Standalone Essays · Triad of Stewardship

The Problem of Foresight

Life adapts itself to the various niches in which it finds itself ensconced. The bird’s beak lengthens or shortens. One fish grows legs, while the cetaceans abandon their even-toed hoofs to become a newer, sleeker form of mammal. The selective process of evolution modifies the body, and the environmental process teaches new methods of hunting or procreating.

But what happens when the pressure is within the sphere of cognition? What parts of the human mind will atrophy through disuse, and which will expand? In what directions will the brain evolve when constantly floating in an artificially constructed universe of pixels?

Will AI be the homo sapiens to our Neanderthal? Will we be slaughtered or relegated to the trash bins of history? Will we partner or war with the coming creatures? Conquered slaves or allied gods? Which might we become?

Life adapts itself, but most mutations are unsuccessful. Only a few, rare versions make it through. The difference is that in the past the mutations were random and accidental. Now we have the ability to understand the process and hijack it. But who has the requisite wisdom to do so successfully?

The potential risks associated with humans deliberately influencing the evolutionary process—of modifying the germ line—speak to the responsibility we bear as stewards of life on this planet. As we continue to push the boundaries of science and technology, we must strive to develop the wisdom necessary to wield these powerful tools with care and foresight.

But foresight is precisely our greatest weakness. We can at best only dimly imagine the future. We barely understand the workings of our own hands today. What human from 1900 could imagine the challenges and possibilities of 2000? Even if we were to return to that time and describe the ubiquitous phone in our pocket, would we even have the needed common language or concepts to effectively communicate? The rapid pace of technological and cultural change over the last century has fundamentally transformed the world in ways that would have been unimaginable to people living just a few generations ago.

Our advances must be cautious and humble. Our focus must be ever more on the ethics of the Ideal, rather than on the bottom line of invention. It will be essential for us to cultivate a mindset of flexibility, resilience, and open-mindedness in order to effectively navigate the increasingly complex world that we are creating.

Part of the Triad of Stewardship’s Standalone Essays. Companion pieces: Forgiveness and Its Limits (forthcoming) · The Mandates of Conflict · Criminal Justice.