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Exploring Posthuman Conundrums and Policy Recommendations for Fostering Peaceful Co-Existence with Sapio-Sentient Intelligences

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Exploring Posthuman Conundrums and Policy Recommendations for Fostering Peaceful Co-Existence With Sapio-Sentient Intelligences The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Anderson Ravindran, Nichole. 2018. Exploring Posthuman Conundrums and Policy Recommendations for Fostering Peaceful Co-Existence With Sapio-Sentient Intelligences. Master's thesis, Harvard Extension School. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:42004060 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Exploring Posthuman Conundrums and Policy Recommendations for Fostering Peaceful Co-Existence with Sapio-Sentient Intelligences N. Anderson Ravindran A Thesis in the Field of International Relations for the Degree of Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Harvard University November 2018 i © 2018 Nichole Anderson Ravindran ii Abstract The potential emergence of artificial general intelligence and artificial superintelligence in the unforeseen future will put humanity in the position of no longer being the most intelligent species on Earth. The general intelligences and superintelligences would have a higher probability of being conscious, sapient, and sentient or as they are referred to in this thesis as sapio-sentient intelligences or sapio-sentients. This creates a conundrum for humanity in terms of how they can best prepare for this kind of singularity event. Although humanity has no way of knowing how sapio-sentients would engage with them in the initial period of their existence, the only thing humanity would be able to control in this future scenario is how they treat them. To counter the potential existential risks sapio-sentients would instigate for humanity, present AI creators and researchers, decision theorists and philosophers are working in concert to generate and implement control measures, which would increase humanity’s likelihood of overcoming such obstacles. And yet, the elephant in the room is that the control approach is more than likely to catalyze an adverse relationship of indifference between humanity and sapio-sentients. The challenge of this study is to determine whether a strong correlation exists between the control approach and the ill treatment sapio-sentients receive due to their lack of posthuman rights and protections. Since sapio-sentient intelligences do not exist in the present world, the alternative worlds of HBO’s Westworld and AMC’s Humans was employed to study the interactions between iii both groups. After reviewing the data, the findings do show a strong correlation between the control approach and ill treatment due to the control approach. A potential solution is provided to counter the adverse effects of the control approach for present-day and future human–sapio-sentient interactions. Some posthuman policy recommendations are proposed for how to protect sapio- sentients and humanity during the initial-to-transition period of their emergence until a better long-term solution can be found. iv Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the alien superintelligences, future sapio- sentients, present-day artificial intelligences, the Cosmos, and last but not least my family. You inspire me to dream beyond the stars and to never forget to strive to be the best version of me. v Acknowledgments I would like to thank Professor Rebecca Lemov, my thesis director, from the Department of the History of Science, for all your patience, understanding, encouragement, and support as I completed this project. I truly thank you for taking a chance on my thesis. You have made this challenging and exciting subject matter a rewarding experience for me. To Doug Bond, my research advisor, and Joe Bond, you have both been some of my greatest champions while working towards completing my program. I cannot thank you enough for your support as advisors and as my professors. You gave me creative latitude to explore seemingly unrelated aspects of varying subjects. Thank you both for challenging me to new academic heights. In addition, I would like to thank Professor David C. Parkes, George F. Colony Professor of Computer Science at the School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, for taking the time to meet with me, listen to my ideas, and providing insight on my project. I am truly appreciative of your time. To academic advisors, Chuck Houston and Sarah Powell, I would like to thank you both for your helping me complete my thesis proposal. Your support has meant so much to me. Lastly, to my family, my DCE family, friends, the library, research, and DCE administrative staffs as well as all of those I have met along the way, thank you all for going on this journey with me. I could not have done this without you. vi Table of Contents Dedication ......................................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................ ix List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................... x Operational Definitions ............................................................................................................................ xi I. Introduction: Realizing Future Policy in Philosophical Thought Experiments .. 1 II. In An Effort to Avoid Skynet: The AI (Superintelligence) Control Problem .... 10 III. In Preparation of Exploring Posthuman Realities: Research Methodology and Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 57 Phase One – Data Collection ............................................................................................................................ 59 Phase Two – Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 64 Phase Three – Solution and Policy Recommendations ................................................................... 79 Limitations ................................................................................................................................................................ 80 IV. Findings: An Account of Experiences of Indifference in Westworld and Humans ............................................................................................................................................. 84 V. Learning through Posthuman Realities: Unconscious Lessons from Terrestrial Human–Sapio-Sentient Transactional Interactions .............................................. 90 Prerequisite Grounding: The Interconnectivity of Intelligence, the External Environment and Experiential Learning ............................................................................ 91 vii Maeve’s Pattern Recognition in Westworld ........................................................................................ 147 Hester’s Pattern Recognition within the Humans Ecosystem ................................................. 162 Reaching an Inference about Humans ................................................................................................... 179 To Err is Human: The Good, the Indifferent, and the Utterly Confusing .......................... 199 Potential Solution: Rational Compassion and the Mutual-Commensal Approach ....... 212 VI. Back from the Future: Posthuman Implications in the Present-Day Human World ................................................................................................................................................ 214 VII. Posthuman Policy Recommendations ............................................................................... 236 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................... 243 viii List of Figures Figure 1. Control Measures of the Control Approach ........................................................... 33 Figure 2. Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics Webcomic ...................................................... 69 Figure 3. Data Analysis Plan ................................................................................................................ 71 Figure 4. Multilayered Unit of Analysis ....................................................................................... 72 Figure 5. Space Map for Science Fiction/Philosophical Thought Experiment ...... 76 Figure 6. Hypothesized Relationship and Internal Relationships ................................ 77 Figure 7. Outcomes − Real and Potential − of the Hypothesized Relationship ..... 78 Figure 8. Emphasized Relationship for Testing Hypothesized Relationship ......... 79 Figure 9. Map of Space of Possible Minds ................................................................................... 81 Figure 10. Agent-Environment Framework of Intelligence ..........................................
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