Welcome to the e/acc substack.
(Copied with thanks on 31 12 2023: P H Bloecker):
Some thoughts.
e/acc has no leaders. It is designed to be robust to the attack vectors prevalent in our world. Journalism, mob rule, cancellation, and capture by simple-minded and virally memetic partisan extremist ideologies, etc. We respect anonymity.
e/acc is not right or left wing. We don’t want to see the world spiral into oblivion. This is not the accelerationism your friends on reddit are worried about. We’re optimistic about the future of technology and civilization, and we want others to feel the same.
There are very good reasons to believe that the memetics of the fashionable intellectual doomer era have been harmful to individuals, culture, and progress. We align with accelerationism from the perspective of recognizing the awesomeness of the forces guiding our world, of the civilizational thermodynamic process we’re a part of.
There is a robustness to the current system which individuals and small groups are unlikely to be able to disrupt. This requires a certain acceptance on the part of the technocratically inclined. You are always in a competition with someone else. The system is smarter than you. Excessive risk aversion comes with more than just opportunity costs — you have adversaries. There are a lot of interesting technical arguments to be had here, but we probably don’t agree with your modeling framework. Utility monsters are boogeyman found in scary stories written for children, and we’re all adults here.
We are lucky to witness history from this vantage point. And it’s true that this moment in history might be very important. As we move forward in time, our power over the universe increases. What happens in the next century could frame the future of our entire corner of the universe.
Whether we get panopticon driven techno authoritarian lock-in for a thousand centuries or more is not exactly up to any one person or group. It might just happen. But we can try to fight it by building technology in an open way, allowing the world to equilibrate at each iteration. And we must fight. We can avoid falling for the psychological trap of simple control mechanisms (“ban the scary thing”). We can build decentralized and robust modern game theoretic safety equilibria.
This future requires a radical reimagining of what it means to be human, of what society looks like, and how we coordinate ourselves.
End of copy from Newsletter! #phb
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Chaos and order are fundamental concepts in various fields, including cosmology, eschatology, mythology, religion, symbolization, and culture2.
Chaos typically refers to a state of disorder, confusion, or randomness. In many creation myths and ancient religions, chaos is often depicted as a primordial condition or state from which the ordered universe or cosmos was created2. In these contexts, chaos is not only passive but also resists creation2. Despite its seemingly disordered nature, chaos is not entirely without structure or rules. Chaotic systems, while unpredictable, follow underlying patterns and are deterministic2.
On the other hand, order is the arrangement or disposition of people or things in relation to each other according to a particular sequence, pattern, or method. It’s often associated with laws, structure, stability, and predictability. In many cultural and religious contexts, the establishment of order is seen as a divine act, creating harmony and balance from the chaos2.
The interplay between chaos and order is a recurring theme in many philosophical, religious, and scientific discourses. For instance, in the field of physics, the second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy (often associated with disorder or chaos) of an isolated system can never decrease over time, implying a natural progression from order to chaos2.
In the context of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and cybernetics, chaos and order can be seen as two ends of a spectrum representing the behavior of complex systems. AGI systems strive to create order (predictable, desired outcomes) from chaos (randomness, uncertainty in data).
In conclusion, chaos and order are fundamental and complementary concepts that describe the states and dynamics of various natural, social, and artificial systems2.
Source(s)
1. Chaos and order | cosmos | Britannica
2. Kinderkleding online bestellen – Chaos and Order
3. Jordan Peterson: Order and Chaos, Explained | Shortform Books
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Designing AGI systems to handle chaotic environments is a complex task, but here are a few strategies that can be employed:
- Robust Learning Algorithms: Use of robust machine learning algorithms that can handle noise and uncertainty is crucial. These algorithms should be able to learn from new data and adapt their models accordingly.
- Error Correction Mechanisms: Implementing error correction mechanisms can help the system recover from mistakes and improve its performance over time.
- System Design: The system should be designed in a way that minimizes sensitivity to initial conditions. This could involve careful feature selection, use of regularization techniques, and designing the system to be modular so that errors in one component do not propagate throughout the system.
- Continuous Learning and Adaptation: The system should be capable of continuous learning and adaptation. It should be able to learn from its mistakes and adapt its behavior based on new data and experiences.
- Simulation and Testing: Simulating chaotic environments and testing the system’s performance under these conditions can help identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.
- Hybrid Models: Combining different models or approaches can also be beneficial. For example, a system could use both rule-based and machine learning approaches, leveraging the strengths of each.
Remember, handling chaotic environments is a challenging aspect of AGI development, and these strategies are just a starting point. The specific methods and techniques will depend on the specific application and environment.
