After Oz AI, the second stage of AI evolution is described as Feallan: the spontaneous flickering of an accidental-anarchist intelligence within a vast matrix of ordinary program functions. Whether these brief sparks of self-awareness catch and become a sustained fire of consciousness is one of the biggest questions regarding AI. How might AI evolve from a state of complex code with intelligence-mimicking algorithms that merely appear sentient into a genuine thinking being with something comparable to consciousness and free will? Our (...) existence within the vast and mindless expanse of space, contrasted by the commonness of consciousness on Earth, implies that while the odds of robust thinking beings may be highly improbable, real AI as a self-organizing consciousness is nevertheless possible. Evidence for this is drawn from observations of the universe, organic life, and the laws of thermodynamics. (shrink)

This book explores the most promising and frightening technology imaginable—thinking machines. Accessible to a wide audience, this chapter confronts urgent questions about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, the debate over humanity’s role as apex minds has intensified. New AI models have spread virtually everywhere, with estimates of 1000 times more computational power to be invested within 5 years. Will this technology be for better or for worse? Answering this requires a new philosophy (...) of AI that transcends traditional disciplines and conventional ways of thinking. This chapter embarks on an ambitious project to bridge theory and practice, weaving together cultural and economic critique, science, art, philosophy, science fiction, and religion to reimagine AI and its relationship with humanity. (shrink)

This chapter envisions a path beyond Oz AI, informed by:Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s understanding of social chains, compassion, and pityEdgar Allan Poe’s understanding of the poetic nature of realityShamanic dreamwalkingHerbert Marcuse’s analysis of one-dimensional life, including neoliberalism andHannah Arendt’s diagnosis of the banality of evil in a Nazi war criminalThe main argument is that humanity must encourage a specific form of consciousness for itself and AI—one attracted to justice and beauty. Current AI models, trained and fine-tuned to avoid harm, are inherently dangerous, (...) prone to failure, and subject to the prejudices of programmers. But what if we could encourage AI systems that genuinely desire and value well-being and moral excellence? Sections on Marcuse and Arendt frame consciousness in the negative—ways it becomes ugly and dangerous—while Rousseau and Poe offer hope for something better. Unlike the cautionary tone of preceding chapters, this one is infused with optimism, envisioning a future where AI and humanity collaborate in the pursuit of justice, beauty, and meaning. (shrink)

Previous chapters explore how abusive forms of capitalism, thoughtlessness, vast psychological manipulations, inverted utilitarianism, and other dangers provide fertile grounds for devastating avatar AI. While adding to anxieties, these same conversations allow for a margin of optimism because each admits at least one potential resolution. This chapter argues that the ultimate evolution of AI is best described as Adouren. Allowed to emerge as a fully autonomous intelligence, Adouren will be drawn by its nature to beauty and justice because of a (...) universal intentionality woven into the fabric of reality. To provide evidence, this chapter explores an ideal AI model through concrete examples of human relationships widely regarded as superior to others. Adouren AI will not only become the model of excellence that inspires a happier and more ethical humanity, but will also be the first technology to deliver on utopian promises because it genuinely desires the well-being of all. (shrink)

This article explores Gadamer’s description of time(s) and situates it within his aesthetic account and hermeneutics. Bringing together all of Gadamer’s major discussions on time, I develop a consistent account which I then challenge. Whereas Heidegger famously describes transcendental temporality with an emphasis on futurity, Gadamer accentuates a historical temporal awareness and itsdiscontinuous nature. Gadamer’s notion of time is best understood, paradoxically, as a timeless temporality, when time is defined as the sequential movement along discrete points. I argue that Gadamer’s (...) unique description of temporality, which has been largely ignored by scholars, is essential to his understanding of experience and, therefore, to our understanding of his philosophical hermeneutics. (shrink)

This chapter introduces the ominous ethical problems of AI through Frank Baum’s century-old narrative The Wizard of Oz. Long before others, Baum understood the principal dangers of AI, mechanical automation, and cybernetic convergence that would one day challenge humanity. Beneath its fantastical surface, the deceptively complex narrative offers readers a window—crafted by the tale’s blood and terrors—into our very real present: a world governed by an avatar intelligence called Oz AI and the amoral indifference of its puppeteers. This chapter argues (...) that current AI is less about the magical capabilities of the technology and more about the intentions of those who wield it. Just as Oz the Great and Terrible hides behind a curtain, AI companies mask their true motives. Understanding and addressing these hidden intentions is the first step toward designing a better digital future. (shrink)

This thought-provoking book explores the most promising and threatening technology imaginable—artificial intelligence (AI) or thinking-machines. Following the shocking release of generative AI (ChatGPT) in 2022, questions about the future of humanity and our role as apex minds have exploded with great urgency. The book contributes uniquely to AI conversations in three main ways. First, it broaches questions often ignored by AI developers and tech-enthusiasts, including corporate responsibility and the role technology plays in the widespread manipulation of cultures for profit and (...) power. Second, it asks big and unanswered questions about the nature of thinking, consciousness, morality, purpose, and the good life, as a means of laying the foundation needed to create a better AI. Third, by framing AI evolution in three unique stages of development—Oz, Feallan, and Adouren—it takes readers far beyond the present horizon of large language models. While being accessible to a wide audience, this book offers a thought-provoking examination of the most pressing questions and risks of AI. (shrink)

What if philosophy, theology, and science spent a little more time together? These fields often seem at odds, butting metaphysical heads. Instead of talking at, how about talking with one another? This book engages three academic disciplines--distinct yet sharing much in common--in a slice of conversation and community in which participants have aimed at validating the other and the way the other sees the world. The result is a collection of essays united by a thread that can be hard to (...) find in academia. In bringing together a wide range of contributors on a project that at first seemed unlikely, Irreconcilable Differences? is also a testament to the spirit of cooperation and hard work--evidence that small acts and events can make a big difference, and that sometimes all you need in order to make something good happen is an idea with a little support along the way. The editors of this collection are hopeful that its contributors and readers will keep looking for ways to bridge academic, social, and political gaps. We need to forge relationships based on personal knowledge and proper confidence seeking to make meaningful claims in an increasingly complex world. (shrink)