclusivity of the mission.

I continue to practice T'ai Chi and to exercise the T'ai Chi sword form.

A Better World, Where Are You?

 

"I was brought up as a member of the Church of England and simply follow the customs of my tribe. The church is part of my culture; I like the rituals and the music. If I had grown up in Iraq, I would go to a mosque… It seems to me that people who attack religion don’t really understand it. Science and religion can coexist peacefully — although I don’t think they have much to say to each other. What I would like best would be for scientists not even to use the word “God.” … Fundamental physics shows how hard it is for us to grasp even the simplest things in the world. That makes you quite skeptical whenever someone declares he has the key to some deeper reality… I know that we don’t yet even understand the hydrogen atom — so how could I believe in dogmas? I’m a practicing Christian, but not a believing one."

My position is not quite the same as Martin Rees's.

To be esoteric for a moment, I am a deontic Catholic: not one who buys into the Confessional ontology (i.e. a literal, uncritical, ahistorical reading of the sacred texts). Though paradoxically, it's only when the vast majority of adherents and clergy cleave to a Confessional ontology that the institution persists through the endless millennia. 

Nevertheless historical, materialist deontology is the right paradigm (Roger Scruton is my go-to guy here on deontology).

Sally Rooney hints that with the death of the Marxist-Leninist, communist ideal, Catholicism is one of the few remaining subversive forces insofar as - at its best - it counterposes and organises social solidarity based on high ethical principles against an alienated rootlessness taken to absurdity by a debilitating, progressive wokeness - from which elevated standpoint Catholicism is popularly ridiculed, or treated as absurd or incomprehensible.

(There are other countercultures which also deserve support: those arts which uplift, unify and empower ordinary people and exemplify unfashionable virtues: duty, honour, courage, competence, resilience.)

Sally Rooney's characters in "Beautiful World, Where Are You?" reflect on their ineffectual exposition of a fashionable, but sterile and impotent Marxism. They unwillingly experience the attraction of the granite, collective worldview of the eternal and universal Catholic Church: so often hijacked institutionally by bad people… so often bureaucratically underpinning reaction... but as John Dominic Crossan has so eloquently outlined, so revolutionary and omnipresent in its core doctrine.