Questioning AI, Joy, Human, Atheists, and Sex

"Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks."

-- Stephen Hawking

How can organizations ensure ethical and responsible use of AI in their leadership practices?

Developing ethical and responsible worldwide rules dictating how AI can be developed and used.

What is the dumbest but funniest thing you have seen?

I was on the deck of a local cigar shop sipping on bourbon. The bartender across the drive was having a cigarette outside. When she turned, I saw a 3-inch cut in the butt of her jeans. I focused on it and saw a flesh color. I went over and asked her if she would mind turning around. My suspicions were validated, and I told her she had a slit in her jeans. She dropped her cigarette and felt the butt of her jeans. She turned red and I told her, “There it is.” I laughed. She backed in the door and stayed behind the bar for the rest of her shift. I see her occasionally and ask how her butt is doing. She smiles. I think she wears a thong.

Is there a fight against critical thinkers?

You just can’t convince the “stupid thinkers” that it’s a necessity.

What was the biggest decision taken by you that changed your life?

I was doing great as a Psychology major in college when I got my draft notice for Vietnam. I joined the Air Force in 1972 and served for almost 23 years in the Intelligence field.

I was going to ask a good question, but I forgot it. What was it?

“Why?”

If you cannot fault the maths but will not accept the conclusion, then doesn’t that mean that you have a literal mental problem?

If the conclusion makes no sense, but I cannot fault the maths, then I have a problem with the maths. There is something in the maths that I’m not seeing.

The following is my problem with "academia": 

Author comment: What if the thing you are not seeing is that the conclusion is right? Does reality have an obligation to make sense to you? Can you ethically reject the publication of a paper in the hope that you will find an error in the future?

My reply: I can’t "ethically" reject what I can’t prove. Like Einstein, I will have to stay with the problem longer.

Reader comment: John Mandlbaur (aka Angular Energy) is the greatest discoverer of this millenium, he discovered friction in a simple demonstration experiment, the handheld ball on the string: Andrea Sacchetti's post in Mandlbaur Unluckily he is mistreated like Galilei by us hostile and gangstalking physicists for meanwhile 9 years.

My reply:  Good for him. But we are discussing my conclusions, not his, and you spelled "millennium" wrong. 

Reader-3 comment: I agree with your conclusions, they are reasonable. And Mr. Mandlbaur got the issues clearly listed on a silver platter. Every physicist and engineer understands his problem, but somehow the arguments do not really reach him, to express it politely.

My reply:  Finally, a light in the darkness.

Author's reply:  Excellent. Then in honest academic behaviour, you must in the meantime, support publication, so that more people can stay with the problem longer, right?

My reply:  Only if the issues are clearly listed so that “academia” will stay with the problem longer.

Author's reply: What do you mean by clearly listed? Academia is brushing the evidence under the carpet because they are terrified of the fact that everything must be trashed right down to the ground and re-done properly. I don’t understand it because the lip service is very different to the reality.

My reply: "Redone" doesn't have a hyphen. 

Reader-2 Comment: You clearly don’t understand academia. If everything really did have to be “trashed right down to the ground and re-done properly”, it would be an absolutely amazing academic opportunity. Think of all the research grants, research, papers, lectures, studies, projects, classes, conferences, reference books, textbooks and inventions it would mean! That’s the kind of thing every academic hopes for. Sadly, your so-called “evidence” suggests none of that, because it’s obviously just your own mistakes.

My reply: Now we agree. You guys are as thick and hard as concrete. What part of "I have a problem with the maths" did you not understand? You might be smart as a whip, but you have a problem reading.

“It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.”

-- Albert Einstein

How do I create joy and happiness for myself?

What you seek is a simple choice. Strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. Everything else in life is about attaining goals. This is about choosing happiness. You don’t have to work for it or plan for it, all you need to do is choose it before anything else you need. When you wake up in the morning, be thankful for the gift of life that you can enjoy for another day. Any day on this side of the dirt is a great day we can use for selflessness.

How come people say I’m funny? I'm a woman.

Well, that explains it.

Is it possible to love your enemy compassionately?

The “enemy” is usually a soldier or a civilian doing what their country tells them to do. I can love them compassionately, but if it comes down to kill or be killed, they’re going down. 

How would you react to someone saying, "I don't make jokes"?

I’d laugh and say, “That’s pretty funny.”

Do non-philosophers deserve a place in important discussions? Are non-philosophers terrible for discourse? And perhaps, do they have an entitlement to convos? Share experiences.

Define “philosophy,” for the common human, and you’ll find most of us are philosophers. Most of us have a philosophy for life, for work, for love and friendship. I am not educated in philosophy, but I have about 20 books that discuss it at length. I refer to them often and learn much from the philosophers of old. Do I deserve a place in important discussions? Maybe not, but people seem to like what I say. So, maybe I’ve learned something from all the books? 

When do you say something is a moral experience?

When I’ve decided not to have the “sex of a lifetime” with a married woman.

“Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people we personally dislike.”

-- Oscar Wilde

 What it means to be a human or to be a good human?

