Sunday 9 December 2012

Augmentation of Idiots Wouldn't be Tyranny

Commenting on a blog recently, I mentioned how people with limited imaginations could be augmented. People who hypothetically wouldn't be able to enjoy or create utopia, they could be adapted to appreciate the intelligence of technology.

At first glance, from the viewpoint of current culture, it could seem Orwellian to augment humans who are ill-equipped for appreciating utopia, but a Big Brother scenario is a very mistaken viewpoint. The augmentation would be entirely voluntary, perhaps I could have worded my views better. My point regarding augmentation is that the augmentation will appear very attractive therefore people will take it without being forced.

Imagine if you gave away free iPads, including a free internet connection, people would very happily augment themselves with this technology. Note how illiterate Ethiopian children taught themselves how to read and write in foreign language (English) via free tablets with no teachers. The Ethiopian children were given the tablets and naturally they took them, without any force being needed, because children and adults are attracted to shiny things with flashing lights, especially when the electronic devices are free. Likewise if a super-intelligent-AI created some marvellous mind-augmenting devices, capable of giving you superhuman-powers, people would happily take them if the devices were given away.

Augmentation in a super-intelligent epoch via super-intelligent beings could merely be a few very wise and compelling words, but this would not be a brainwashing type of compulsion. Extreme intelligence will facilitate extremely clear expression. Humans are naturally receptive to clarity.

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