Note: This article is more easily understood if you first look at the cartoon posted here.
We seem cursed by having both empathy and reluctance to act upon that empathy.
The universe has set a puzzle for humanity.
Our starting condition is mindless replication — first genetic and then memetic.
The solution is to resist the mindless with the mind.
Alas, the mind is itself infected with replicants — harmful memes.
But only the mind can see through the insane logic of replication.
Even a virus can replicate; it takes no intelligence to do so.
But to not replicate takes intelligence and understanding.
However, that intelligence must itself not be corrupted.
The ancient sages, who warned against the tricks of mind, were partially right.
They were, however, wrong if they said that mind is the problem.
The mind is not the problem.
The problem appears in the software of the mind.
The software follows the insane logic of selfish replication.
We can solve the puzzle.
We must resist the insane logic of replication.
We have the intelligence to erase suffering.
We seem cursed by having both empathy and reluctance to act upon that empathy.
The universe has set a puzzle for humanity.
Our starting condition is mindless replication — first genetic and then memetic.
The solution is to resist the mindless with the mind.
Alas, the mind is itself infected with replicants — harmful memes.
But only the mind can see through the insane logic of replication.
Even a virus can replicate; it takes no intelligence to do so.
But to not replicate takes intelligence and understanding.
However, that intelligence must itself not be corrupted.
The ancient sages, who warned against the tricks of mind, were partially right.
They were, however, wrong if they said that mind is the problem.
The mind is not the problem.
The problem appears in the software of the mind.
The software follows the insane logic of selfish replication.
We can solve the puzzle.
We must resist the insane logic of replication.
We have the intelligence to erase suffering.
Indeed some life forms, such as viruses, will replicate until they kill their hosts.
ReplyDeleteIs resistance the only option? What about alignment and redirection? Some instances of replication are excellent! I love it when my skin heals itself, for example. Similarly, I love it when I am able to replicate the process of forgiveness, or, as you mentioned empathy.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, is replication an inherently negative process, or are we simply over-dependent upon it, using it as a fix-all, kind of like religion?
I am not portraying replication itself as a problem. If it wasn't for replication, we wouldn't be here. The “insane logic” is the problem. The “insane logic” is that replicators will replicate when unimpeded, even if it means (as Waffles pointed out above) their ultimate demise. The mind, however, can understand and project; it can see an upcoming demise and (as you said) align and redirect.
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