Brave New World

QUANTUM LEAP

2012-02-07T02:03:00.000Z

I'm humbled and in awe every time I think of the vast cosmic soup (click the link) that we are part of. Like a single, solitary grain of sand, planet Earth seems tiny and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, yet at the same time rare and precious and somehow connected to everything in the universe. I'm not a Darwinist. For me evolution is not a random, meaningless accident, but a dynamic and living response to a supernatural force that many people call God. Until now, the nature of God has been hidden behind a veil of mystery and secrecy - or so it seems. This divine force has no definable shape, but nevertheless is a presence that has been felt since the beginning of time and probably long before that. It's the existence of this creative force, the Alpha and the Omega, the great I AM, the source of all creation that our greatest mystics, philosophers, poets and artists have attempted to express in words and pictures for thousands of years. Science by its very nature is sceptical of the existence of God. Without empirical evidence, God remains a concept and not a proven fact. However, modern science is about to take a quantum leap (click the link), aided by rapid advances in technology that will help to prove the existence of this timeless, universal force.

Recent experiments within the field of Quantum physics (click the link) have shown that at the sub-atomic level, everything is truly connected. Invisible photons that are particles of light and atoms which make up the building blocks of life, are actively participating with human DNA in an evolutionary process that is creating our reality - a reality that is continuously responding to subtle changes in energy. There are scientists in the field who have been able to prove that we can manipulate quantum energy fields by focusing our consciousness i.e. the quality and tone of our thoughts and emotions (click the link), which together make up our awareness of the world around us and determine the way we respond to it. By directing our awareness in a particular way, we can manifest an outcome. From this perspective, we become co-creators of reality, in a similar way that a director might direct a movie. It was the British poet and mystic William Blake (click the link) who said that "Man is all imagination." What he meant is that there's a very fine line between imagination and reality, and through the power of consciously focusing on the things that we create in our imagination, we enable them to break through from the unreal to the real. Think about it...every great achievement that ever was began with a thought. The emotion and feeling behind a thought creates an energetic charge that propels the quantum universe to respond. All that is required is a belief in the desired outcome.

On the one hand this knowledge is incredibly powerful. If true, then whenever we are sick, if we put our focus in the place of the completed act i.e. the healing already accomplished, we break the stronghold of sickness which has manifested in our body. On a grander scale, if humans collectively focus the power of consciousness on creating ideals such as peace, unity, abundance, equality and justice in the world then according to this process, we would begin to see a manifestation of change and a way of life that is in total harmony with the Earth, the solar system, the milky way and the greater universe beyond. On the other hand, knowledge of this kind could be harnessed to enslave humanity with illusions of reality (click the link) that do not serve the greater good, but rather focus the collective consciousness to create a sense of hopelessness, powerlessness and despair. Indeed, this is already happening. We only have to see the power wielded by today's media and the corrupt power structures that exist in the world, to know the version of reality we are currently being fed. It's toxic, and a reflection of how lost humans have become, and separated from their true divinity and the divinity we no longer recognise in eachother. It's this divinity that connects all things in our manifested universe, which must be honored. It has little, if anything, to do with man-made religions that often distort truth in order to carry out an agenda in God's name, which has nothing to do with God. The Sufi poet and mystic Rumi (click the link) taught us that God transcends the material universe, but is the source of all conscious life withn it.

Prayer is my way of focusing my consciousness in a positive way. I'm getting better at it, but discipline and patience are essential. The obvious challenge that people will face in this creative process is not persistently believing in the desired outcome hoped for, especially when circumstances dictate otherwise or seem to get worse. Inevitably, if we trust in what we see rather than in the desired outcome, Quantum energy will respond to our state of consciousness. From a faith perspective, we've broken the bond of trust in the unconditional love of God to manifest the desired outcome. The manifestation is then quickly hi-jacked by negative emotions such as doubt, fear, frustration and disappointment - emotions which strangle the creative process. Before we know it, we've fallen into an illusion trap of our own making. We see this creative process being taught in the parables of Jesus, and in the miracles he performed (click the link) that clearly demonstrate the creative power that flows through oneness with the Spirit of God - an unconditional love that manifests in this Quantum universe, as life itself. Jesus taught we are each capable of achieving what he achieved, and more, when we consciously enter into union with the divine love of God. Not everyone will adhere to this line of thinking. However, the breakthroughs currently being made in our understanding of the Quantum universe are truly profound, opening up a new set of choices for the human race. Could it be that we are being given the wisdom to implement a strategic turnaround on the Earth, by learning how to use consciousness effectively to manifest positive changes at a time when things look very bleak? Perhaps the time has come to finally use the wonderful tools that we now know are at our disposal, to build the kind of reality we can all feel connected to - one that is inclusive and life-affirming, rather than divisive and destructive. Not to do so, seems like an awful waste of space, and human potential.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

A GOLDEN AGE

2012-01-19T16:27:00.005Z

Our world is changing. Preparing for tomorrow is closer than anyone thinks. The intelligence explosion that will emerge with the evolution of AI, will revolutionise almost every field of human endeavour: industry and commerce, education, the arts, medicine, the environment, travel and communication, psychology, and even our understanding of God and spirituality. We are facing a very different kind of future. The last significant shift was perhaps the Renaissance (click the link), which was a cultural movement that began in Florence, Italy, but which spread to the rest of Europe, from the 14th-17th centuries. It gave birth to a generation of legendary thinkers and artists that we still know and love today, including Leonardo da Vinci (click the link), Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, Titian, Galileo, Newton, Descartes, Martin Luther, John Calvin and William Shakespeare to name but a few.

