[ExI] The Real Threat of Artificial Intelligence

William Flynn Wallace foozler83 at gmail.com
Fri Jun 30 15:26:55 UTC 2017


On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 1:24 PM, Stuart LaForge <avant at sollegro.com> wrote:

> Bill W wrote:
> > On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 12:48 AM, Stuart LaForge <avant at sollegro.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> It is preposterous to think that flipping burgers or waiting tables
> >> gives people purpose. I would instead warrant that the majority who work
> >> such menial jobs do so because they must and not necessarily because
> >> they want to.
> >>
> >> ?I strongly disagree.  I have worked as a waiter, ditchdigger, farm
> >> worker, soda jerk, roofer and more.  I took pride in everything I did.
> >> "Look that that ditch.  Is it not a thing of beauty?"  Ok, so that's a
> >> bit much, but I think that the attitude that manual laborers are not
> >> enjoying their jobs is just mistaken, and the idea that they can't get
> >> some meaning out of it is patronizing.  You are saying that if manual
> >> labor is all a person is capable of, then they do not have and cannot
> >> have a meaningful life.  Just wrong.
>
> I think you are misunderstanding me, Bill. I am not saying that a person
> cannot find meaning in doing manual labor. And I am not saying a person
> cannot take pride in a job well done. I am saying that there is nothing
> inherent in a job, any job, that *gives* them that meaning except in so
> far as they *choose* to find it there. If any of the jobs you listed were
> truly the purpose of your life, you would still be doing that job.
>
> Now to this hypothetical, and somewhat far-fetched, person you mention who
> is incapable of anything other than manual labor. I never said he or she
> does not have or cannot have  a meaningful life. He will just have to find
> a purpose or meaning apart from getting paid for his manual labor.
>
> He could, for example, live off of his subsistence check every month and
> volunteer his manual labor to his community for free. He could dig ditches
> and landscape his neighbor's backyard. He could become a weight lifter or
> body builder. He could become a personal fitness trainer. In short, there
> are many things he could do to live a meaningful life as long as he
> chooses to find meaning in what he does.
>
> My point is that the purpose and meaning of human life are not values that
> can be externally assigned to someone by God, society, or the labor
> market. They have to found from within by the individual in question. And
> maybe asking yourself what you would spend your time doing, if all your
> bills were taken care of, might be a good place to start.
>
> Stuart LaForge
>
> ​Stuart, I would have thought that the idea that we each have to make our
> own way regarding purpose in life would go without saying, but of course
> it's correct.  I do think that finding 'our purpose' is incorrect in that
> we could have numerous purposes and meanings because we are in a group
> whose members probably are all over 120 IQ, have more than one thing we can
> do very well, and so I think that we know that we can do things most people
> can't, can understand things most can't, can love things most can't, and so
> on.
>

​So who is to say that one has to have only one purpose in life?  Or even
has to have a purpose?  I have not taught psych in a long time now, but
still read a lot of books on it - with no purpose outside my head.
Intrinsically satisfying.

Along the way I have wanted to become a good photographer, piano player,
gardener, and a few more, and I can say that all gave me pleasure without
having to stand the load of being a 'purpose'.  All of it is meaningful to
me​.

When I left law school after one semester (Whew!!  Thank you, self) I had
to choose among the three majors I had.  I chose well I think, though I
could have done the other two pretty well also.

Nah, I would not be doing any of those early jobs I had.  Some I had to do,
for the money, some I liked but saw that my abilities lay far beyond
those.  But if I had failed at anything I maybe would have had to do some
of them.  It was apparent before first grade that I was destined for a life
of the mind.

bill w

>>
>
>
>
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