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This thread is for discussing politics, political science, and other politics-related topics in a general, non-country/region-specific context. Do mind sensitive topics, especially controversial ones; I think we'd all rather the thread stay free of Flame Wars.

Please consult the following threads for country/region-specific politics (NOTE: The list is eternally non-comprehensive; it will be gradually updated whenever possible).

edited 11th Oct '14 3:17:52 PM by MarqFJA

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#426: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:15:43 AM

A government run by the likes of Facebook algorithms is not one I would want.

Keep in mind that I'm specifically talking about a sapient AI, a person just like you or I who isn't human and could be free of humanity's flaws. Of course I doubt they would be perfect and if an actual AI was developed I wouldn't immediately be calling for the abolishment of Democracy just that it's something that interests me.

edited 16th Sep '17 9:16:36 AM by Fourthspartan56

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#427: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:17:56 AM

[up] With our luck, we'd get Skynet instead of R. Daneel Olivaw.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#428: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:20:22 AM

[up]Oh yeah, humans can be genocidal or just generally homicidal and a superintelligent AI could do the same and cause far worse damage. That's why it would be important that they have the capacity for empathy and emotion, to prevent such a existential threat from arising.

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
Khudzlin Since: Nov, 2013
#429: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:25:05 AM

[up] Well, we humans are capable of empathy and emotion, but we're still capable of genocide.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#430: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:28:55 AM

[up]Obviously empathy and emotions would not guarantee that a hypothetical AI wouldn't be homicidal but they should decrease the odds. Generally humans commit genocide when they don't have empathy for the target group and only hostile emotions.

edited 16th Sep '17 9:30:01 AM by Fourthspartan56

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#431: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:36:22 AM

I don't really see this happening any time soon. If most people still don't trust computers to drive them around (including me), I don't think they will be trusting them with nukes.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#432: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:38:46 AM

[up]Agreed, if it ever happens I think it would be incremental. AI would be too useful not to use and I could imagine them gradually being assigned more and more work until they effectively are the State with a few token Human officials. Of course this is strictly hypothetical, AI doesn't exist yet and may not exist in any of our life times.

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#433: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:46:47 AM

Ugh, go read some contemporary sci fi. This stuff has been explored to death.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#434: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:48:05 AM

[up]I apologize but I'm not getting the point. I have ready science fiction (contemporary or otherwise), that's why such things interest me.

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#435: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:48:25 AM

[up][up] Yep. Note my references to Terminator and Foundation.

edited 16th Sep '17 9:48:33 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#436: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:51:36 AM

[up][up]Yeas, but you're reinventing the wheel.

[up] Those examples are outdated. And one of them is stupid.

Tell you what, Google the term "paperclip maximizer" and strat working from there.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#437: Sep 16th 2017 at 9:54:10 AM

[up]I'm aware of that example, that's why I said that an AI should have emotion and empathy. To hopefully avoid that very scenario.

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
RainehDaze Figure of Hourai from Scotland (Ten years in the joint) Relationship Status: Serial head-patter
Figure of Hourai
#438: Sep 16th 2017 at 10:06:37 AM

I have no idea why people always assume that AI will be operating without boundaries or its behaviour confined in some way. Nobody with the ability to program such a thing would have so many catastrophic errors in their code—an AI meant to govern anything would have to meet at least the same standards as aircraft software with regards to completely unexpected behaviours.

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Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#439: Sep 16th 2017 at 10:11:03 AM

[up]Exactly, If we're stupid enough to create Skynet and give it the keys to everything we deserve the inevitable result.

edited 16th Sep '17 10:12:00 AM by Fourthspartan56

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#440: Sep 16th 2017 at 10:55:24 AM

The problem is that, if it can make itself smarter, if you make the slightest error in setting it up, it might be able to think Its way out of its boundaries, and that includes hiding its flaws untill it's unstoppable. A Zeroth Law Rebellion is one of the least bad outcomes.

edited 16th Sep '17 10:56:32 AM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
RainehDaze Figure of Hourai from Scotland (Ten years in the joint) Relationship Status: Serial head-patter
Figure of Hourai
#441: Sep 16th 2017 at 12:54:10 PM

Well, yes, but that possibility is brought up so frequently from so many people that have no idea how programming actually works that I've come to assume that the same people who think programmers could make such an AI also think all programmers are idiots.

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WhatArtThee Since: Oct, 2015
#442: Sep 16th 2017 at 2:41:44 PM

I see tons of articles arguing that last year marked the "beginning of the end" of liberal democracy and the return of the autocratic, fascist world order for the first time since WWII. I can't really see that as being true. Aside from much of the far-right parties not really winning, in places like the US laws are still being voted on by the Courts or Congress. What are your thoughts?

edited 16th Sep '17 2:45:37 PM by WhatArtThee

Just another day in the life of Jimmy Nutrin
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#443: Sep 16th 2017 at 2:46:55 PM

[up]Hysteria, if authoritarianism comes to power in the West it would most likely be in the form of Managed Democracy. 20th Century style Fascist Dictatorships aren't plausible in the foreseeable future.

edited 16th Sep '17 2:47:10 PM by Fourthspartan56

"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
WhatArtThee Since: Oct, 2015
#444: Sep 16th 2017 at 2:52:37 PM

I agree. The checks and balances systems are too strong for countries like the US to stop being democracies.

Just another day in the life of Jimmy Nutrin
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#445: Sep 16th 2017 at 3:02:33 PM

[up]LOL. Orange counterexample says hi.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
WhatArtThee Since: Oct, 2015
#446: Sep 16th 2017 at 3:06:18 PM

Trump hasn't made the US stop being a democracy though.

Just another day in the life of Jimmy Nutrin
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#447: Sep 16th 2017 at 3:09:07 PM

He's working on it really hard. Thank God he's so incompetent.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
WhatArtThee Since: Oct, 2015
#448: Sep 16th 2017 at 3:14:42 PM

I bet if he wanted he'd make the US his playground, but he really can't.

Just another day in the life of Jimmy Nutrin
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#449: Sep 16th 2017 at 5:34:38 PM

Checks and ballences only stay strong as long as people protect and reinforce them.

A number of checks and ballences have failed, Congress is doing its best to avoiding addressing Trump's many issues that could be valid gerunds for impeachment, the media have become so profit driven that they will do whatever to takes to get ratings regardless of the consequences, the head of the FBI illegally intervened in the election in support of a candidate that also had the support of a hostile government, with the travel ban we had issues with some parts of law enforcement refusing to listen to court orders.

Your checks and balances are starting to crumble, they can be reinforced but don't for a moment make the mistake fo thinking that the US couldn't end up a Managed 'Democracy' like Russia or Turkey.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
WhatArtThee Since: Oct, 2015
#450: Sep 16th 2017 at 5:40:30 PM

It could end up like that, but Trump's not the person who will do it.

Just another day in the life of Jimmy Nutrin

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