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A few weeks ago, it was quietly announced that the Future of Humanity Institute, a famous interdisciplinary research center in Oxford, no longer has a future. It closed without warning on April 16th. Initially, its website contained only a short statement that it had been closed and that research could continue elsewhere within or outside the university.
The institute, dedicated to the study of humanity’s existential risks, was founded in 2005 by Swedish-born philosopher Nick Bostrom and quickly made a name for itself beyond academia. Many high-tech billionaires praised the institute, especially in Silicon Valley, and provided financial support.
Mr. Bostrom is perhaps best known for his 2014 best-selling book. super intelligence, which warned of the existential dangers of artificial intelligence, but also became widely known for his 2003 academic paper “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?” The paper argues that over time, humans are likely to develop the ability to create simulations that are indistinguishable from reality, and if this is the case, it has already happened and we may be the simulation. insisted.
I interviewed Bostrom more than a decade ago, and he had one of those elusive and rather abstract personalities that perhaps lends credence to simulation theory. He was pale, had a reputation for working all night, and seemed like the type of person who didn’t go out much. The Institute appears to be aware of this social shortcoming. final reporta long inscription written by Fuji Heavy Industries researcher Anders Sandberg states:
“We have not invested enough in the politics and socialization of the university to build long-term, stable relationships with faculty…When epistemology and communication practices become too disconnected, misunderstandings flourish.”
Nick Bostrom: “Proudly provocative on paper, cautious and defensive in person.” Photo: Washington Post/Getty Images
Like Sandberg, Bostrom is an advocate of transhumanism, the belief in using advanced technology to improve longevity and cognitive abilities, and is said …
Source: www.theguardian.com
