THE EMERGENCE OF ARTIFICIAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO REACH THE TECHNOLOGICAL SINGULARITY

The men admired a way to swim the fish, but today they sail faster than anyone. They'd like flying like the birds, but have been a lot higher. They searched for wisdom, now they have all the knowledge accumulated in the story available in a few clicks. Human evolution is about to meet its peak through the Technological Singularity, which can be understood as the future milestone reached at the moment that a computer program can think like a human, yet with quick access to all information already registered by society. It will not be like a man, but more intelligent than all mankind in history. So we have a big question: will this new entity has consciousness? Through a study of the levels of intelligent agents autonomy and in a timeless dialogue with Alan Turing, René Descartes, Ludwic Wittgenstein, John Searle and Vernor Vinge, we show the possibility of an artificial consciousness and thatthe quest for intentionality, promoted by sophisticated algorithms of learning and machine discovery, is the key to reach of Technological Singularity.

Download Full-text

David I. Dubrovsky and Merab Mamardashvili: Adam’s Second Fall and the Advent of the Cyber-Leviathan

Forum Philosophicum ◽

10.35765/forphil.2019.2402.14 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 301-341

Author(s):

Inti Yanes-Fernandez

Keyword(s):

Human Evolution ◽

Human Mind ◽

Critical Approach ◽

Digital Interface ◽

Technological Structure ◽

Technological Singularity ◽

Mental Operations ◽

Merab Mamardashvili ◽

New Perspective ◽

The Moment

In his speech “The European Responsibility,” the Georgian philosopher Merab Mamardashvili summarizes his utopia of a fulfilled humanity by presenting it as an integration of two main traditions: the Graeco-Roman and Judeo-Christian ones. In contrast, David Dubrovsky launches a new perspective for present and future human evolution: the cyber-superman, i.e. the perfect merging of human mind and digital brain—or the bio-digital interface. “Intelligence” here is not just an artificial by-product of a highly organized technological structure, but the reproduction of mental operations through the techno-replication of the bio-brain as material substrate: the Dubrovskyan avatar. In the present article, I focus on Dubrovsky’s and Mamardashvili’s anthropological paradigms, and their relationship to the phenomena of cyberbeing and cyberculture. I examine the phenomenon of cyberbeing as a “built-in” feature of a bio-electronic, transhuman ontology that impacts and transforms personhood into “cyborghood” in the context of an interactive digital framework of fictional transcendences, body-deconstruction and bio-technological interplays. My aim is to develop a critical approach to Dubrovsky’s cybernetic anthropology and avatar-theory, along with its meaning and implications for our world-epoch, in contrast to Mamardashvili’s ontology, which proves essentially incompatible with the moment of technological singularity—i.e. with the creation of a transhuman bio-digital avatar as envisioned and prophesized by Dubrovsky.

Download Full-text

Chelovek.RU/Человек.RU

Chelovek RU ◽

10.32691/2410-0935-2020-15-18-53 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 18-53

Author(s):

Sergei Avanesov ◽

Keyword(s):

Family History ◽

Great Distance ◽

Point Of View ◽

The Past ◽

Russian Philosopher ◽

True Meaning ◽

The Future ◽

Pavel Florensky ◽

The Moment

Abstract. The article analyzes the autobiography of the famous Russian philosopher, theologian and scientist Pavel Florensky, as well as those of his texts that retain traces of memories. According to Florensky, the personal biography is based on family history and continues in children. He addresses his own biography to his children. Memories based on diary entries are designed as a memory diary, that is, as material for future memories. The past becomes actual in autobiography, turns into a kind of present. The past, from the point of view of its realization in the present, gains meaning and significance. The au-thor is active in relation to his own past, transforming it from a collection of disparate facts into a se-quence of events. A person can only see the true meaning of such events from a great distance. Therefore, the philosopher remembers not so much the circumstances of his life as the inner impressions of the en-counter with reality. The most powerful personality-forming experiences are associated with childhood. Even the moment of birth can decisively affect the character of a person and the range of his interests. The foundations of a person's worldview are laid precisely in childhood. Florensky not only writes mem-oirs about himself, but also tries to analyze the problems of time and memory. A person is immersed in time, but he is able to move into the past through memory and into the future through faith. An autobi-ography can never be written to the end because its author lives on. However, reaching the depths of life, he is able to build his path in such a way that at the end of this path he will unite with the fullness of time, with eternity.

