I accept that in spite of best intentions, one may find oneself muddling along in life, especially when it comes to the larger questions. For example, it is not as though at breakfast I am worrying about the fate of whales. For the whales, their fate is an existential question. But at breakfast, I am worried about amount of sugar in my food at best; but more often I am worried about catching the commuter rail to work on time.
So at breakfast this Saturday, since I have no commuter rail to catch, I decided to pause and articulate ten questions that have been floating around my mind. I have no presumption that these are either the ten largest questions or even that these are the only ten questions. Rather these are the ten questions that have been percolating in me either through my reading, my conversation with friends and family or my own ruminations. Indeed, I also imagine that there is not one answer - and whatever response it is would depend on age, circumstance and perspective.
Ten Questions
About Us
1. What is happiness?
Well over 200 years ago Thomas Jefferson inspired us to pursue happiness. We indeed have been pursuing it.
But do we know what it is?
2. Can one's most deeply held belief be shaken?
A military drone pilot in conducting missions in the Middle East from his "office" in Florida expressed concerns about being desensitized about firing his destructive weapons remotely. Especially, when at the end of the day, he "commuted" back home, like an everyday office worker.
With these sorts of developments, are our beliefs, even the most deeply held one, stable and sustainable?
3. Are we more than a collection of atoms in formation?
Are we a product of atoms glomming together on earth with ever more increasing levels of complexity (which is in a wonder in and of itself)?
Or do we have properties more than the sum of its constituent parts?
Human and Machine
4. Would one rather be a human or a supra-human?
With all these enhanced technologies that are coming fast at us, there is a good chance that we could end up becoming hybrid humans even within this century. Imagine our iPhones and Androids with 10 times the capability, 100 times smaller and inserted into our bodies.
Are we looking forward to becoming this hybrid, or are we glad we would have passed from the scene before that moment arrives?
5. Will a machine designed by us ever gain consciousness?
When I interacted with Ray Kurzweil, CTO of Google and asked him this question he said, "it will be close enough."
On Society
6. What sort of a friend do we prefer (in order of preference)?
- One who does not engage, but lives and lets live
- One who engages, but uncritically with praise
- One who engages, but critically giving no quarter
7. How much should we proactively give to charitable causes?
Is there a baseline or benchmark based on income and life stage? Or do we just muddle along reacting to every knock on the door for some version of girl scout cookies.
8. Should a favor be done without an expectation of a return ..... repeatedly?
At what point, if repeated favors are not reciprocated, does one stop, if at all?
9. Nudging vs Nudgers
If society can be helped with a little nudging here and there (such as helping people to save more etc), how much trust do we put in the nudgers who nudge?
The nudging can come from AI alogirhims, public policy or profit seeking corporations and can have impact at scale.
One for the road
10. Should whales be hunted?
Had to throw this question in!
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Hope you enjoy your breakfast!
So at breakfast this Saturday, since I have no commuter rail to catch, I decided to pause and articulate ten questions that have been floating around my mind. I have no presumption that these are either the ten largest questions or even that these are the only ten questions. Rather these are the ten questions that have been percolating in me either through my reading, my conversation with friends and family or my own ruminations. Indeed, I also imagine that there is not one answer - and whatever response it is would depend on age, circumstance and perspective.
Ten Questions
About Us
1. What is happiness?
Well over 200 years ago Thomas Jefferson inspired us to pursue happiness. We indeed have been pursuing it.
But do we know what it is?
2. Can one's most deeply held belief be shaken?
A military drone pilot in conducting missions in the Middle East from his "office" in Florida expressed concerns about being desensitized about firing his destructive weapons remotely. Especially, when at the end of the day, he "commuted" back home, like an everyday office worker.
With these sorts of developments, are our beliefs, even the most deeply held one, stable and sustainable?
3. Are we more than a collection of atoms in formation?
Are we a product of atoms glomming together on earth with ever more increasing levels of complexity (which is in a wonder in and of itself)?
Or do we have properties more than the sum of its constituent parts?
Human and Machine
4. Would one rather be a human or a supra-human?
With all these enhanced technologies that are coming fast at us, there is a good chance that we could end up becoming hybrid humans even within this century. Imagine our iPhones and Androids with 10 times the capability, 100 times smaller and inserted into our bodies.
Are we looking forward to becoming this hybrid, or are we glad we would have passed from the scene before that moment arrives?
5. Will a machine designed by us ever gain consciousness?
When I interacted with Ray Kurzweil, CTO of Google and asked him this question he said, "it will be close enough."
On Society
6. What sort of a friend do we prefer (in order of preference)?
- One who does not engage, but lives and lets live
- One who engages, but uncritically with praise
- One who engages, but critically giving no quarter
7. How much should we proactively give to charitable causes?
Is there a baseline or benchmark based on income and life stage? Or do we just muddle along reacting to every knock on the door for some version of girl scout cookies.
8. Should a favor be done without an expectation of a return ..... repeatedly?
At what point, if repeated favors are not reciprocated, does one stop, if at all?
9. Nudging vs Nudgers
If society can be helped with a little nudging here and there (such as helping people to save more etc), how much trust do we put in the nudgers who nudge?
The nudging can come from AI alogirhims, public policy or profit seeking corporations and can have impact at scale.
One for the road
10. Should whales be hunted?
Had to throw this question in!
--------
Hope you enjoy your breakfast!
8 comments:
Thank you for sharing these thought-provoking questions you’ve been ruminating on.
It is wonderful fodder for reflection over a cup of coffee on a relaxing Saturday morning.
Good ones. Especially like the happiness thing, our founders worried about. Came up again from Kevin on Thursday.
