Whenever I get close to finishing a piece, I get excited to send it. Sometimes I forget to put in stuff I was thinking about in the first draft. The following is a comment that gained likes on a more popular 'Stack than this:
I wonder how intelligent AIs have to become before we realize the greatest things about being human doesn't revolve around intelligence - and certainly not the funded elite intelligence required to relieve the common man of his need for self-sufficient intelligence. Considering how few on the Left really talk about teaching and grading virtue in public schools, but just banning prayer it comes as no surprise that so many end up with a god-shaped hole. Because when you are single-mindedly trying to outsmart your fellow man, well there's a problem with that strict a meritocracy. If you don't believe me, let's have our best in our nations capitol go against Chinese in theirs. Mathematics anyone? Classical piano?
It seems obvious to me that atheist midwits would suggest that the Inquisition wasn't so bad, but to not retort with the reason the Soviets suppressed their Christians and then slaughtered and starved arbitrary numbers of them, there's a lacuna. I'm not suggesting that atheist philosophy is not capable of moral discernment, but there is a substantial difference between authoritarianism and the motivations of the faithful. The faithful Christian, at least, seeks atonement from original sin, which is the axiomatic acceptance of human fallibility. That is the kind of humility Leftists cannot abide, nor fundamentalists. But who actually believes evangelical Christian fundamentalism is what animates Americans as a blanket proposition? Have we forgotten who built hospitals and schools?
I was stunned to hear Rabbi David Wolpe explain that Christianity taught the world that there is room for secular and canon law. But there's always something new to learn from the position of humility. The very ubiquity of Christianity is a demonstration of its compatibility with everything everywhere all at once. That's the message of the Apostle Paul. You may still bend the knee to Caesar, but we're still brothers in Christ, that realm of moral discernment and the ambition of self-improving virtue that continues. You don't have to believe in any supreme anything to recognize the intellectual virtues of putting virtue before intelligence. Christians I know have and eat both cakes. Like that dude Maxwell whose equations are still rather stunning.
Great essay! Made me think. Claude 3.7 is the champion this week. Who will be the champion next week? And the week after that? And the week after that? What a time to be alive as the exponential charts accelerate. An Age of Abundance lies straight ahead of us on the other side of disruption and chaos and dystopia. Mo Gawdat is my favorite AI guru. I can follow him. Many don't appreciate what is coming between now and 2030. Some do...and we call them First Movers.
Whenever I get close to finishing a piece, I get excited to send it. Sometimes I forget to put in stuff I was thinking about in the first draft. The following is a comment that gained likes on a more popular 'Stack than this:
I wonder how intelligent AIs have to become before we realize the greatest things about being human doesn't revolve around intelligence - and certainly not the funded elite intelligence required to relieve the common man of his need for self-sufficient intelligence. Considering how few on the Left really talk about teaching and grading virtue in public schools, but just banning prayer it comes as no surprise that so many end up with a god-shaped hole. Because when you are single-mindedly trying to outsmart your fellow man, well there's a problem with that strict a meritocracy. If you don't believe me, let's have our best in our nations capitol go against Chinese in theirs. Mathematics anyone? Classical piano?
It seems obvious to me that atheist midwits would suggest that the Inquisition wasn't so bad, but to not retort with the reason the Soviets suppressed their Christians and then slaughtered and starved arbitrary numbers of them, there's a lacuna. I'm not suggesting that atheist philosophy is not capable of moral discernment, but there is a substantial difference between authoritarianism and the motivations of the faithful. The faithful Christian, at least, seeks atonement from original sin, which is the axiomatic acceptance of human fallibility. That is the kind of humility Leftists cannot abide, nor fundamentalists. But who actually believes evangelical Christian fundamentalism is what animates Americans as a blanket proposition? Have we forgotten who built hospitals and schools?
I was stunned to hear Rabbi David Wolpe explain that Christianity taught the world that there is room for secular and canon law. But there's always something new to learn from the position of humility. The very ubiquity of Christianity is a demonstration of its compatibility with everything everywhere all at once. That's the message of the Apostle Paul. You may still bend the knee to Caesar, but we're still brothers in Christ, that realm of moral discernment and the ambition of self-improving virtue that continues. You don't have to believe in any supreme anything to recognize the intellectual virtues of putting virtue before intelligence. Christians I know have and eat both cakes. Like that dude Maxwell whose equations are still rather stunning.
In the end, humanity needs to deal with evil. There are all kinds of intelligent ways of making deals with the Devil. That's what any effective State Department or Intelligence Service does in every nation. I think too many atheists would rather just beat up the faithful than actually combat evil. This is a corollary to my thinking here. [https://mdcbowen.substack.com/p/the-return-of-evil?utm_source=publication-search](https://mdcbowen.substack.com/p/the-return-of-evil?utm_source=publication-search)
Great essay! Made me think. Claude 3.7 is the champion this week. Who will be the champion next week? And the week after that? And the week after that? What a time to be alive as the exponential charts accelerate. An Age of Abundance lies straight ahead of us on the other side of disruption and chaos and dystopia. Mo Gawdat is my favorite AI guru. I can follow him. Many don't appreciate what is coming between now and 2030. Some do...and we call them First Movers.