Download Full-text

Agritourism—A Business Reality of the Moment for Romanian Rural Area’s Sustainability

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13116313 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 6313

Author(s):

Ramona Ciolac ◽

Tiberiu Iancu ◽

Ioan Brad ◽

Tabita Adamov ◽

Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Distribution Channels ◽

Scientific Paper ◽

Business Owners ◽

The Future ◽

Tourism Potential ◽

The Moment ◽

Managerial Experience ◽

Over Time

The agritourism activity can be a characteristic reality of the present, considering rural area’s sustainability, being at the same time a business reality for rural entrepreneurs and a “must have” for rural communities that have tourism potential. It is a form of tourism, through which the tourist can receive a qualitative product at a reasonable price, but also a field that can ensure sustainable development over time, being at the same time environmentally friendly. The purpose of this scientific paper is to identify the aspects that make agritourism “a possible business reality of the moment”, for Romanian rural area’s sustainability. We take into account the following areas: Bran-Moieciu area—considered “the oldest” in terms of agritourism experience, and Apuseni Mountains area, with a great inclination and potential for this activity. The study conducted for these two areas is focused on several aspects: the degree of involvement in agritourism activities, considering the number of years and managerial experience, the analysis of the types of activities/experiences offered by agritourism structures, the identification of the main reasons/motivations for the orientation towards agritourism and the manner in which this field is perceived. Aspects related to the marketing-finance part of the agritourism business are also taken into account: customers, distribution channels, financial sources, shortcomings observed by agritourism business owners and possible action directions so as to improve the activity/agritourism product. Agritourism may be “a possible business reality of the moment” for the studied areas and not only, but in the future, the entrepreneur/farmer must be constantly updated because of the changing situations that appear on the market, be able to make sustainable decisions for his/her own business, which in the future will ensure its viability and obviously its long-term profitability and development, and in the same time rural area’s sustainability.

Download Full-text

Toward a Self-Adaptive Cyberdefense Framework in Organization

SAGE Open ◽

10.1177/2158244020988855 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 215824402098885

Author(s):

Kuan-Jui Huang ◽

Kuo-Huie Chiang

Keyword(s):

Information System ◽

Organizational Learning ◽

Intelligent Agents ◽

Coordination Mechanism ◽

Learning Effects ◽

Adaptive Model ◽

Dynamic Propagation ◽

The Future ◽

Adaptive Framework ◽

Self Adaptive

Organizations suffer more than ever from the inability to securely manage the information system, despite their myriad efforts. By introducing a real cyberattack of a bank, this research analyzes the characteristics of modern cyberattacks and simulates the dynamic propagation that makes them difficult to manage. It develops a self-adaptive framework that through simulation, distinctly improves cyberdefense efficiency. The results illustrate the discrepancies of the previous studies and validate the use of a time-based self-adaptive model for cybersecurity management. The results further show the significance of human and organizational learning effects and a coordination mechanism in obtaining a highly dependable cyberdefense setting. This study also provides an illuminating analysis for humans to position themselves in the collaborations with increasingly intelligent agents in the future.

Download Full-text

Instituting Europe: Germany, the Union, and the Legacy of the Short Century

German Politics & Society ◽

10.3167/104503001782385607 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Michael Werz

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Democratic Legitimacy ◽

Social Changes ◽

The European Union ◽

Institutional Reforms ◽

Crucial Question ◽

The Social ◽

The Future ◽

The Moment ◽

Federal Structure

Recent debates about the future of the European Union have focusedin large part on institutional reforms, the deficit of democratic legitimacy,and the problem of economic and agrarian policies. As importantas these issues may be, the most crucial question at the momentis not whether Europe will prevail as a union of nations or as a thoroughlyintegrated federal structure. What is of much greater concernis the fact that political structures and their corresponding politicaldiscourses have lagged far behind the social changes occurring inEuropean societies. The pivotal transformation of 1989 has not beengrasped intellectually or politically, even though its results areincreasingly visible in both the east and west.

Download Full-text

Deadlock or new opening? Current state and prospects for development of Lithuanian-Belarusian relations

Rocznik Instytutu Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej ◽

10.36874/riesw.2021.3.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 121-141

Author(s):

Justyna Olędzka

Keyword(s):

International Relations ◽

Presidential Election ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Future Prospects ◽

Bilateral Relations ◽

Current State ◽

The Future ◽

Multi Level ◽

The Moment ◽

The Eu

The purpose of this article is to discuss the trajectory of Belarusian-Lithuanian relations with a particular focus on the period after the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, which resulted in a change in international relations in the region. This was the moment that redefined the Lithuanian-Belarusian relations, which until 2020 were satisfactory for both sides (especially in the economic aspect). However, Lithuania began to pursue a reactive policy of promoting the democratisation of Belarus and provided multi-level support to Belarusian opposition forces. The current problems in bilateral relations (e.g., the future of Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant located in Astravyets) have been put on the agenda for discussion at the EU level, while the instruments of a hybrid conflict in the form of an influx of immigrants into Lithuania, controlled by the Belarusian regime, have become a key issue for the future prospects of relations between Belarus and Lithuania.

Download Full-text

Take-Em!