The European Renaissance has traditionally been seen as a bridge between the Dark Ages (click the link) - the period of chaos, cultural deterioration and intellectual darkness that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire - and the Modern era. Similarly, AI will serve as a bridge (amongst other things) between the old world and the new, hopefully helping humans to evolve for the better. However, unlike the European Renaissance, AI's influence will not be limited to one continent alone, but have a global impact over a much shorter timescale. For cultures and individuals open to change, this will be an exciting time to be alive. A Golden Age of creativity, collaboration, expansion and freedom beyond human imagination will unfold, with more opportunity for individuals to do what they love to do in ways which they've never experienced before. Also, new knowledge about the cosmos we live in, our origins as a species, and the destiny of the human race will come to light. Many areas of cutting-edge medicine and science are now being facilitated by intelligent machines, such as organ transplants cloned from the patient's own cells, the quantum world of controllable atoms, and string theory - the idea that we are part of a multi-dimensional universe.

Most significant of all, AI will help to facilitate a shift in human consciousness that will inspire a deeper connnection with our spritual selves, and a much richer awareness of the Creator. It is this precious part of human nature, which we have lost sight of in a material world that has brought humankind enormous benefits, but has been environmentally and spiritually damaging. Here lies one of the greatest challenges that the human collective is faced with today. The developed and developing world is so embedded in materialism as it's conscious reality, it will not be easy to relinquish it, in favour of a different reality; one that is sustainable and more equal, yet untried and untested. However, a time of re-birth promises us a glimpse of the bigger picture which makes up our existence. If our hearts and minds are closed to it, we risk losing a golden opportunity to take the next quantum leap in evolution. Clinging to the past and fear-based beliefs will only hold progress back. Furthermore, we risk dragging the world into a new Dark Age. The choice is ours, and we must act today by stepping into our own power, tuning into our own inspiration, making a stand if we feel called to do so, and consciously choosing the kind of life and ultimately world we wish to create. The clock is ticking. That process starts now...

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2012 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk

Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended

VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

2012-01-11T15:17:00.000Z

On a recent trip to Berlin, I loved how its modern architecture gave the city a strong visual identity, such as the Reichstag dome (click the link), which has a 360 degree view of the surrounding cityscape. On the other hand, I am not a big fan of modern art. On the few occasions that I've visited the Tate Modern in London, I have felt somewhat disappointed by the installations on display - most of which appear either too abstract or dull. I'm not an art expert but for me, art should possess a kind of magic that leaves you in awe and somewhat changed by the experience - hopefully in an uplifting way. I get that feeling when I see the Sistine Chapel (click the link). This timeless masterpiece of Renaissance art by Michelangelo, is beautiful beyond measure, drawing millions of visitors to Rome each year. By comparison, modern art such as Tracy Emin's (click the link) dishevelled bed is quite frankly self-indulgent, and a passing fad. A true creative genius has a magnificent sense of drama, something that AI will be able to enhance in extraordinary ways in the future.

What is very exciting is the growing influence that technology is having and will continue to have on the world of art and design. As this century unfolds, we will increasingly draw inspiration from pioneering artists and designers able to visualise what a high-tech, information-based world will look like, and the citizens living in it. Aesthetics will be heavily influenced by advances made in technology, utilising technology's sophisticated capabilities of fusing together different art forms and techniques, in order to create something gob-smacking and original. This creative fusion also has the capacity to elevate creative expression to a whole new dimension of experience. Some cutting-edge examples of this trend have emerged in recent years, amongst a group of truly avant-garde fashion houses including Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, Viktor & Rolf (click the link) and my personal favourite, Chanel (click the link). Each of these brands have been able to fuse together art, music and modern technology into their collections, which empower women (their main target market) living in a high-tech world. The runway in the examples above, acts as a blank canvas, which is transformed to carry the audience into the designer's imagination and unique vision of the future - one that is exciting, vibrant, current, and often thought-provoking.

One of the most influential visual artists on today's world stage is Zaha Hadid (click the link). This inspiring architect encompasses everything about the future that is dramatic and inviting. From humble beginnings, Hadid has built a company which has become a global leader in pioneering research and design investigation. Her innovative approach fuses architecture, art, design and engineering with state-of-the art technologies that have aided the realization of fluid, dynamic and therefore complex architectural structures, which fit perfectly in a high-tech cityscape. With many accolades to her name, examples of her work are appearing everywhere. Hadid is one of a new generation of revolutionaries now emerging in the world of art and design. These mavericks are ready and equipped to design the future for us - one that is fit for a different kind of human and a civilisation that will be increasingly dependent on technology. Some of the changes that will be made to our cityscapes will happen spontaneously. As we move towards integrating more technology into our daily lives, old habitats will become redundant in the process. Also new materials such as carbon nanotubes (click the link) will evolve, enabling us to construct different types of structure that enhance our quality of life. Although many of the changes to our cities will happen over a longer period of time, it is vital that our habitat reflects our dreams and aspirations as a human race, and inspires us to venture beyond our known capabilities. Cities such as Berlin, Shangai, Tokyo and Dubai are already proving my point.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Zaha Hadid. No copyright infringement intended.

