“Humanity will have the choice to see themselves inferior to machines or superior to machines.” -Pinar Seyhan Demirdag, 60 Minutes Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is generally defined as the point at which an AI system becomes as “intelligent” as a human being. Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) would be a system that far exceeds the intellectual abilities … Read more
I have a friend who always asks me why I am so “negative” about the United States. Why am I so full of criticism about Trump and the Republicans? Why can I not be optimistic and find more “balance” and “joy” in the world? Isn’t everything in God’s hands? Doesn’t HE know what he is … Read more
Great literature allows the reader to vicariously live and learn about other times and places. It challenges us to think critically and engage with new ideas. The genre of science fiction, specifically, can ask us to think about technology and its uses (and abuses). Often, a science fiction story is a cautionary tale about a … Read more
Many of us on the LDS Left were apprehensive about the Fifth Sunday in May, 2026. Our regular Sunday School time was going to be spent with the adults and youth together in a lesson entitled “Celebrating the Founding of the United States and the US Constitution.” Contrary to what many on the Right have … Read more
Previously in this blog I pointed out that AI is a tempting, seductive, snake that will make us stupid and steal our agency for the benefit of selfish billionaires. You can read that post here. I am not a Luddite. I use computers constantly and even have a Master’s degree in Educational Technology. However, this … Read more
“The Big Lie” is a propaganda technique in which an outrageous falsehood is repeated constantly until the public accepts it as truth. The premise is that since no one would presume to invent such a massive lie, it must be true. Of course, people like Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, and other more recent politicians, … Read more
In a democratic republic, the voting public chooses the people who are put into public office and given the powers and responsibilities of governing. Therefore, it follows that the citizens of a republic share the responsibility for the policies enacted, and the actions taken, by the government in their name. 2016 – Strike One If … Read more
Most people don’t want the truth. They want to be right. And if the truth gets in the way of being right, their minds will do something odd – they will lock down. And according to the philosopher Chris Ranalli, when this happens, we should start to call it indoctrination. Jonny Thompson Indoctrination isn’t just … Read more