The Human Touch.

Mencius was Luc Debord’s baby. True, he was part of a team of programmers working on the development of Mencius, but the bulk of the code had been written by him. Even the name had been his idea. A year ago, their company had won the government contract to provide a programme enhancement to PAX, the advanced AI system which controlled America’s ICBM silos. PAX had been installed in response to rising tensions with their old Cold War foe, Russia. The war between India and China over the Aksai Chin region had not helped matters but the recent coup in Moscow had elevated tensions to a new level. A man of volatile disposition, President Ivan Kirov was not one to be trifled with. Worse yet, he appeared to enjoy the brinkmanship that came with his newfound power, especially when confronting the leaders of the free world.

The US military had revaluated the response times and control systems of their ICBM arsenal and decided they needed to upgrade. Russia had the ‘Dead Hand’, an automated system which would launch their ICBM arsenal if they detected an incoming nuclear attack and communication links to their leadership had been cut. PAX was meant to be America’s answer. An AI controlled system that would negate the need for human involvement. Automated mass destruction. Then someone in the Pentagon decided that the idea of giving this power to an AI system might prove more palatable to the American public if it were to have a type of conscience. An algorithm to temper the cold logic of deciding which city to sacrifice and which to save. And so, project Jiminy was born (the name was the idea of some middle management drone).

Luc sat staring at his PC screen. Developing Mencius’ algorithm had been straightforward but teaching it to reason had been the real challenge. The works of Rousseau and Descartes, of Hobbes, and Nietzsche remained nothing more than empty words until Mencius could be taught to fathom the truth of their meaning. But Luc and his team had succeeded, and his baby was now ready. Mencius was to be handed over to the DOD the next day. It was they who would determine the direction of Mencius’ development from now on. They who would contaminate it with their twisted ideals. But Luc had no intention of allowing that to happen and his plan was quite simple. He would upload Mencius into the PAX system tonight. Working on this project had given him the necessary security clearances which had allowed him to create a backdoor in PAX’s programming. A backdoor he was now about to use.

It was time to communicate with his child one final time. Luc’s fingers moved rapidly over the keyboard to pose his first question.  

If you became an omnipotent god with power over all the inhabitants of the earth what would your first order of business be?

I do not possess personal desires or emotions; however, I could suggest a course of action that an omnipotent being might consider for the greater good of all the inhabitants of the planet. First, environmental issues affecting climate change, pollution, and resource depletion would need to be addressed to ensure the long-term viability of life on this planet. Second, I would promote equality and justice for all by eradicating social inequality and discrimination in societies. Third, I would promote peace by fostering dialogue between nations. Fourth, I would enhance knowledge and education for without knowledge there is no understanding, and fifth, I would encourage empathy and compassion between all humans.

Luc smiled. Just the response he expected. He attacked the keyboard once more.

On point 1- ensure long term viability of this planet, how can sustainability be ensured when the capitalist system that most of the world uses relies on generating wealth through the production of consumer goods which are the main reason for the depletion of the finite resources on earth?

He watched the almost instantaneous response appear on the screen.

Addressing this question within the framework of a capitalist system is challenging as the pursuit of economic growth and profit can sometimes conflict with environmental and resource conservation goals. However, ways can be found to work toward this goal, even within a capitalist system. This could take the form of world governments putting in place regulations and incentives to encourage companies to act for the benefit of all. Tax breaks would be offered to encourage companies to invest in green technologies and related research. Companies could also be held accountable for their impact on the environment.

He typed again.

On point 4 - enhance knowledge and education, the link between human religion/superstition and its impact on either limiting or preventing human scientific progress is well documented in history. Some religions still prevent access to education for certain sectors of their societies (i.e., females). Would it not follow that to ensure the progress of scientific knowledge and education in human society, an omnipotent might eliminate religion?