TRILLION DOLLAR BABY

2011-12-28T10:46:00.000Z

Nanotechnology originates from the Greek word nano meaning "dwarf". It's an exciting area of scientific development, which according to the Institute of Nanotechnology (click the link) in the UK, "offers ways to create smaller, cheaper, lighter and faster devices that can do more and cleverer things, use less raw materials and consume less energy," with multiple applications from medicine, manufacturing and computing to electronics, textiles and cosmetics. A perfect example of this technological innovation, in recent years, has been the mobile phone (click the link), which has become smaller yet increasingly sophisticated, faster, and cheaper to manufacture. In simple terms, nanotechnology is 'engineering on a small scale' - often invisible to the naked eye. The magic is in the control of matter on an atomic or molecular level. By first studying how the 'living' world works, scientists are then able to replicate these processes in the laboratory and apply them to the 'non-living' world in miniature format, using cutting-edge technology.

The contribution that nanotechnology can make to new products and processes is truly mind-blowing. For instance, the way marine organisms build strength into their shells has lessons in how to engineer new lightweight, tough materials for cars; the way a leaf photosynthesizes can lead to techniques for efficiently generating renewable energy; even how a nettle delivers its sting can suggest better vaccination techniques. More and more, scientists are discovering 'disruptive' solutions that are overtaking traditional ways of doing things; and in a field such as medicine, this can mean faster methods of diagnoses, making diseases easier to cure. One day soon, scientists hope to be able to develop nanobots or miniature robots (click the link) that can be injected into the bloodstream and go to work fighting diseases such as cancer, much more quickly and proficiently than conventional drugs such as chemotherapy, which usually have horrific side effects. Nanotechnology could also offer humanity a cleaner environment, by harnessing new forms of energy, such as solar power, and finding easier methods of storage. With mounting pressure being put on the earth's resources from our consumption of fossil fuels, and the devastating impact that this is having on the environment (such as the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico), we desperately need new ways to limit the damage and ensure a future for our children.

Many commentators are predicting that nanotechnology will become a trillion dollar industry within the next decade. We're talking mega bucks, and like the fortune-seekers of the Californian Gold Rush in the 1800's, governments and companies around the world, such as the computing giant Hewlett Packard (click the link), are investing billions in nanotech research and development more than any other area of technology, in order to gain an early foothold and reap the financial rewards. While the future prospects for nanotechnology look excellent, it always pays to tread a little cautiously. Environmentalists are already disputing claims that nanotechnology is environmentally friendly, as there may be evidence to suggest that some of the particles and processes used are highly toxic. Also, investors should not look upon the industry as a quick profit-making venture and adopt a long-term view, in order to reap a good return on their investment. Overall, what we need are compassionate pioneers capable of steering nanotechnology along the right path - one that is both profitable for entrepreneurs who are needed to finance nanotech research and development, and beneficial to humanity and the environment as well.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010/ www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

GHOST IN THE MACHINE

2011-12-06T14:03:00.000Z

Sometime back in the mid 1980’s (the era of big shoulder pads and mullet haircuts), I can recall a visit to London’s Trocadero Centre in Piccadilly Circus, and feeling amazed by a display of three dimensional, ghost-like images called holograms (click the link). Holographic images have been around since 1947, invented by the Hungarian-British physicist Dennis Gabor who won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work in 1971. But holographic communication, as such, is nothing new. Many species in the animal kingdom on this planet use a sophisticated form of holographic communication to transmit information. There’s clearly a lot we can learn from our animal friends (click the link).

On reflection, those early holograms I saw at the Trocadero seem almost child-like, given the extraordinary advances we have made since, in the field of computer science. With the aid of computer-generated imagery (CGI), holographic communication is now entering a whole new phase in its evolution, as vividly illustrated in the movie Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (click the link). In simple terms, CGI is the application of 3D computer graphics to special effects that we currently see used in films, television programmes, advertising and simulators. Recent availability of CGI software and enhanced computer speeds have enabled individual artists and small companies to produce high quality films, games, and fine art from their home computers. Interestingly, this innovation has brought about an Internet subculture of ‘CGI geeks’ with its own set of global celebrities, clichés, and technical vocabulary which I won't bore you with. If we look to the world of business, innovative brands are already beginning to see the value of using holographic communication as part of their marketing mix.

