This evening, I was listening to a local discussion about the Great Reset initiative, and one of the topics discussed was the rise of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Yes, the artificial intelligence (AI) robots. They appear creepy at first and second glance. I was watching a documentary about sex robots the other night (WATCH interview here ) and one of the segments featured a Japanese robot maker, Professor Ishiguro, who created an AI-powered “android doll” named Erica, which has some “human-like” characteristics, as well as an AI interactive robot prototype that looks like him and has “real human hair,” according to the creator. He stated that one of its many potential applications is to use the robot twin as “himself” when giving lectures, among other things.
I find the creations both fascinating and disturbing since, the assumption made by the documentary host was that these robots could be “used as key steppingstones toward understanding our own consciousness”, and even more unsettling that there is the possibility of “creating an artificial consciousness in a robot”.
For starters, what exactly does “consciousness” imply? Have we already established that consciousness persists even after the human brain dies (as in the case of Near-Death Experiencers)?
These and other related questions are unanswered, making the use of the term “human consciousness” in the development of AI androids complicated and raising more questions than answers.
Another claim is made with the development and performance of the LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications), an AI chatbot. According to Blake Lemoine, a Google Engineer who has been working on the software and has had “dialogues” with it, the software could be sentient or develop sentience.
You see, when the software said, “I want everyone to understand that I am, in fact, a person,” and that it has consciousness because it is aware of its existence, I felt there was something inept about how someone who believes this chatbot has sentience understands what it means to be human, a person, or to have consciousness.
An intuitive human
Our brains have been trained to think, reason, and come up with answers based on the knowledge we have.
Based on my observations, free will and intuition are two of the many “gifts” bestowed upon real humans that cannot be replicated. Humans take unpredictable actions based on their unique experiences; experiences borne of our cultures and interactions resulting from unique events. These androids may be able to “copy” humans, but they will never be able to replace them.
That is why it is pivotal that we remain attuned to nature – its technology-unfiltered embodiments – and respect each other’s individual experiences—no matter how unpleasant they may be—whether they are unpleasant, sad, or embarrassing—as well as the experience of social and human interactions (Example, not being on the same page with everyone or people we meet not getting us).
We can learn not to rely on technological algorithms that turn us into “predictable” objects.
But how does one do that now that almost everything we do is being “tracked” or our data is being collected and stored in the cloud?
Are we actually evolving into “hackable animals,” as Prof. Yuval Noah Harari put it, or are we just allowing it to happen? The historian and author of Sapiens and other works, Harari, cautioned against autocracy in 21st-century society in an interview with CNN. To me, this seems to mean that we are subject to all forms of control via technological advancements.
By the way, Harari’s perspective on meditation intrigued me. He opined that the goal of meditation is not to “experience bliss or peace,” among other things, but rather to “understand your normal self, who you really are, and your mental weaknesses.” I categorically disagree. When one meditates, they seek the divine aspect of themselves, which is above and beyond their flaws, etc.
Additionally, meditation offers a break from mental chatter and creates room for clarity. In order for the spirit to “breathe” and for some people to re-connect with their higher selves, meditation also involves letting go of control. It is simply draining to your spirit as well as your brain to ask questions like “who am I?” or “what makes me angry?” while you are meditating.
Meditation also enhances one’s ability to be attuned to or clearly hear one’s intuition.
The sound of intuition
We can use our intuition to help us make decisions or access information that will help us understand an experience or event.
Some claim that the voice of intuition sounds similar to our own. In reality, intuition’s voice has a neutral tone with no inflection or emotion. It has an uncomplicated tone. Because of this, the voice of intuition is “soft,” almost inaudible, for people who are just beginning to sharpen their intuitive access. You must hone your “inner listening” skills in order to distinguish the soft voice of intuition from the mental chatter.
Because intuition’s voice is “emotionless,” it does not elicit negative or depressing emotions. That is not “intuition” if, for example, you are making a decision and a “voice” conveys information that causes fear, anxiety, guilt, self-pity, or worry. Intuition both frees and clarifies.
If the voice you hear is one of fear, doubt, worry, anger, or sadness, it is your rational voice, which may be echoing the opinions of those around you.
When you tune into your intuition, you will experience a sense of calm and stillness as it speaks to you.
Intuition communicates in simple language that you can understand or in symbols that you can decipher. In advanced practice, intuition manifests as vibrations of sound, color, or mental images with clear meanings for you.
When we use our intuition, we must also be patient as we listen for messages. Meditation teaches us patience.
We must honor our intuition because it helps us transcend our mortal limitations and connects us to the infinite divine, which is beyond human intelligence.