After Dinner Conversation ◽

10.5840/adc20212433 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 24-31

Author(s):

Charles Williams ◽

Keyword(s):

Human Evolution ◽

Short Story ◽

Bonding Time ◽

Ethical Concerns ◽

The Moment ◽

Father And Son ◽

Undue Pressure

At what point is a discussion a debate, and at what point is it undue pressure? Is all unwanted pressure a kind of manipulation and violence? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, the narrator is invited by his father to go duck hunting as part of their bonding time. The narrator wants to spend time with his father, but expresses ethical concerns about hunting ducks. The father asserts hunting is a natural part of human evolution. The debate continues as the narrator decides to go on the hunt, but is undecided if he will pull the trigger. The story ends with father and son in the blind just at the moment before the narrator must decide if he is going to pull the trigger.

Download Full-text

Perceptions on Authenticity in Chat Bots

Multimodal Technologies and Interaction ◽

10.3390/mti2030060 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 60 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mario Neururer ◽

Stephan Schlögl ◽

Luisa Brinkschulte ◽

Aleksander Groth

Keyword(s):

Intelligent Agents ◽

Social Intelligence ◽

Virtual Agents ◽

Learning From Experience ◽

Alan Turing ◽

Conversational Behavior ◽

Artificial Intelligence Technology ◽

Intelligent Virtual Agents ◽

Open Question ◽

Question Survey

In 1950, Alan Turing proposed his concept of universal machines, emphasizing their abilities to learn, think, and behave in a human-like manner. Today, the existence of intelligent agents imitating human characteristics is more relevant than ever. They have expanded to numerous aspects of daily life. Yet, while they are often seen as work simplifiers, their interactions usually lack social competence. In particular, they miss what one may call authenticity. In the study presented in this paper, we explore how characteristics of social intelligence may enhance future agent implementations. Interviews and an open question survey with experts from different fields have led to a shared understanding of what it would take to make intelligent virtual agents, in particular messaging agents (i.e., chat bots), more authentic. Results suggest that showcasing a transparent purpose, learning from experience, anthropomorphizing, human-like conversational behavior, and coherence, are guiding characteristics for agent authenticity and should consequently allow for and support a better coexistence of artificial intelligence technology with its respective users.

Download Full-text

CATEGORY OF FUTURALITY WITHIN THE SYSTEM OF MODUS CATEGORIES

Problems of General and Slavic Linguistics ◽

10.15421/251906 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 38-44

Author(s):

Inga Kirkovs’ka

Keyword(s):

Subject Matter ◽

French Language ◽

Communicative Function ◽

Action Event ◽

The Future ◽

The Subject ◽

The Moment ◽

Future 2

The aim of the investigation under consideration is to study the nature of the category of futurality within the system of modus categories in the French language. The object of the work is the category of futurality in contemporary French, the subject is the study of the category of futurality in contemporary French within the system of modus categories of evidentiality, modality and persuasiveness. In the course of the study, the distinctions between modality and modus have been outlined, the place of the category of futurality within the modus categories has been identified, the peculiarity of the category of futurality as a modus category has been analysed. Conclusions: the peculiarity of futurality as a modus category is that it belongs to the modus categories denoting action/event, real in the future “in the speaker’s view”. In this sense the category of futurality is closer to the categories of modality (real information stated by the speaker) and predicativity (confidence in the information stated by the speaker) in meaning, whereas differing from them by the semantics of the stated temporality denoting the relation of consequence in reference to the moment of speaking. The category of futurality is connected with other modus categories: category of assertion with semantics of neutral prospection, category of persuasiveness with the seme of assurance in reference to the future and category of modality with the seme of reality in reference to the future. The major types of modal meanings forming the modus category of futurality are: 1) speaker’s estimation of the subject matter of the utterance from the perspective of reality/irreality in the future; 2) estimation of the environment of the utterance from the perspective of probability/necessity/desirability in the future; 3) speaker’s estimation of the level of assurance (persuasiveness) of the subject matter of the utterance from the perspective of the future; 4) communicative function of the utterance defined by the purpose of the speaker from the perspective of the future (wish, intention, preference); 5) confirmation/negation of objective relations between objects, phenomena, events of the future.

Download Full-text

BAD RESULTS OF DRUNKEN COPULATION—REDISCOVERED?

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.63.2.278 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

pp. 278-278

Author(s):

Henry J. Berkely

Keyword(s):

Normal Development ◽

Practical Interest ◽

Human Being ◽

Good Service ◽

Brand Marks ◽

The Family ◽

The Future ◽

The Moment ◽

Period Of Gestation ◽

Deleterious Influence

The lession taught by the study is of much practical interest in demonstrating that drugs, particularly of the ethereal alcohol series, may exert an undoubtedly deleterious influence upon the embryo during the period of gestation—an influence that in the human being should be carefully shunned if the future of the race is to be regarded. The influences of alcohol upon the normal development of the foetus has been recognised and commented upon in various classic works (Plutarch et al). "A drunkard is unprofitable for any kind of good service," says Plato—and least of all in the begetting of children. Intemperance in pronounced degree on one side of the family usually results in mental feebleness of the children. When both parents are equally at fault, the progeny usually show well-defined brand-marks. It is a well-recognized fact that drunkenness at the moment of copulation is frequently responsible for the lowest forms of congenital idiocy.

Download Full-text