[extropy-chat] Engineered Religion (was Atheism in decline)

[ben]

  john-c-wright at sff.net wrote:

 >Like all good parents, we must instruct our children in the basic rules of
morality, lest they become monsters and turn on us. My question then 
becomes:
what religion do we teach the intelligent machines in the early days, before
they are independent? Do we want them all to be athiests, impatient and
uncomprehending of the spiritual life of man?

 >We could make them open-minded agnostics, not believing in anything in
particular, but this might make them prey to fads and lunacies. (No offense
meant to respected agnostic brethren, but it is state of mind where the
wondering of man finds no rest.


How do you get from "we must instruct our children in the basic rules of
morality" to "what religion do we teach the intelligent machines in the 
early days, before
they are independent?" ?

Are you making the common mistake of assuming that morality can only 
come from religion? (with the implication that non-believers are amoral, 
if not immoral)

It's 'belief' that causes the problems. It's belief that tells you that 
you are right and he is wrong, regardless of any evidence or facts.

Agnostics are prey to fads and lunacies?!?
But the whole POINT of agnosticism is it *protects* you from fads and 
lunacies!

"No offense meant to respected agnostic brethren, but it is state of 
mind where the wondering of man finds no rest."

This is a bad thing? the 'wondering of man' is what has driven us to 
become what we are. Stop the wondering and you stop progress. When you 
stop wondering, it's time to buy a teapot-shaped hat and start killing 
everybody who denies the absolute truth of what's written in this here 
<insert name of 'holy book'>.

A religious AI is probably my worst nightmare.

ben