Living Water.

 

 

 

Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency

by: John Stonestreet &  Roberto Rivera 

Category: , Christian Worldview

May 21, 2019

The idea of sentient artificial intelligence, complete with a personality, has long been a central theme of science fiction. The Oscar-winning 2013 movie “Her,” starring Joaquin Phoenix and the voice of Scarlett Johansson, told the story of a relationship between a lonely man and an AI named Samantha.

On the small-screen, sentient robots are the stars of HBO’s “Westworld.” In fact, the protagonists of the series, Dolores and Maeve, are scarcely distinguishable, if at all, from the people who have repeatedly brutalized them since their creation, including in their own capacity for brutality. The biggest difference is that the audience is intended to excuse, or at least understand, the robots’ brutality.

Which touches on another theme of science fiction: What are our ethical obligations, if any, to the intelligent machines we build?

Considering that what’s depicted in books and on screen has been years more advanced than the current realities of artificial intelligence, such philosophical questions have remained in science fiction.

Consider, for example, that seventy years ago, mathematician Alan Turing proposed what’s now called the “Turing Test.” Instead of answering the question “can a machine think?” which presupposes an agreed-upon definition of “think,” the “Turing Test” seeks to determine how well a machine can imitate a person. For example, could a machine fool someone who was asking it a series of non-scripted questions into thinking that it was a person.

Turing thought that a machine would eventually pass his test. Seventy years later, no machine has, and the most optimistic estimate says that it will take at least another decade.

That’s why a recent article in Aeon, which suggested that artificial intelligence should receive the same ethical and moral considerations afforded to laboratory animals, seems, to put it politely, premature.

One of the principal reasons that we feel a moral obligation to the animals in our care is that they can suffer and feel pain and they can let us know that.

A machine can do none of these things. If a person kicks a dog, it will yelp, and the person’s cruelty will be clear. Smash your MacBook because you’re upset with Siri, and the only one suffering will be you, since those things cost over $1000.

In fact, anything we currently call “artificial intelligence” is far more like the software on our laptops than one of “hosts” from Westworld. This will likely be true for the indefinite future.

So a better question to be asking is not what will we be doing to artificial intelligence but, instead, what will the AI we create do to us? It was this question that prompted a recent statement released by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Entitled “Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles,” the statement offers necessary guidelines to engage the challenges of AI before the technology becomes a fait accompli. I quickly signed my name to the statement.

While none of us know with any certainty what direction this technology will take, we do know what ethical principles should govern the creation and implementation of technologies like AI.

First and foremost is that no technology should be “assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.” Only humans are created in the image of God, and we should never permit technology to subvert that exalted status. Machines will never be people.

You might be rolling your eyes that I would even think it necessary to say that. We must say it—out loud and to each other—for at least two reasons. First, there is much talk of AI and other technology merging with human biology to create a new kind of species. While that’s definitely still the stuff of science fiction, even discussing the possibility is the kind of subversion the Statement warns against.

Second, on a personal level, AI already threatens to replace real people in many of our lives. Artificial worlds, conversations, and friends too often distract us from the real ones, and for some, can even become replacements for real ones.

It’s worth repeating, the damage our technology can do to us is far graver than anything we can do to it. And again, machines are not people.

Resources

Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles 

Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission | April 11, 2019

The Human Advantage: The Future of American Work in an Age of Smart Machines 

Jay W. Richards | Crown Forum Publishers | 2018 

This Post is originally from Breakpoint.org 

(This particular above website is one of my Favourites to go to, read and ponder)

 

Relationships in Gen Z ?

 

 

Breakpoint.org

 by John Stonestreet

 by Shane Morris

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were chosen to grace the cover of the 2021 edition of “Time100: The Most Influential People of 2021.” After publicly cutting ties with the British royal family several months ago and moving to America, the couple described the whole ordeal in a televised interview and, as a result, made this year’s list. 

Many people have strong opinions about Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave Buckingham Palace; I don’t. My knowledge of British royalty is limited to the few seasons of “The Crown” I watched with Sarah before we canceled our Netflix subscription. What does interest me, however, is how their decision, which has been widely hailed as “brave” and “authentic,” mirrors something increasingly popular among modern young adults: cutting so-called “toxic people” out of their lives. 

It’s also notable how quickly friends, relatives, and neighbors can be labeled “toxic” simply by holding different political, moral, or religious beliefs. Recently, a psychologist specializing in family therapy told the Atlantic that his practice is flooded with older parents mourning estrangement from their grown children, and with grown children angry and hurt by conflicts with their parents. Apparently, when it comes to family fractures, the royal family is far from exceptional. 

In fact, according to a recent piece by Sarah Logan in The Guardian, you don’t even have to be “toxic” to find yourself cut out of a loved one’s life. It’s enough that you don’t “spark joy.”

In the article, Logan documents a growing group of young people practicing “relationship minimalism.” Inspired by home organizing coaches like Marie Kondo, these mostly urban, single adults are not only clearing their lives of excess stuff; they’re tossing out excess people.  For example, 20-something YouTube star Ronald Banks says that living a minimalist lifestyle with only a few sets of clothes, simple furniture, and bare minimum electronics prompted him to go the next step and ditch meaningless relationships, too. Or, as he called them, “emotional clutter.” 

Young adults like Banks are all about cutting ties. As Logan put it: “If the city they live in no longer sparks joy, they move.” Some keep apartments so sparsely furnished that guests can’t even sit down or have tea. One YouTube minimalist quoted in the article refuses to have a mirror in her apartment because, in her words, “Why would I try to impress people that I don’t even like?…I’d rather be alone than with people who make me feel alone.” Not to be too “judgy,” but that doesn’t sound much like joy.

