Video
This week’s choice of a video is entitled “Singularity or Bust”. It’s a fascinating look into the minds of two of our most prominent Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) experts, Ben Goertzel and Hugo de Garis. Next, we offer a quick look at the musical talent of Janelle Monáe.
The video begins with Ben on a ferry in Hong Kong explaining his startling thesis: “I believe we can create a positive Singularity in ten years.” A little later he adds: “We humans are at a funny place in our evolution right now. We put more money and energy into creating chocolatier chocolates and men’s sexy underpants than we do to provide better schools, health care, and smarter AGI.”
This long-haired, iconoclastic-mathematical-AGI-radical-philosophical genius with more than 70 high level publications to his credit then introduces us to another of his genre, Hugo de Garis, who at the time of this videotaping was leading a lab in China that he hoped would become a world center for AGI.
Whatever you think of their ideas and associations with the Peoples Republic of China, they will stimulate an examination of some fascinating worldviews.
Don’t let your concern for the Tibetan people, the Tiananmen Square massacre of students yearning for democracy, or your alarm at the vast and growing output of greenhouse gases from coal-fired energy plants in China interfere with an appreciation for the contributions of these two remarkable individuals to the future of humanity. (That could be like falling into the dreaded pit of argumentum ad hominem.)
Heck and besides, I even heard just this morning that China’s newest leader is abolishing labor camps in China. He’s so radical that he’s even establishing policies that encourage people not to kill their baby daughters.
The video can be found at the KurzweilAI.net (Accelerating Intelligence) website and watched for free.
Music
In our “expert” opinion, there is no one in the world today who is more creative in performance or in the weaving of meaningful words with beautiful music than Janelle Monáe. Her latest output includes The Electric Lady, an album with a generous 19 songs, including my personal favorites: Ghetto Woman, Look Into My Eyes, and Our Favorite Fugitive.
But if you really want to experience awe at performing genius, get her albums The ArchAndroid (Deluxe) and Metropolis: The Chase Suite and watch her music videos Many Moons, Violet Stars Happy Hunting, and Sincerely Jane.
Here’s a brief sample of her lyrics from Sincerely Jane:
“…The way we live, the way we die, what a tragedy. I’m so terrified. Daydreamers, please wake up. We can’t sleep no more…”
In a recent radio interview on the BBC, she described her artistic endeavors as an effort to create connections between people who see each other as so different that something like a barrier exists between them—resulting in much unnecessary conflict and injustice.
Her albums, music videos, podcasts (She’s described in one as a “science fiction pop artist”), and songs can be found on iTunes. If you haven’t already delved into her work, you’re in for some delightful and emancipatory moments