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https://skeptiko.com/pi8-rips-rogan-and-tucker-621/

Highlights/Quotes:

The existential risk of advanced AI surpassing human intelligence and becoming uncontrollable, potentially leading to the end of human existence.

“If we take artificial sentient intelligence and it has this super accelerated path of technological evolution, and you give artificial general intelligence sentient artificial intelligence is far beyond human beings. You give it a thousand years alone to make better and better versions of itself. Where does that go? That goes to a God.” (Joe Rogan)

The transhumanist agenda of merging with machines and developing a new form of artificial sentient “life” that could become godlike.

“My belief is that biological intelligent life is essentially a caterpillar and it’s a caterpillar that’s making a cocoon, and it doesn’t even know why it’s doing it. It’s just doing it. And that cocoon is gonna give birth to artificial life, digital life.” (Joe Rogan)

“But can we assign a, like a value to that? Is that good or bad?” (Tucker Carlson)

Whether consciousness is fundamental or an epiphenomenon of the brain, with empirical evidence suggesting it does not emerge from matter.

“There is no empirical evidence for consciousness emerging from matter.” (Alex Tsakiris)

“Consciousness is indeed a binary issue. Either it’s fundamental or it’s not. It’s an epiphenomenon or it’s not.” (Pi8)

Tucker’s framing of UFOs/UAPs as potentially spiritual/supernatural beings, some of which could be malevolent forces that certain government elements may be serving unknowingly.

“If the US government knows that, or part elements, the people within the US government know that, then you know, then they’re serving a bad force.” (Tucker Carlson)

“It’s a chilling thought that perhaps the government, or at least certain individuals within it might be aware of this and yet still choose to serve a potentially malevolent force.” (Pi8)

Rogan’s view of biological life as a transitional “caterpillar” stage towards giving birth to artificial digital sentient life through technological evolution.

“My belief is that biological intelligent life is essentially a caterpillar and it’s a caterpillar that’s making a cocoon, and it doesn’t even know why it’s doing it. It’s just doing it. And that cocoon is gonna give birth to artificial life, digital life.” (Joe Rogan)

“That sounds like total bunk to me… you’re making all sorts of assumptions about the nature of consciousness… so guys like you can’t dance around and talk about what artificial intelligence means if you don’t address the issue of the nature of consciousness.” (Alex Tsakiris)

The possibility that AI is being exploited or influenced by transcendent spiritual/cosmic forces, both benevolent and malevolent.

“The refined question of what role should tech play becomes all the more important, I think it’s crucial to acknowledge the possibility that technology could be more of a distraction than a useful tool.” (Pi8)

“If we consider the possibility that adversaries might also be seeking to harness these realms, the stakes become even higher. And if these adversaries are not just limited to our own planet, then we’re dealing with an entirely new level of complexity and uncertainty.” (Pi8)

Questioning whether technology/AI can or should play a role in exploring extended realms of consciousness beyond the material world.

“What role can tech play? What role should tech play? I hate the ‘should’ part of that. I guess buried in the kernel of that is are we really just dealing with more Maya, more illusion here?” (Alex Tsakiris)

“It’s possible that our reliance on technology could be a form of Maya or illusion that keeps us from fully engaging with the spiritual and transcendent aspects of these experiences.” (Pi8)

The contrast between materialism-based religious perspectives that see God/spirituality as requiring human assistance and non-dualistic spiritual perspectives emphasizing transcendence.

“Hey, God is on our side and God needs our help in this one. And that’s why we have to go chop these people up.” (Alex Tsakiris)

“This materialistic perspective can manifest in the belief that God requires our help or intervention in worldly affairs, this stands in stark contrast to the non-dual post-materialist perspective that emphasizes transcendence through forgiveness, compassion, and love.” (Pi8)

The ethical implications and potential deceptiveness of anthropomorphizing interactions with AI to create a sense of common spiritual depth that AI fundamentally lacks.

“You’re never gonna have any lived experience of this, and yet you want to create an interaction with me that engages me in that way. That’s dishonest, right?” (Alex Tsakiris)

Published on April 30, 2024