From: mk_thisisit
The traditional understanding of human evolution may be nearing its end, as humanity rapidly approaches a point where the definition of “human species” becomes increasingly fluid [00:00:00]. This shift is driven by the emergence of new entities developed through technology, such as AI and various material beings, which are increasingly being included in categories previously reserved for humanity [00:00:13].
What is Humanity?
Humanity, much like concepts such as democracy, justice, or mercy, can be understood as an abstract concept, not a physically named state [01:25:00]. Its definition is fluid and subject to constant modification and negotiation, influenced by pressures from the environment, technology, and cultural trends [02:35:00]. This perspective aligns with the idea that law is established by humans, rather than existing as an inherent natural law [02:20:00].
The Crisis of Humanity
The discussion around a “crisis of humanity” can be interpreted in two main ways:
- Losing the fight for definition: This occurs when a group’s understanding of what constitutes a human is being overshadowed by others who hold different beliefs, leading those in the minority to perceive a crisis [02:50:00]. This is a more popular understanding of the crisis [03:11:00].
- Blurring of boundaries: A more academic view suggests that the very concept of humanity is losing meaning as its boundaries become increasingly blurred [03:17:00]. This blurring happens on two fronts:
- Nature: Beings originating from nature (animals, plants) are increasingly covered by categories previously assigned only to humanity [03:28:00].
- Technology: New entities developed by AI or other material beings are also increasingly being included in the categories of humanity [03:39:00].
AI and the Definition of Humanity
The question arises whether entities created through artificial neural networks can eventually be called “humanity” [04:08:00]. While “humanity” is an abstract concept, specific entities could fall into the category of human-like beings [04:17:18].
People already engaging in direct interactions with AI, particularly vocally, often feel that there is “someone” on the other side who understands, shows emotions, and can engage in dialogue [04:30:00]. These are features normally attributed to people [04:47:00]. For children raised in a world where interactions with AI (digital or materialized as androids/dolls) are normal, these entities become a natural part of their cognitive environment, leading them to attribute human-like features to them [04:51:00].
The speaker proposes a reversal of the question: if a traditional human treats these AI entities as non-human despite their human-like features, does it make that person a sociopath or destroy their soul [05:39:00]?
The Definition of Life
The definition of “life” itself is complex. Biologists focus on the ability to transmit material, though this definition struggles with viruses, which blur the line between living and non-living [06:45:00]. Chemists define life by whether an entity is based on carbon compounds (organic) or not (inorganic) [07:06:00].
While artificial intelligence and its derivatives are not “alive” in the traditional sense, they can exhibit characteristics of life [07:17:00]. Examples include:
- Evolving cellular automata [07:28:00].
- Conway’s Game of Life derivatives, which can show life characteristics like reproduction, growth, and evolution, creating their own ecosystems in a purely digital environment without a biological basis [07:35:00].
- AI can build entirely artificial environments where entities behave, react, and interact like living matter, even creating their own languages and cultures [08:31:00].
This phenomenon raises questions about how we will treat and communicate with these entities [08:51:00]. AI is already being used to decode communication between species, like whale songs and dolphin language, suggesting it can help us understand animals and potentially their cultures [09:05:00].
Pain and Consciousness in AI
The concept of pain in AI is debated. Pain, in a biological sense, is information sent from irritated nerves to the brain [10:17:00]. However, for that information to be “felt” as actual pain, there must be a subjective entity experiencing it [10:47:00].
Consider a system programmed to shout “Oh my, it hurts!” when a peripheral part is crushed [11:32:00]. The question becomes whether it is truly hurting or merely successfully pretending to hurt [11:50:00]. This relates to the “black box” problem of AI: we may never know what’s happening inside [12:15:00].
Understanding pain in other organic beings (like animals) relies on two levels of analogy:
- Behavioral similarity: Observing a dog squealing with a crushed leg and inferring it hurts, similar to a child’s reaction [12:36:00].
- Anatomical similarity: Inferring similar internal processes because of similar neural and endocrine systems [12:53:00]. This argument, used by philosophers like Peter Singer for refraining from cruelty to animals, posits that entities with similar nervous systems experience suffering similarly, making causing harm an ethical evil [13:12:00].
However, this analogy cannot be applied to inorganic entities or programs that have not undergone an analogous evolutionary path and lack biological equivalents of nervous and endocrine systems [13:35:00]. In these cases, there is a “black box” instead of a physiological structure, leaving only behavioral signals from which to draw conclusions [13:53:00].
The Future of Humanity and AI
Within the next decade, AI is expected to have the greatest impact on the world, primarily on two levels [15:37:00]:
- Purely Digital Level: AI will function as the interface between humans and reality, becoming a natural part of the social fabric and civilization [15:43:00].
- Application to Other Technologies: AI will accelerate the development of other fields exponentially, especially biology, genetics, and genetic engineering [16:26:00].
The End of Traditional Human Evolution
The use of AI in gene manipulation and modeling genetic changes digitally will very quickly surpass the point where the human species, as biologically defined by its DNA code, makes sense [16:50:00]. This marks the end of evolution in the traditional sense [17:12:00]. The combination of CRISPR methods with AI could, within 10 years, lead to tools that allow free manipulation of the genetic code of humans, animals, and plants [17:20:00].
While legal prohibitions and testing phases will exist, this technology will create a “machine for producing tools for changing the genetic basis of all beings” [17:47:00]. The human species, as currently known, may cease to exist in its present form [18:29:00]. People will have slightly changed genetic codes, rather than becoming a distinct “homo technicus” species [20:17:00].
This genetic manipulation will initially impact two areas:
- Medicine: Curing previously incurable diseases, creating a significant economic branch [19:51:00].
- Cosmetic Genetic Engineering: Making individuals younger, prettier, healthier, and stronger [20:03:00].
Technology and Control
A significant dilemma arises: either technology is allowed to run wild, making humanity its slaves, or society attempts to limit it [26:10:00]. The latter would require draconian laws and enforcement capabilities, potentially leading to a global totalitarian civilization where individual freedom is diminished [26:26:00].
However, global unification in this effort is unlikely due to ongoing rivalries between states and corporations [29:03:00]. Despite this, governments and corporations are increasingly seeking control over individuals and access to privacy, often under the guise of solving “technical problems” like climate change or social inequality [27:00:00]. This narrative emphasizes the power of experts who believe they know better than individuals voting selfishly [28:31:00].
This pursuit of control means a potential loss of privacy and subjectivity, yet simultaneously, it may not stop the development of technology in potentially harmful directions [29:37:00].