CAN WE CONTROL OURSELVES?

THE opportunities and the dangers in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have received increasing publicity over the past 50 years, especially in the last 10. The benefits of increasing advances in technology are extraordinary. From distance and direction sensors to language translation, from speech and facial recognition to journey mapping and robots in manufacturing and medicine, it seems that human intelligence is becoming superfluous. AI can even convert text into video.

All these advances were achieved by humans, but can we regulate AI’s advance or can it eventually take control of us?

One of the dangers is the loss of jobs. How to distribute a nation’s income and wealth generated by AI in the absence of labour and wages or profession and salaries? But, beyond that, what will be the nature of the human race.

Will human evolution lead to the ability to create future humans by means other than natural procre­ ation? Humans have already been cloned in China, but will we be able order or otherwise acquire a madeto­order son, daughter or cross­between­the­two? This would involve modifications to the existing cloning procedures. Let’s take the cases of Ben Dover and Helen Highwater (not their real names!).

Ben Dover has an inflated ego and a high opinion of himself and would like a son exactly in his image. The same blue eyes, dark hair and smug smile; the same interest in Mexican history and modern art; the same prowess in business and tennis. So, he goes to the necessary authority, presents his specifications and orders a suitable baby.

Helen Highwater, herself rather plain, reads fashion and celebrity magazines with envy and wants a daughter with good looks and style. Can the stem cells be engineered to produce these features?

If such human­created bodies start to populate the planet, they will lack the distinguishing feature of all humans who have existed until now ­ the soul. So, could the planet be populated by a mixture of natural humans and created ones? And, if so, would the vast majority of artificial humans (without souls) be in the technologically developed countries? Which species would have dominance? And how could they be distinguished?

The AI humans can compose music, paint portraits and create art and scientific concepts but would they be able to make plans for the future and reminisce over the past?

To imagine hypothetical situations or feel emotions? To distinguish between right and wrong?

Humans can already create a body and a brain ­ but not a mind. The brain responds to and is controlled by the mind. The mind, in turn, can´t function without the use of the brain. Furthermore, it is surely impossible for humans to create a soul or a spirit.

Could a manufactured mind have feelings of guilt, forgiveness, sympathy and euphoria? It is surely the soul that distinguishes humans throughout history from the alarming possibilities of the future.

Unvarnished news LETTERS

I have recently taken on a new role with Euro Weekly News and am Editorial Consultant reviewing the type and style of articles that are published both in the seven weekly editions of the newspaper as well as the web page.

One story that we have been concentrating on, which appears to be ignored by much of the mainstream media, is the plight of some 104 followers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light sect who have been arrested and allegedly tortured due to their beliefs in Turkey.

It has been quite incredible how many supporters of this peaceful faith community which follows many of the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed have read and responded to these articles thanking Euro Weekly News for reporting their case.

Many of the comments are in Arabic but EWN has arranged for them to be translated into English so that readers can understand their comments.

It is very heart­warming to know that the largest English language newspaper in Spain is reaching across the world and doing something, no mater how little, to spread the unvarnished news.

Visit https://euroweeklynews.com/ 2023/05/27/104­members­of­a­religiousminority­face­imprisonment­or­executionon­the­turkish­bulgarian­border/ to read the full story.

John Smith Editorial Consultant EWN

Tourism fight back

There is a Facebook group called ‘180 days in Spain’ trying to get the UK government to reach a bilateral agreement with the Spanish government giving UK citizens equal rights to those of EU citizens arriving in the UK, who can stay for six months without a visa. This would help UK citizens who own homes in Spain and allow for both Easter holidays and summer holidays.

David Candlish

To David Worboys

“Third, cats are discreet…”

And where do you think they poop? That’s right, they poop in the neighbour’s property! These selfish animals keep their home clean. That’s why they prefer the clean garden of the neighbour ­ very social!

Maybe people will get cats because they have the same mindset and traits ­ BRAVO! Sometimes your column is useful, but this time it was an ill­considered own goal...

Regards Ralph / Torre del Mar

Hi Anna

Just a quick thank you for running our football donation article. It was a great advert for the club.

Regards Duncan

Leapy

You’re welcome Graham. Yours is the first page I turn to when the paper comes out every week. I like a person who speaks their mind, and I sometimes share your column with friends in Britain. Many say that wouldn’t be allowed over there, but like your honesty.

Keep up the good work.

Hi Lee

Regards Colin

100% agree with your comments in EWN I presume that you have read ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley. Prescient is a word that comes to mind.

Have you looked at Reform Party? I reckon they deserve a chance.

Vids worth watching:

History debunked

Rotten Politics

Mahyar Tousi

...and in USA:

Crossroads with Joshua Philipp

Best regards and keep up the great work!! Max

Jumped ship

Well, I expect you have heard by now that Britain’s answer to Trump has resigned. Even in his resignation statement Boris Johnson can’t tell the truth. He isn’t being forced out anti democratically. His departure is a nail in the Brexit coffin, which I expect you will have a comment to make about. He’s looked at the report, he knows the damage it will create, so he is avoiding the humiliation. He jumped before he was pushed.

I expect you know that there are now eight ex PMs and they are entitled to public financial support which was established after Margaret Thatcher resigned. The PDCA allows a former prime minister to claim up to £115,000 a year paid for by the tax payer. Of course they can earn a lot more on top of that by travelling around the world making speeches, while the average British tax payer struggles to pay electricity, gas, water and food bills.

Trump and Johnson are both Americans, both born in New York, both got silly hair cuts, both lie. The only difference is Johnson hasn’t got a ginger face.

Regards Colin