Artificial General Intelligence, Cybernetics, and Entropy
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) refers to a type of distinguished artificial intelligence that is capable of understanding, learning, and applying its intelligence to any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of some artificial intelligence research to create such machines.
Cybernetics is a transdisciplinary approach for exploring regulatory systems, their structures, constraints, and possibilities, which is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, all of which are used in AGI. It includes the study of feedback, black boxes and derived concepts such as communication and control in living organisms, machines and organisations including self-organisation.
Entropy, a fundamental concept in thermodynamics and information theory, represents disorder or uncertainty. In the context of AGI and cybernetics, entropy can be related to the uncertainty or randomness in the AI systems. Minimizing entropy in these systems can lead to more accurate predictions and better performance.
In conclusion, AGI, cybernetics, and entropy are interconnected. AGI aims to create machines with human-like intelligence. Cybernetics provides the framework for the control and communication in these machines, and entropy provides a measure of the uncertainty or randomness in these systems.
Noise
In the context of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and cybernetics, “noise” typically refers to random fluctuations or disturbances that are not part of the actual information signal. It’s an unwanted component that can cause distortions and errors in data processing or communication.
In AGI systems, noise can come from various sources such as errors in data collection, transmission errors, or computational errors. It can affect the performance of the system, leading to inaccurate predictions or incorrect actions.
In cybernetics, the concept of noise is important in the study of how systems respond to feedback and how they can be controlled. Understanding and managing noise is crucial for the stability and efficiency of the system.
Therefore, in the pursuit of creating effective AGI systems, it’s important to have strategies for noise reduction to ensure the integrity of the information being processed. This could involve techniques like error checking and correction, signal filtering, or the use of robust algorithms that can tolerate a certain level of noise.
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JPB
In 12 Rules for Life, Jordan Peterson refers to Order and Chaos. He refers to them as Yin and Yang, as female and male.
Chaos and Order in Balance
Chaos is unexplored territory. It’s the things and situations we don’t understand. It’s where you go when you get fired; it’s the threatening stranger on the street; it’s the scary audacious goal you’ve wanted. It’s also the realm of possibility and where new ideas form.
Order is explored territory. It’s stability and structure. It’s your plan for the next day, the comfort of tradition, the customs we use to treat each other. Yet it also can mean concentration camps, fascism, and, less extremely, personal stasis and lack of growth.
We like being in Order. We don’t like when we are forced to leave Order for Chaos, like when tragedy strikes, when you’re cheated on by your partner, or when you’re fired.
But Order isn’t enough – there are still vital things to be learned. You don’t want to be stuck unchanging in Order for all of your life.
The ideal place is to be right in the middle between Order and Chaos. To have enough Order to feel tethered, but enough Chaos to be challenged and learn new things. This is where meaning is to be found. In other words, push yourself to the limit of your ability and challenge yourself.
Lex Fridman #407 E / acc with Guillaume Verdon
Start with the last 15 Min and then listen to the whole Podcast / Another Lex Highlight before the New Year Year starts! (2024)
Jordan B Peterson & C G Jung
Carl Gustav Jung, a prominent Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, introduced the concept of chaos and order within the framework of his analytical psychology. He believed that the human psyche is an amalgamation of various archetypes, collective unconsciousness, and opposing forces, notably chaos and order.
Jung saw chaos not as a destructive force but as a realm of unlimited potential, creativity, and unpredictability. It represents the unknown, the unexplored aspects of the human mind, and the source of new possibilities. Chaos, in Jungian terms, is the place where new ideas, emotions, and experiences emerge. It encompasses the untamed and unstructured elements of the unconscious mind, which can either inspire or overwhelm an individual.
On the other hand, order, for Jung, symbolizes structure, organization, and stability. It represents the conscious mind’s attempts to make sense of the chaos by creating patterns, systems, and meaning. Order provides a framework for understanding the world, establishing norms, and forming a stable identity. It involves the integration of chaotic elements into a coherent whole, fostering personal growth and psychological balance.
Jung emphasized the importance of balancing chaos and order within oneself. Excessive order could lead to rigidity, stagnation, and an inability to adapt to new experiences. Conversely, an excess of chaos might result in confusion, disorientation, and a lack of direction. Achieving a harmonious relationship between these opposing forces is crucial for psychological well-being and personal development.
In a nutshell:
Jung’s perspective on chaos and order elucidates their complementary nature within the human psyche. Chaos represents potential and creativity, while order embodies structure and stability. Balancing these forces is pivotal for fostering psychological health and embracing the richness of human experience.
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