Love it
Have you read Jordan Peterson’s new book: 12 Rules for Life?
This was great! Such a wide range of questions.
Thought provoking.
1. The meaning of “happiness” in the Declaration is both political and personal. On the political front Conservatives believe the word lives in the writings of John Locke, who believed that happiness was the right to acquire, retain and bequeath property and Liberals who believe it lives in the writings of Rousseau and earlier of Epicurus. On a personal level I believe it is the freedom from fear.
2. Can deeply held beliefs be shaken? Yes, if one has the courage and humility to approach learning with the presumption that our most productive & enjoyable work begins right after we discover that something we have believed for a long time is wrong.
3. Are we more than a collection of atoms. Yes we are BUT it doesn’t hurt to recognize that we are a collection of atoms! Humans are more likely to behave in a an honorable and noble way when in the moment we behold how small we are in the midst of the immense and incomprehensible universe.
4. Human or supra-human? It is a false choice. Technology is a tool that is morally neutral. Humans must decide whether to use technology for good or evil.
5. Will we design a machine with consciousness? No, but the YouTube videos of robots being built by Boston Dynamics make it clear that robots will do almost every physical act better than their human creators. But I do not believe these engineers will ever build the wonderfully mysterious almond shaped amygdala!
6. I prefer a friend who engages critically without giving quarter but who can praise when another does the same. Lives and lets live is not living at all!
7. How much should we give? The best gift - kindness - requires no withdrawal from a bank account. Consider what great mothers give to their children: Unselfish love with a purpose of building a foundation of values that will last a lifetime. Money cannot buy you love.
8. Expecting something in return for a favor is a legal transaction not the expression of a friend. It can become a terrible, pathological trap. Freedom is giving with no expectation of anything is return.
9. Warren Buffett once gave me good advice about writing laws. “Do not try to change human nature. Consider human nature when you write laws so that when we satisfy whatever is our rational self-interest the outcome is desirable.” I accept his advice as my answer to the question of when to “nudge”.
10. This question connects to the preceding one. The tragedy of the commons is that we humans will over use the commons (soil, water, fish, birds, oil) unless we impose limitations. If hunting whales put this specie at risk of extinction - as current weak international laws of the sea do - then hunting must be restricted.
Happy Mother’s Day!!
1. What is happiness? Do we know what it is?
This question is posed by many thinkers' centuries before Thomas Jefferson.
Quoting from a story: Every moment you lived was the only one that was yours. Life is just a moment. A moment that belonged to you. For this reason enjoy this time while you have it.
2. Can one's most deeply held belief be shaken?
Definitely yes! A baby is not born with a religion or a belief. He/she acquires them over time, through parents, religious leaders and teachers. So, most of the beliefs, even the deeply held beliefs, are acquired over time. An unanswered question about the belief or a catastrophic event can completely change that belief. It is also true that the more educated a person is, the more he/she will question the beliefs he/she was taught and greater the chance of their being shaken.
3. Are we more than a collection of atoms in formation?
Definitely yes! We are much more than a collection of atoms. We can think! We have a consciousness. We have a soul or Atman (Though we cannot exactly define what they are). We have feelings, we have many traits and attitudes. Just as a molecule cannot detect its own structure, a person cannot find who actually he/she is! An inanimate object can be made to do functions, sometimes more complicated than humans.
4. Would one rather be a human or a supra-human?
I am not very clear who is a supra human. Perhaps, he is a genetically modified person with super
knowledge, intelligence and strength? If that is the answer, I definitely do NOT wish to be such a person.
5. Will a machine designed by us ever gain consciousness?
This is not an easy question to answer. We first of all, do not know what consciousness, atman/soul are. So, it is difficult to say whether we can design a machine with something we ourselves do not know. Further, the feelings such as happiness, sorrow and empathy are in different degree in different people. So, how can a machine be designed for such complex feelings and attitudes with varying degrees? So, my gut feeling is that we will never be able to design a machine like that.
6. What sort of a friend do we prefer (in order of preference)?
a. One who does not engage, but lives and let's live
b. One who engages, but uncritically with praise?
c. One who engages, but critically giving no quarter?
I would say b, a and c, in that order. However, even this choice cannot be cut and dry and majority of times, depends on the circumstances and the attitude of the person we are dealing with. Even if we have the right choice for a friend or a person we have to deal with, the attitude of the other person could change our way of dealing with him.
7. How much should we proactively give to charitable causes?
This is an interesting question. The answer depends on how much money you have got! The main reason why anyone does give or should give is because the circumstances in which they are in, is much better than those who receive. Further, they have to be thankful that they are in the position of giving rather than receiving.
n give and not what he should give.
8. Should a favor be done without an expectation of a return repeatedly?
Absolutely! That is exactly what Bhagavad Geeta says! In my opinion, the word favor itself means that you do not expect anything in return. If you expect anything in return, it becomes a transaction and not a favor! My father told me once ' If you feel like doing a favor to someone, do it before you count three. Otherwise you will get ideas as per why you should postpone or even not do it at all'!
9. Nudging vs Nudgers
If society can be helped with a little nudging here and there (such as helping people to save more etc.), how much trust do we put in the nudgers who nudge?
Sadly, many of the nudgers (definitely not all) are motivated by their own self-interest rather than the interest of those whom they are nudging. So, I would say that one should do at least a minimum amount of research on the nudger and find what his motives are. If one is convinced that the motives of the nudger are genuinely in his interest, he should definitely trust the nudger. In this, I will follow President Reagan's advice. 'Trust, but verify'.
10. Should whales be hunted?
Should genetic engineering be pursued? There are no true answers to such questions
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