Reality + Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David J. Chalmers

We create simulations in this reality, computer simulations made up of 0s and 1s. Now imagine some entity at a higher level, which simulates us using atoms, quarks, and whatever. Atoms, quarks as well as 0s and 1s are building blocks that create different kinds of realities. They are different, but they are realities non the less. So, even if we live in a simulation, this is still our reality, not an illusion. In a few decades/centuries, technology could be so advanced to make perfect digital copies of our brains. And if the brain copies are so perfect, they could potentially be conscious. We could build simulations inhabited by conscious Sims (simulated people). Since they are conscious, they posses moral status. It follows then that the creation of simulations would need ethical considerations, to not violate Sims's rights. There is so much on this book, a good chunk of which goes beyond me, I can not summarise, so I included a synopsis below.

The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis by David J. Chalmers in Science Fiction and Philosophy from Time Travel to Superintelligence Ed Susan Schneider

This a 47 page paper originally published in Journal of Conscious Studies 2010. It looks into the possibility of a Singularity and its impact on humanity which may “force us to think hard about values and morality and about consciousness and personal identity.” 

A singularity involves an intelligence explosion and possibly a (technology) speed explosion. However in order to determine if there will be an intelligence explosion we “need to understand what intelligence is and whether machines might have it.” The paper discusses how we are far from understanding how a brain works, how it can be intelligent, and be conscious. We are slowly progressing in understanding the mechanics of the brain but we don’t know what makes it conscious. 

The author makes a distinction between AI (human-level AI), AI+ (artificial intelligence more intelligent than us) and AI++ (super unimaginable artificial intelligence) and discusses ways to achieve them. For example by brain emulation, brain enhancement, or direct programming or machine learning. In terms of the possible consequences of a Singularity we need to explore our role in it. Chalmers predicts 4 possible outcomes: Extinction: which is obviously undesirable Isolation: which is unattractive akin to cultural and technological isolation Inferiority: could diminish the significance of our lives. Integration: we become superintelligent too.

Chalmers supports integration (of course) and proposes ways to achieve it through Uploading. Uploading means making a digital copy of the brain in processes which could or not destroy the original brain. Questions which arise are: Will an uploaded version of me be conscious? And Will it be me? Excellent Thought Provoking Read.

Science Fiction and Philosophy. From Time Travel to Superintelligence. Edited by Susan Schneider. Introduction and Part 1. 🧠🧠🧠🧠

Essays on philosophical concepts using elements from Science fiction literature and films. I read the Introduction and Part 1 which includes 1 short story, 2 essays and 2 extracts from classic Philosophy works. 

Introduction: excellent. Clarifies some of the concepts to be explored throughout the book and provides some examples from literature and films. 

1. Reinstalling Eden: Happiness on a hard drive by Eric Schwitzgebel and R. Scott Bakker. Loved it. It's about a researcher who creates a virtual woman and then a partner for her. As they develop a relationship the researcher starts using more computing resources to provided a better world for them. But when should he stop? 

2. Are you in a Computer Simulation? by Nick Bostrom. Four pages of dense text with Bostrom trying to convince the reader why we might be living in a simulation. And yes, we might 🤔 I liked one point Bostrom makes: If we are in a simulation, Afterlife might be possible. We can be recreated in another simulation or maybe we can be brought to the real world. 

3. Plato's Cave. Excerpt from the Republic. Not my cup of tea. 

4. Some Cartesian thought experiments. Descartes: do our minds exist outside space-time? 🤔 

5. The Matrix as Metaphysics by David J. Chalmers. My favourite chapter in Part 1. Discussing ideas about humans living in a simulation or a matrix. The author explains the Matrix Hypothesis (are we in a Matrix?), Envatment (brain in a vat) and the Skeptical Hypothesis (which explains how some beliefs, if true, would falsify every other beliefs we have). The aim of the essay is to explain why, for Chalmers, Matrix Hypothesis and Envatment are not skeptical Hypothesis but Metaphysical Hypothesis (concerned with the fundamental nature of reality).