The End of Knowledge: Why We Speak of Doom Without Knowing Why
We have reached a peculiar moment in intellectual life: a growing consensus about catastrophe, and a shrinking agreement about its cause.
It is now commonplace, in certain circles, to speak of the end of humanity with the same composure once reserved for interest rates or municipal bonds. Panels are convened, papers are published, an...
The article's analysis suggests that the discourse around artificial superintelligence is characterized by a sense of inevitability, which the author argues is reminiscent of end-times discourse. The author expresses concern that this discourse may discourage the very habits of mind needed to understand and mitigate the risks associated with artificial intelligence, and calls for continued inquiry into these risks.
The article also highlights the tension between the need for caution in light of ...