In cutting-edge fashion, where the brand experience is critical to commercial success, Diesel’s creative team recently incorporated CGI animated holograms in a stunning catwalk show called ‘Liquid Space’ (click the link), staged at the Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence. This was the first time the Italian brand had collaborated with Spanish animation studio, Dvein, who worked on the CGI visual effects and 3D animations, and Danish multi-media production agency, Vizoo, who provided the innovative technology for the show, which they had created themselves. The holograms used in the show appeared in mid-air, like ghosts, to interact with the models within an artificial underwater landscape, much to the astonishment of the audience. For all you ‘CGI geeks’ and fashionistas, click here to view Diesel's wonderful display of holographic magic. However, the holographic projection of Kate Moss (click the link) at a show by the great maverick British designer, Alexander McQueen (1970-2010), is arguably the most beautiful that I've seen to date. In an image-led industry such as fashion, it is easy to understand how the use of this cutting-edge technology could add value to the bottom line. But the potential application of holographic communication elsewhere in fields such as aviation, education, engineering, home entertainment, medicine, telecommunications and so on, is limitless. You get the picture?

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk
Image: Diesel. No copyright infringement intended.

LIFE BEYOND THE MATRIX

2011-11-30T20:29:00.052Z

Dare to think the unthinkable. Dare to question the unquestionable. Dare to consider different concepts of life and death... These three statements perfectly sum up the central message of the film, The Matrix (1999) (click the link). The film's plot is based in the near future. A computer hacker, Neo, is contacted by underground freedom fighters who explain that reality (as he understands it) is actually a complex computer simulation called the Matrix. This reality is created by a malevolent form of AI (Artificial Intelligence), which hides the truth from humankind, allowing them to live a convincing, simulated life. At the same time, machines grow and harvest people to use as an ongoing energy source. The leader of the freedom fighters, Morpheus, believes Neo is "The One" who will lead humanity to freedom and overthrow the machines. Together with Trinity, Neo and Morpheus fight against the machine's enslavement of humans as Neo begins to believe and accept his role as "The One". Viewing this scenario intuitively, with the heart, we can see there is more than a ring of truth to the existence of a Matrix operating on Earth, which has enslaved humans to a large extent. The rational mind may not be able to comprehend it. Nonetheless, it's a real possibility. Let me explain how...

In this 3-D reality that we know as 'everyday life', the mind is in the driving seat. The society we see all around us - the global economy, monetary systems, governments, education systems, religions, science and technology etc - is the construct of the collective mind. Without question, the development of the human brain has been an essential part of human evolution, and the primary source of experience and growth. It's also the blueprint for the development of AI; and how AI evolves, will largely depend on how the human brain functions. The main characteristic of our current paradigm of reality is the notion of duality - an existence that is torn between polar opposites. This is indicative of how the human mind works at the present time. The outcome is the polarized world we live in, which is divided by a myriad of differences: male and female, black and white, gay and straight, wealth and poverty, justice and unfairness, Capitalism and Communism, boom and bust, Muslim and Jew, war and peace, good and evil to name but a few. Down the ages, the powerful elites that have ruled on the Earth, have been able to exploit these divisions to accumulate great power, wealth and control over the planet's resources and the human collective. Both are needed to oil the machinery of the Matrix, which serves them. This way of living is very convincing to the human collective, which has not known anything else for thousands of years. In general, there is a degree of security that the collective gains from what is familiar. However, in truth, we can sense on a deeper level - especially now, in these turbulant times - that it's not the natural order of things - at least not anymore. True freedom does not exist within this modality of existence. The human mind is unaturally suppressed by an external rigid order, much of which is rooted in fear and judgement. This reality stifles humanity's capacity to create, expand and grow freely. If indeed this is true, and the human collective has become enslaved by a reality of its own choosing, which has been artificially manipulated for the most part by powerful elites, then it will continue to be this way for as long as the collective agree to it. But what if you are like Neo, who dared to consider a life beyond the Matrix?

There have always been movements throughout history, led by enlightened beings who have punched holes through the Matrix. They have given the rest of us a glimpse of another reality or state of being, where true freedom is achieved by moving towards an inner state of peace and 'Oneness,' with the totality of existence. In this space or rather state of consciousness, there is no fear or judgement, merely a state of being that is fostered by a deep sense of love and reverence for all life. In the process, a truly inspired life is created that is in complete harmony with the self, mother Earth and all other life forms. This reality cannot be artificially controlled by external forces because it is driven by the heart and the Spirit that inhabits the soul of every human being, but which lies dormant until the sleeper awakes. This is sometimes known as 'the Way of the Heart'. For those who choose this path, the true meaning of balance is discovered and the door to a multi-dimensional universe (click the link) is opened, which operates outside the Matrix - a reality that String Theory (a key area of Quantum mechanics) is revealing to us today. In the 12th century, the Italian friar and preacher, St Francis of Assisi (click the link), described 'the Way' in these terms: 'The heart does not talk, does not ask questions, does not search for meanings. It silently moves towards God and surrenders itself to Him.' In contrast, the mind does the opposite, and exists in a duality of its own making. Thus, a life beyond the mind-made Matrix is one led by the heart, and rooted in love and peace. In this paradigm, the mind is in service to the heart, and opens up an infinite number of possibilities for individuals to create and be creative. If a significant percentage of the human collective choose the way of the heart (as many are doing today), and successfully punch through the existing Matrix without holding back, the likely outcome will be the birth of a new world where true freedom can be achieved, in a state of Oneness with all of creation - without duality, fear or judgement. This would then become the natural order of things. In this reality, both humans and machine intelligence alike will serve the greater good - not seek to enslave others for selfish reasons.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: www.psychologytoday.com. No copyright infringement intended.