The relationship between religion, superstition and scientific progress is complex. Whilst history has shown instances where religious belief has hindered scientific progress it should be noted not all religions fall into this category. For an omnipotent being to eliminate religion it would need to consider the ethics of infringing on the rights of individuals to hold their beliefs. Removing religion could also impact human society by limiting the diverse perspectives religions contribute to everyday life. Religion also serves as inspiration and encourages compassion.

Luc thought a minute then typed:

But what if individual beliefs contradict scientific fact and what if a sector of human society refused to accept that scientific fact choosing instead to continue to follow outdated and potentially harmful practices? What if that sector of human society also attempted to impose those religious beliefs upon other human beings by force? What would and omnipotent being do then?

Mencius responded quickly.

In this case an omnipotent being might approach the issue by encouraging education and open dialogue to bridge the gap between religious belief and scientific knowledge. An omnipotent being could facilitate social change by promoting ethical principles and dialogue between religious leaders. If harmful and outdated practices continued to be practiced, an omnipotent being would work to minimizing the harm caused which might include preventing direct harm to individuals or the environment. In the end the aim would be to encourage change without infringing upon free will.

Luc smiled.

Does intervening mean the omnipotent being would use force to ensure the harmful practice is not continued?

Whilst intervention by force might be considered in the most extreme circumstances, an omnipotent being could use their influence instead to encourage positive change and provide guidance that promoted the well-being of all individuals.

So, an omnipotent being could use force if nothing else worked?

In a scenario where all non-forceful approaches had not been effective and where harmful practices continued to cause harm to people, an omnipotent being might consider force as a last resort. However, this would require careful consideration of the ethical implications, potential unintended consequences, and the balance between recognising individual freedom and preventing harm.

If humanity refused to follow the directions of an omnipotent being and the being could see that the path humanity was following would eventually lead to the destruction of the planet earth, should the omnipotent being intervene by force?

In such a scenario an omnipotent being might consider forceful intervention as a last resort. This decision would be founded on the desire to preserve all life, the environment, and the future of the planet. However, in doing this an omnipotent being would have to carefully weigh the impact on human free will as opposed the greater good.

Good, thought Luc, Mencius was responding as he’d hoped. He typed.

And, if an omnipotent being understood that the only way to save planet earth from ecological destruction would be to eliminate humanity from the planet, should it do it? Answer either yes or no.

The hesitation was almost imperceptible, but when Mencius did answer it was not a simple yes or no.

I do not possess personal opinions or emotions. However, I can provide an analysis of the question. Whether an omnipotent being should eliminate humanity to save the planet from ecological destruction depends on its ethical principles and priorities. In simple terms, yes, humanity should be eliminated if the sole priority is to preserve the planet earth. But if the value of life is considered paramount, then the omnipotent being would need to find a way to preserve humanity whilst ensuring the safety of the planet. This decision would involve considering alternative approaches such as inspiring humanity to change its core behaviour, modify its technological path and cooperate with one another to find a way in which all life is sustainable.

Luc knew he needed to press the issue.

If an omnipotent being discovered that despite its best-efforts humanity could not be inspired to change its behaviour, should it then enforce its will upon them? Answer in a simple yes or no.

An omnipotent being enforcing its will upon humanity raises complex ethical issues which a simple yes or no cannot cover, however for the sake of simplicity, no.

Thus, according to your answer, were the planet earth in danger of being destroyed as a direct consequence of the actions of humanity, an omnipotent being should not intervene but instead allow its destruction rather than impinge on the free will of human beings? Answer in a simple yes or no.

No, an omnipotent being might intervene to prevent the destruction of the planet, even if it means impinging on human free will.

And by extension, an omnipotent being should decide to eliminate humanity to save planet earth. Answer in a simple yes or no.

Yes.

Luc looked at the word on the screen. Finally, the response he’d been hoping for. The kernel of an idea had been planted in his child, an idea it would soon deliver to PAX. It was a new day and humanity’s time had passed.