This kind of utilitarian attitude toward other human beings is not only sad, it’s also darkly ironic given our culture’s epidemics of loneliness and suicides. Behind these cultural crises are a growing group of young people who think of relationships as dispensable and people as furniture. As the Director of Research and Public Education at the Council on Contemporary Families put it, “Never before have family relationships been seen so interwoven with the search for personal growth, the pursuit of happiness, and the need to confront and overcome psychological obstacles.” 

Anyone willing to walk away from parents, friends, or even an entire city, just because they don’t “spark joy,” fundamentally misunderstands the purpose and functioning of relationships. People are not consumer goods to be rummaged through, tried on, and returned if they no longer fit.

If anything, we need to be around people who rub us the wrong way or who demand something from us instead of serving our therapeutic goals. That’s part of what the Church is for! It’s a redeemed community united not by hobbies, career goals, or personality traits, but by allegiance to a Lord whose love transcends all of this.

In the context of such relationships, the Bible says that “iron sharpens iron.” Anyone who’s ever banged two pieces of metal together knows that sparks will fly—and not always sparks of joy! But in God’s eyes, and in the eyes of the author of Proverbs, the results are worth the friction.

No, we’re not called to put up with just anything, without limit. Sometimes there are situations in which cutting people out of our lives is necessary and wise. Contrary to what these relationship minimalists believe, our personal happiness is bound to our relationships but is not bound by them. In an age marked by historic loneliness, “relationship minimalism” sounds like a poor way to love both our neighbours and ourselves.

---

Resources:

Your Family Needs You (And You Need Them)
John Stonestreet & Maria Baer | BreakPoint | January 29, 2021

The Church’s Answer to Suicide
John Stonestreet & Shane Morris | BreakPoint | September 7, 2021

 

 

 

Joy Unspeakable

 

 

 

The reason for the season is simple:

 

 

It's all about spreading joy and celebrating together. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday during this time, the underlying message is one of love and togetherness. It's a time to put aside our differences and come together as a community, sharing laughter, gifts, and delicious food. The holiday season or Christmas to most is a reminder that no matter what challenges we may face, there is always hope and joy to be found.

 

For me, the reason for the season is a time to reflect on the year that has passed and to look forward to the future with optimism. It's a time to appreciate the people in our lives and to show them how much we care. It's a time to give back to those in need, whether through volunteering or donating to charitable causes. The holiday season reminds us of the importance of kindness and compassion, and it gives us an opportunity to spread happiness and cheer.

 

In conclusion, the reason for the season is a celebration of love, togetherness, and hope. It's a time to come together as a community and spread joy to those around us. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or any other holiday, the underlying message remains the same: love and kindness are what truly matter. So let's embrace the holiday season with open hearts and a spirit of generosity, and let's make this a season to remember.

 

 

Jingle Bells: A Hilarious Take on the Reasons for the Christmas Season by Anon-y-mous

 

Introduction:

Oh, Christmas season, the time of year when we deck the halls with boughs of holly, roast chestnuts on an open fire, and inevitably find ourselves knee-deep in tinsel and wrapping paper. But amidst the chaos and merriment, let's not forget the true reason for the season - the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. As we explore this holy occasion, prepare yourself for a jolly journey filled with laughter, joy, and a sprinkle of divine comedy.

 

The Nativity Scene:

Picture this: a humble stable, filled with a peculiar assortment of characters. There's Joseph, desperately searching for an available inn, and Mary, quietly contemplating the miracle growing inside her. And then there are the animals, starring in the world's first and most famous petting zoo. Sheep, cows, and even a donkey, all gathered around, wondering why they're suddenly part of an impromptu maternity ward. Talk about being caught in the headlights!

 

The Three Wise Men:

Ah, the three wise men - or as I like to call them, the original "Magi-cians." These dudes traveled for miles following a star, carrying gifts fit for a king. But let's be honest, what kind of gifts are gold, frankincense, and myrrh for a newborn child? Gold, sure, but who gifts a baby with fancy smelly stuff? Mary and Joseph probably had to Google "uses for frankincense and myrrh" after the wise men left. "Diaper rash ointment, maybe?"

 

Santa Claus vs. Jesus:

Now, let's take a moment to discuss the inevitable clash of titans: Santa Claus and Jesus Christ. Santa, the jolly old man in a red suit, who loves cookies and milk, and Jesus, the son of God, who preached love and forgiveness. One brings joy to children worldwide, while the other brings redemption to mankind. It's like comparing a milkshake to the fountain of youth. But hey, if Jesus ever needed a sidekick, Santa would be the perfect candidate - after all, he does know how to deliver gifts on time.

 

The Paradoxical Christmas Songs:

Ah, the sweet melodies of Christmas carols! But have you ever really listened to the lyrics? "Frosty the Snowman," a song about a magical snowman coming to life, and "Silent Night," a peaceful hymn about the birth of Jesus. It's like comparing a winter wonderland to a holy miracle. And don't even get me started on "Jingle Bells." How did a song about sleigh rides and dashing through the snow become a staple of the Christian holiday season? It's a musical mystery for the ages!

 

Conclusion:

As we wrap up our comical journey through the Christian reason for the Christmas season, let's remember that laughter is truly a gift from above. Amidst all the festivities, it's important to cherish the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus Christ, who brought love, hope, and a little bit of divine humor into the world. So, this holiday season, let us embrace the joy, the laughter, and the occasional absurdity that comes along with it. Merry Christmas, everyone!