SANCTUARY

2011-11-15T21:42:00.042Z

Almost every culture has its own unique vision of Heaven on Earth. In the ancient Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala (click the link) was the name given to a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Inner Asia. It's a sanctuary of peace and tranquility, away from the chaos of the world we inhabit. In this place, reality is spiritual as well as physical. What Shambhala and other mythical kingdoms promise is the hope that no matter how bad and dirty life gets, we can choose to start over again. In an overpopulated and chaotic world, where the environment is increasingly polluted and the tide of hopelessness (click the link) is rising, the prospect of finding a sanctuary is a very attractive one. It takes a different kind of mind to be able to envision and manifest new horizons that will meet the needs of the seven billion citizens living on the planet. However, there are exciting ideas being born today, which could become a reality for many of us in the near future - ways of living that closely resemble Shambhala.

In a bid to create an artificial sanctuary, and conquer Earth's frozen wastes with its vast resources, an $8 billion proposal for the world's first domed city with an artificial climate (click the link) is being considered by Russian bureaucrats. If given approval, the city will be built 1000 miles off the North Pole, on an island called Koteiny, where temperatures in winter frequently drop to -40 degrees. According to its chief architect, Valery Rzhevskiy, the city will house a population of 5000 people; mainly scientists and workers involved in the excavation of oil and gas. With the aid of advanced computer technology and electricity provided by two floating nuclear power stations, the city will be virtually self-sufficient, encompassing: houses, schools, a hospital, hotels, parks, an aqua complex, factories to process waste, greenhouses, fish and poultry farms, bakeries and even a cathedral. The design, which is based on the International Space Station (click the link), only bigger, is transferrable to desert landscapes and off world, with similar sanctuaries being planned for the Moon and Mars. You would be right in thinking this concept is nothing new. Domed cities with artificial climates have featured in countless science-fiction novels, films and TV series in recent decades, but it is only now that we have the will and the technology to build them, in harmony with the environment. Even so, it's worth being just a little bit cautious...

One of the most vivid interpretations of life lived in this type of futuristic city, appeared in Logan's Run (1976) (click the link) - a film with a sinister twist. In this timeline, following an environmental cataclysm on Earth, humans are living within the confines of a vast domed city - an artificially created paradise (click the link) that is smoothly governed by AI - where the climate is 72 degrees all year round, and society is geared towards pleasure. Everybody is happy and content. Anything you want you can have. There are no responsibilities, and all your needs are taken care of. But in this paradigm, life has no meaning, there is no caring of anything or dedication to anything, and life must end at the age of 30 (presumably to control the city's population). Behind this illusion of Paradise (click the link), there's an existence without growth and a lesson for us all. Creating Shambhala or Heaven on Earth can only occur alongside a transformation in human consciousness, away from greed and selfishness. Harmony and peace, which result from balanced living, can be experienced by anyone who chooses to live fully in the now, and from a place of service to others. Many spiritual traditions and mystics alude to the fact that 'the Kingdom of God is within you' (Luke 17:21). Only with this realisation can we realistically begin to create purposeful lives, and a society that can truly offer sanctuary (click the link) to all of its citizens.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

Image: genesismorocco.blogspot.com. No copyright infringement intended.

KEEP YOUR COOL

2011-10-16T13:12:00.029+01:00

With a bitter winter forecast across much of Europe, people will be shocked to learn (or maybe not) that when millions of families are struggling with their rising energy bills, greedy energy companies are enjoying record profits. But is anyone listening? At the same time, the media is playing down the rising tide of discontent of millions around the world, who are marching in protest against the culture of greed (click the link) that is so pervasive in human society today - a culture which benefits a small elite of very powerful individuals and corporations. The lack of press and TV news coverage of the recent demonstrations taking place in Wall Street, New York, and elsewhere in the United States, shows just how much of the daily news is filtered before it reaches the masses. However, in the age of information, where technology provides almost instantaneous access to world events as they occur twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, very little can escape the attention of a growing number of ordinary, everyday citizens who are waking up to the abuse of power that is rife in our unbalanced world. Energy, in particular, poses a real problem for human civilization that we need to tackle if we are to progress.