Is this a question or a statement? 

What do you think of people who do nothing all day?

It is a waste of life. Any day on this side of the dirt is a great day to be alive. To do nothing wastes the life you have been gifted. Read, study, learn, meditate, volunteer, but do something that shows you give a damn about your life.

How would you react if you won $8.4 million?

With my luck, they’d announce it five minutes after I die.

Will having money make me unhappy?

If you’re unhappy now, then having money will be a placebo. It will feel like happiness, but it will fall very short. If you have discovered true happiness with nothing, then having everything won’t mean much since you’re already happy.

Reader comment: Great answer, Tony. Money only brings contentment. It doesn't give joy and peace, that's why, and I am probably repeating myself. Mega millionaires and billionaires keep buying things because they're not happy. If you ever notice, if you go into an exotic car dealership, you'll see a used Lamborghini or a Rolls-Royce with maybe 1000 miles on it because people get very sick of these cars very quickly and they want something new and stimulating to bring happiness. Paradoxically, it must be very sad to keep searching for happiness when you have the means, meaning if the ultra-rich could just understand, and if they helped the poor and marginalized, they would have inner peace and joy in their heart, like Mr. Potter in the movie called It's a Wonderful Life, or Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. 

What do rich people want from the poor?

Absolutely nothing.

Why are some people good at everything?

Nobody is good at everything. It may seem like it, but they aren’t. People are flawed, and the flaws, though hidden, can be discovered if you look closely enough. If they knew everything, they would be perfect, but there is no such thing as perfect. The best we can do is strive for excellence.

“If you spend your life trying to be good at everything, you will never be great at anything.”

-- Tom Rath

What are the problems with atheism?

The same problems with theism - no proof. Both sides have “faith” in their belief, but faith is a belief in something for which there is little or no proof.

Can an atheist's beliefs be challenged? What methods could be used to do so?

Ask for proof. Neither side has any.

Can someone be considered intelligent if they are highly educated but lack common sense?

Their Intelligence Quotient (IQ) may qualify them as “intelligent,” but it is no guarantee that they have any “common” sense. It doesn’t even guarantee they have good sense. 

Is it okay to pray anywhere?

Yes. I talk to God at the drop of a hat.

Is being an atheist the same as being against religion?

I am against “organized” religion, with its rules and ceremonies. I prefer to talk to my God when I choose to and in my way. I follow a more “spiritual” path.

What do you know about atheism?

They don’t believe in a God. I don’t believe in the definition of “God” as a sentient being. I think, from a spiritual standpoint, “God” is an omnipotent power that created the universe. That “power” can be defined in whatever way suits an individual. Atheists simply don’t buy into religious beliefs. There is no afterlife, no heaven or hell. When they are done here, that is the end.

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?

Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

-- Epicurus

Is it normal to be okay with having sex with anyone for sexual gratification?

Yes, but, as always, you run the risk of contracting an STD. Better to fall in love and check each other out.

Will Trump supporters win the booby prize?

That was already handed out to Biden supporters.

What makes it difficult to find a strong argument for atheism?

There is no strong argument for either side. If you argue you must have a modicum of proof, which niether side has. Without “proof” you stand as a babbling idiot in a crowd. Both sides of the “God” argument have faith that they are right, yet neither side has any incontrovertible proof that they can present.

What would you do if you saw an atheist?

They are just another person. I will show them the same respect they choose to show me.

Why do people even bother with this platform? It has become a site full of idiots asking stupid questions (including this one).

Thank you for providing an example. Luckily, we can separate the wheat from the chaff and answer those questions that people are curious about.

Is it rational to believe in all of your own beliefs without question?

No. Live life with an open mind. I constantly question my beliefs and, occasionally, change my view.

“There was a time when I thought I loved my first wife more than life itself. But now I hate her guts. I do. How do you explain that? What happened to that love? What happened to it, is what I'd like to know. I wish someone could tell me.”

-- Raymond Carver

Why don't I consider US citizens as human beings?

You have no clue, for one thing, and you’re being judgmental… which says a lot about you.

When will my family perish for their sins?

As soon as karma deems it appropriate. Usually when they least expect it.

What do you think of the name Alex Robert Ralph does it flow well?

So, you have three first names. Is there a last name or is “Ralph” it? Regardless, it doesn’t “flow” well.

What are some measures to help prevent unethical misuse of AI?

You can institute measures, and countries can sign off on them, but there will always be the greedy country that thinks they know better. You can’t guarantee that an unethical someone will try to develop an AI that can think out of the box and become sentient. “I think, therefore, I am.” There are many fictional stories about AI going rogue and trying to conquer mankind. Isaac Asimov wrote fiction as early as 1950 about sentient robots.

What will the development of artificial intelligence look like in 50 years? What is your opinion?

Without a version of Asimov’s “Laws of Robotics,” we might not be around in 50 years. 

How do atheists expect to find God by rejecting Him?

Atheists aren’t looking, because they couldn’t give a shit. Their entire faith is based on the belief that there is no God.

"Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists."

-- Wikipedia

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained in 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance, he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com