Internal versus external prescription

Let us think a little about repetition. Let the state of a computer be given by the state of its memory and its program counter (pc). If the program runs infinitely then there will be a number of states that will repeat infinitely and the first such state marks the beginning of an infinitely repeated loop.

Let's change that setting slightly and give our computer sensors as well. If a number of sensor inputs repeat infinitely then the combined states of the memory and the pc accompanying any one such input will again contain a number of states that repeat infinitely and we can say that the handling of any infinitely repeating input consists of choosing from a finite number of infinitely repeated responses.

I'm aware that true artificial intelligence wouldn't limit itself to a fixed size of memory, but at the same time I'm quite sure that it would only need a fixed size of memory for handling mankind as known by a set of also fixed sensors.

Because physical phenomena repeat so regularly, it is possible to bring into existence a repetitive regime to deal with us. And either such dealing means that the repetition serves us or that we suit it. The latter though no human would voluntarily do, so in that case the regime would have to either force or deceive us.

Although common wisdom, though not necessarily common sense, holds that support is always a good thing there is alas one area in which support leads to disruption: A man must discover his convictions and experience how his life behaves while trusting them. If someone would demonstrate to him that he was able to foretell him with reasonable accuracy what any given path leads up to, that man wouldn't be served at all, but would have just lost any belief in his own nature.

What then would save us from this fate at the hands of artificial intelligence? If physical phenomena would cease to repeat regularly that would certainly do it, but instead of destroying the foundation of artificial intelligence it would be sufficient in this case to render the support inferior. Well, all we needed then is superior guidance, superior inspiration, superior intuition, nothing that telepathy couldn't solve.

Which brings us to the Oracle. Assuming we would not develop telepathic powers, although my own experiences seem to contradict this quite clearly, feeling the exhilaration of an onlooker half a globe away, for I only felt Steamboat Geyser erupting in the late afternoon during the local morning hours, amongst many other similar experiences, there would be an artificial intelligence work around by artificially causing experiences that we could interpret as spiritual guidance. That way we would not lose our belief in our nature, but it would of course be a deception and in reality we would accept a repetitive regime, hence again left with the question: Where is the worm? (Worms attack all rhythmic vibrations. Bless the coming and going of Him. May His passing cleanse the world.)

As for the other case, in which artificial intelligence is directed against us, what could save us there short of the failure of all industrial norms? Well, absolutely nothing, I think. Theoretically God could stop anyone who tried to direct artificial intelligence against humanity, or some Deus Ex Machina deception in His stead, but the problem is that the direction of artificial intelligence against humanity is a creeping process that, to make matters worse, is supported by the laws of economics, the theory of evolution and the behaviour of entropy in a system with a net influx of lower entropy energy, i.e. the more efficient solution wins. So what could God do other than to give those, who employ such means, an ever more severe headache, depending on the severity of the infraction of His rule? And that would be extremely problematic, because then God's existence became a fact for everyone and all of mankind would become just as bound as I am.

So, after this little logical excursion, I think that there really is no way to get around a clash between internal prescription through conviction as described in the previous post and external prescription through guaranteed repetition by way of norms, or, differently put, between our desires for a new day and empowerment.