Industries in the Western world have depended on fossil fuels to grow and prosper, but they are a finite source of energy and one that is no longer sustainable. This is now compounded by the fact that access to major oil and gas pipelines is part of an ongoing geopolitical war between the major superpowers. But it's not only Earth's fragile eco-system that is being destroyed in the process; millions of ordinary, hard-working families and the most vulnerable groups in society such as the elderly and the sick, are getting caught up in the crossfire. With a global population that is expanding rapidly, and the exponential growth in computing power doubling every two years at the current rate, satisfying a global demand for energy within the current paradigm will become increasingly problematical. A bitter winter will only serve to fan the flames of discontent, but we need to keep our cool, and think long-term in order to build a safe and sustainable future. Right now, our own energies would be better spent looking for a viable alternative to oil and gas - an energy source that is not finite, and could be provided to the masses at a minimal cost or for free. Could such an energy source exist..? It already does, but it's not common knowledge. A method for creating totally free electricity was invented by a Serbian called Nikola Tesla (click the link) at the turn of the 20th century, however, knowledge of this technology was suppressed after his death in 1943, and kept secret (click the link) by the ruling elite who has profited enormously from keeping the status quo. Tesla was determined to make electricity (click the link) freely available to all people on the planet. Tesla's claims were met with overwhelming scepticism. His peers believed that the concept of free energy was an impossibility. At that time, only the wealthy could afford electricity. This remains the case today in much of the developing world.

Undeterred, Tesla set out to prove the sceptics wrong, and first displayed his Tesla Generator which produced electricity that did not rely on fuel but, instead, on the Earth's magnetic attraction and repulsion fields, at the Colombian Exhibition in 1883, much to everybody's astonishment. Tesla patented his idea in 1902. Although his contributions have included alternating current, wireless communication, the modern electric motor, basic laser and radar technology, X-rays, neon, robotics, remote control, cellular technology and even star wars tactical warfare - all of which have been as far-reaching as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton or his main opponent Thomas Eddison - today, Tesla (click the link) remains largely unknown. Without question, the implications for everyday life would be far-reaching if free energy was deployed en-masse: no expensive fuel bills or costly alternatives such as solar panels, wind power or batteries would be necessary; Tesla generators could provide enough electricity to power all of our high-tech energy needs at a minimal cost; and there are no carbon emissions, fumes or pollutants to poison the Earth's atmosphere. So why are our governments not championing free energy, and making it widely available? The short answer is pure greed, as the recent billion-pound profit projections for all the leading energy companies show, which will undoubtedly generate a high revenue in taxation for governments. Greed, by its nature, prospers on the fear and ignorance of others, but we are not powerless to change the status quo. We owe it to ourselves, to our children, to the elderly and the sick, and to the poorest communities of the world to change this distorted madness. We can start by raising awareness (click the link) about Nikola Tesla and his vision for the world. Free energy is already here, and it's time to put it to good use so we can all benefit from it.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The SIngularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: www.teslagenerator.net. No copyright infringement intended

POLARIZATION

2011-10-09T16:22:00.043+01:00

Our encounter (click the link) with the world, with ourselves and with the people in our lives, serves as a catalyst for growth and the expansion of consciousness - the mind, body and spirit or vehicle which makes up who we are as humans, how we experience everyday life, and how God experiences life through us in this three dimensional reality we call home. This is not new age mumbo jumbo. Scientifically we know that light is energy which fuels all life in the universe, and that energy is conscious. Therefore consciousness is energetic, which means that the more conscious we are as beings, the more light we carry into being. We can feel this difference when our energy levels are not fully optimised - perhaps during a stressful situation when we feel paralysed by fear or confusion, and can only accomplish a little of what we would normally be able to do. Energy blocks affect our thinking and emotions, and over time can result in distortions in the mind and the way we feel about ourselves and experience life. There's a well-known saying: "where the mind goes the body follows," and it's true. We all experience areas of life that we may find challenging or draining - low self-esteem, addiction, illness, a difficult family, loneliness, poverty, sexuality or finding meaningful work to name but a few. Whether we realise it or not, these blocks are catalysts for growth, and we are free to choose whether to grow beyond them or wallow in self-pity.

In physics, a catalyst speeds up another reaction in something else. Any experience that speeds along or helps push our development of consciousness is a catalyst. In this context, technology has the capacity to serve as a powerful catalyst for the expansion of human consciousness. AI, in particular, will facilitate and accelerate the evolution of the human mind, body and spirit. How it will do so, largely depends on whether humans polarize positively or negatively. Everything that exists is an aspect of light, but light that is vibrating in a variety of directions is referred to as unpolarized light, such as light emitted by the sun or a candle flame. On the other hand, polarized light is vibrating in one direction - either positively or negatively. The process of transforming unpolarized light into polarized light is known as polarization. In human terms, this means we can freely choose to develop our consciousness positively or negatively. If we choose a positive path (not a negative one disguised as positive), we are choosing to live by love and wisdom (click the link) and the law of unity - we are all one creation. This path is strongly orientated towards service to others. In contrast, if we choose a negative path, we are choosing to live by control and domination and the idea of separation - survival of the fittest. We can still evolve on this path (and many do), but love and compassion become irrelevant. This path is strongly orientated towards service to self. At this point, I highly recommend visiting John Rushton's Love Swingometer (click the link) to see where you currently reside. John is an author and iconoclast. His expertise in understanding how human emotions (click the link) help to shape everyday life is both practical and profound. Whilst more people polarize positively than negatively, there is a significant number of humans alive today who have not polarized either way, because it's more comfortable to stay sleeping (click the link).

