July 19, 2024
This essay falls into three parts. First, I discuss the question of what it is which makes humans unique — that is, irreplaceable. Second, I consider whether machines on balance enhance or diminish humanness. This has become an issue of the moment with the growth of machine intelligence. Finally, I try to answer two questions: how can we secure our survival as human beings? Is it worth trying to do so?
A quick preview of my answer to the first question. Some bits of humans are clearly replaceable. They fall into the category of spare parts. The bits which aren’t are what used to be called soul and which we now call mind: in religious language, the bits which link us to the Divine. We urgently need to decide which bits should and should not be
Read More »