Week Thirty-Seven, 2019
“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fool despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:1-7).
Microsoft is investing $1-billion in Open AI, a partnership intent on creating artificial intelligence that rivals the human brain. Artificial intelligence as it currently exists involves training machines to solve specific problems or perform particular tasks, like filter spam emails or predict an earthquake. The Microsoft and Open AI collaboration will zero in on artificial general intelligence: machines capable of learning and operating just as well as, or even better than, a human.
Should AGI became a reality, it could be used to tackle humanity’s greatest ills. “We want AGI to work with people to solve currently intractable multi-disciplinary problems, including global challenges such as climate change, affordable and high-quality healthcare, and personalized education” Open AI wrote in a blog post announcing the partnership. “We think its impact should be to give everyone economic freedom to pursue what they find most fulfilling, creating new opportunities for all of our lives that are unimaginable today.”
Because AI will affect so many areas of life, Christians need to be prepared to maximize the benefits of such technology, take the lead on the question of machine morality, and help to limit and eliminate the possible dangers.
Spiritually, we understand our own limits because, being creations of God (Genesis 1:27), we can’t outdo God’s creative power (Isaiah 55:8–9). Also, God’s depiction of the future does not seem to include any kind of technological singularity (see the book of Revelation).
AI might be able to perform certain, limited tasks better than a person can, but there is no logical, philosophical, or biblical reason to think it can be “better” in a meaningful sense. AI might emulate the patterns human beings use when we think, but it can never replace the prowess, dexterity, and creativity of the human mind.
God is still the master creator of intelligence and it is real, not artificial.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
Tolerance is the last virtue of a depraved society. When you have an immoral society that has blatantly, proudly, violated all of the commandments of God, there is one last virtue they insist upon: tolerance for their immorality. D. James Kennedy
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In North Korea possession of a Bible is a capital offense and that regime officials have pledged to “wipe out the seed of Christian reactionaries.”
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A stunning 83% of the world’s population lives in nations where religious freedom is threatened or even banned.” Mike Pence
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The technology that enabled Apollo 11 to travel to the moon and back was remarkably effective and sophisticated for its day, but its computational capacity pales in comparison with the smartphone in your pocket.
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Currently, the average American household carries $137,063 in debt, but only makes $59,039 in income per year. Debt to income ratio is an important measure of how people are handling their money. It’s not the only measurement, but it can tell us a lot.
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77% of all Americans support Roe V. Wade
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Pastor Kelly Knouse on Servanthood:
• Servanthood Begins with Attitudes Before Actions
• Servanthood Focuses on People Before Programs
• Servanthood Elevates the Mission Before Myself
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Netflix Sees Historic Subscriber Drop, Loses 126,000 Customers After Threatening to Boycott Pro-Life Georgia
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How courageous will you be for Christ today?
QUOTES YOU CAN USE
A New Planner Won’t Change Your Life.
Every other religious faith wants to escape the world, but Jesus wants us to renew the world. That must start with a renewal of ourselves. Phil Cook
My husband said he needed space, so I locked him outside. Anonymous wife
We were fixed by Jesus to be fixers of others. Fixed people fix others. Mondonico Williams
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Jim Denison
The greatest mission field in North America is in the public school classroom. Kelley Knouse
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