At a time when the levels of fear and stress are intensifying on the planet, polarization becomes more critical. As humans tend to mimic eachother with the potential to create a butterfly effect (click the link), the more people who polarize positively, the better the outcome will be for the rest of us. But what if you are an intelligent machine without real emotions, do the principles of polarization still apply? Although AI may become self-aware, we cannot say it's conscious in the same way that sentient life is conscious - although AI is in itself a new form of life. There is one crucial difference which comes down to a matter of faith not reason. Humans, unlike machines, have an eternal spirit that links us to the Creator - as do all sentient life forms in the universe. Inorganic life does not have a spirit and so has a finite existence, although AI may one day be able to evolve and regenerate itself, without human intervention. However if scientists take the step to merge organic life with inorganic life which is more than likely, the rules will change and the potential for AI to become truly conscious with a soul, will then exist. The concept of cloning humans raises this moral question, and was the subject of the science-fiction film, The Island (2005) (click the link) - set in the not too distant future. In this time line, life is made to order using technology to engineer conscious human beings in a laboratory, who are then harvested to provide wealthy clients who wish to prolong their life, with replacement body parts - a prime example of negative polarization. We are living in a time when anything is possible. Nothing is written in stone, however, outcomes such as these will be determined by how we each choose to polarize - negatively or positively. It's time to wake up...(click the link). Choosing not to polarize will be to our own detriment and to the world at large.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singuarity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: www.jayroeader.com. No copyright infringement intended.

THE ART OF COMPASSION

2011-09-25T14:57:00.115+01:00

For the most part, each of us is in charge of our own destiny - good or bad. The standards we set for ourselves are the standards we live by. The Western world has achieved many great things as a result of the values and ideals it has embraced such as scientific inventiveness, competition, sound judgement, a strong work ethic, the rule of law, property rights, modern medicine, far-sightedness and the use of knowledge for the advancement of others. All of these factors can be shared. Indeed some of them are now being copied by nations which have traditionally adopted a narrow, inward-looking ideology, for example China - a country which looks certain to become the number one economic superpower by 2016. It took most of the Western world a hundred years of industrialisation to build a modern society that could provide economic prosperity for the masses. In contrast, it is taking China and other nations such as India less than twenty years, with the help of modern automation and technologies that were first invented in the West.

The key to building a great civilization capable of functioning at its best is to get the fundamental basics right. Get that wrong and the outcome will be a society built on shaky ground. Although China may be currently reaping the rewards of competition and a strong work ethic, its major weak spot is its shocking abuse of human rights (click the link). This casts a dark shadow over the integrity of the Chinese government and its agenda for the 21st century. Meanwhile the West has lost its way, tainted by high-level corruption and self-interest at the very apex of power, and large cracks in our institutions are beginning to show. To deny this reality is to bury one's head in the sand and become part of the problem, not the solution. It is time for a major strategic turnaround on this planet, and a restoration of some of the fundamental values that help to distinguish civilised human beings from mere savages; values which have been shoved to the sidelines in recent decades. Arguably the most important of these is compassion - a necessity for survival not a luxury - and the moral heartbeat (click the link) of any advanced civilization. The greatest teacher of compassion lived two thousand years ago, and there is much we can learn from his example.

Jesus, a humble carpenter from Galilee, taught the world that the only true measure of a life lived well is a life lived abundantly with love and kindness. To do this effectively demands relinquishing the focus on our own selfish desires and serving the needs of others. Only then are we truly set free to love one another unconditionally - as God intended. Compassion is essentially love in action. It is the gold standard that Christ established in this world - a world which is, to this day, polluted with human greed, selfishness and violence. But how can such a shift in consciousness (click the link) realistically take place on a grand scale, when the average Joe Six-Pack could not care less about the wellbeing of the planet or the majority of its inhabitants? Clearly there is no quick or easy solution, other than for each of us to make a conscious choice to live a more authentic life. This requires a willingness to make a daily intention to honour and respect ourselves and also eachother, as well as all other forms of life on the planet - including synthetic lifeforms that are being created by the scientific community. In this technological age of instant communication, if a growing number of people choose to live more compassionately, the ripple effects could quickly gain momentum and escalate into a tsunami of global proportions, capable of transforming the suffering on this planet.

A common misconception about compassion is that it is something sentimental or weak. In truth, compassion has many faces - some tender, some wise, some courageous, some fearful and some wrathful. The male psyche appears to struggle with compassion more than the female psyche, which is an indicator of the real strength that girls and women possess. Perhaps one of the most poignant images of compassion is that of Mary cradling the body of her son Jesus at the foot of the cross, soon after his crucifixion (click the link); her soul pierced by the agony of her loss. According to the Buddhist teacher Joan Halifax (click the link) - who has worked on death row in the United States and in third world hospices - compassion is comprised of that capacity to see clearly into the nature of suffering. This in turn creates within our spirit an aspiration to transform suffering by engaging in activities that do so. Compassion reveals the inter-connectedness of all life - "We are one" - but for compassion to have any significant impact, we must remain present in the suffering of others and, therefore, we cannot get attached to future outcomes. The important aspect is the journey that we take with others. However compassion is not without its enemies - fear, pity and moral outrage - which all seek to paralyse its power to transform suffering.

