Day 0319

Fulfilling day with old friends in Cambridge, unanticipated and refreshing. Preceded by a pleasant stroll around the Fitzwilliam Museum on my own. Finished looking at the wonderful manuscripts exhibition - such design, control, patience, and exceptionally well curated. What a treasure to have in a small provincial town.

Invigorating, rigorous, long discussions about civil liberties, superintelligence, existential risk, relativism, utilitarianism. A feeling that policy and culture needs to be more open in acknowledging our latent tribal, base, racist, sexist biases rather than merely burying them, a movement away from political correctness that the populist sentiment is ready for.

The desirability of creating a secular religion, self-knowingly full of comforting, necessary falsehoods that work like a placebo - doing good although not real. Just as Donald Trump can continue to attract followers whilst demonstrably lying outright, so a religion that acknowledges its own fabrication could attract followers if it pushes all the other buttons; community, ritual, moral framework, art, singing, frameworks for celebrating, marking, mourning life events, a positive doctrine of future bliss. The fact that it is an obviously artificial creation would be forgotten if the everyday benefits to the previously apathetic, disaffected, aimless followers are tangible and long-lasting. Comforting lies rather than unpleasant truths, as a complete and transparent package.

Attended an AI panel debate at the University, which was woeful. The Director of Philosophy is seemingly technologically illiterate, and his awareness of the possibilities of the field of AI, neuroscience, computer science completely inadequate. Enjoyed feeling superior, however misplaced that feeling may be.

Drove home in the dark, another minor triumph in my anxiety-ridden life.