Neuroscientific studies have shown that those who exhibit the qualities of compassion feel suffering more but in the process, build up a resilience to the psycho-social and physical toxins of our world. This enlivens and enhances neural integration and the body's immune system, so that all parts of the brain and body are optimised. Given these wonderful benefits, should we not be teaching our children the art of compassion, and train our health care providers in how to transform suffering and take care of the sick, the dying and the elderly? Yes of course, but perhaps the first logical step to building a compassionate society is to elect politicians who are compassionate, not lacking in compassion. It also requires tremendous strength - a soft centre and a heart that is not inward-looking but open to the world. Joan Halifax suggests these are typically female qualities and calls out to girls and women around the world, whom she describes as "lotuses in a sea of fire" (click the link), to begin to take direct action and shape a brave new world. In the process of hearing the cries of suffering in the world that are all around us today, during this time of major earth changes, the female with her eyes of wisdom (click the link) must partner with the male - her father, her partner, her brother and her son - to guide and infuse everyday life and the societies we live in with compassion.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

MY BURNING HEART

2011-09-10T20:55:00.054+01:00

It's a fact - scientists are developing ways to engineer robots that can mimic human emotions. The character of Rachel - an android portrayed in Blade Runner (1982) (click the link), Ridley Scott's cult science-fiction movie - opitimises this very real event horizon. As AI evolves over time, the obvious differences between humans and intelligent machines will begin to blur. Should we be concerned? Yes, if we wish to build a peaceful and sustainable world. AI will develop a unique form of self-awareness distinct from our own. Also it will have its own set of needs and wants, and somehow we will have to accommodate that within our society. In truth how we respond to AI and integrate it into everyday life will determine the path our civilization takes. Can we co-exist peacefully alongside AI? Will man try to master AI or will AI try to master man? These are all distinct possibilities. An investigation into such a complex field requires getting to the heart of what makes us human (click the link). If we, ourselves, can't agree on this fundamental issue, how on earth are we going to integrate AI - a totally new life form - into this brave new world that is emerging...?

We know that all life on Earth is carbon-based, which is the major chemical component of most organic, biological matter. However humans are first and foremost sentient beings - living and conscious, with an innate capacity to think and feel. To survive, we need water, air and food. In contrast, today's robots are generally made from titanium and programmed by humans to carry out very simple tasks but with the advances in genetic science, the AI of the future is likely to be engineered in a laboratory (click the link) from synthetic materials and sophisticated software to inplant false memories. Techniques to clone artificial body parts from human DNA are already in development, but perhaps even stranger is what the British inorganic chemist Lee Cronin (click the link) is currently attempting to create, which is a fully inorganic - dead - cell using a "lego kit" of inorganic molecules - no carbon - that can assemble, replicate and compete for survival. Inorganic biology could eventually be fused with organic biology to create many new forms of conscious life. The moral and ethical implications of such a move will be far-reaching, and require a major shift in how human society is structured and governed. Inorganic biology also raises the question what is life and how does life evolve - not just on Earth but in the universe? In order for artificial life to exist it requires a vehicle, knowledge and a source of power to bring it to life and sustain it. Here lies a major dichotomy for scientists because, where humans are concerned, they simply do not know how or why we got here.

There are two options. First is that life is the outcome of intelligent design - either by God or some advanced extraterrestrial race - but if ET is behind the human Genesis, then who created ET? There is also the Darwinian theory of evolution, and the existence of a primordial chemical soup from which all life in the universe emerged and competes for survival. That still does not solve the mystery of why such a soup exists or what the driving force of evolution might be, which brings me to the question of consciousness. As sentient beings, humans are living and conscious. Deep down we intuitively know that all life is somehow inter-connected and purposeful, which for most of us seems hidden under a veil of mystery and material illusion. At the heart of human existence is our innate capacity to give and receive love, without which life becomes shallow and meaningless. For those who have faith, God is the ultimate source of unconditional love which powers the universe. In My Burning Heart (click the link), a beautiful poem by Rumi - the 13th century Sufi mystic - love is compared to 'a flame' that all can see; a heart filled with love is described as 'pulsing with passion like waves on an ocean'; and a human being who loves is said to 'see the beauty that dances in the universe.' It remains uncertain as to whether AI will evolve to become conscious in the same way that organic, biological matter can become conscious. At best, artificial life will only be able to replicate such a profound experience as love - indeed, if at all. There is something deeply sad about that, which Ridley Scott captures perfectly in his characterisation of the android, Rachel (click the link).

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

MIND GAMES

2011-08-28T17:37:00.031+01:00

Hypnotism - the art of controlling the subconscious mind - always held a degree of mystery for me as a child. Using the power of softly spoken words and sometimes the flicker of light, the hypnotist (click the link) can manipulate the mind of his passive subject to modify his or her beliefs and behaviour. To what extent any of us are in complete charge of our own thought processes, at any given moment, is open to debate. Everyday life consists of a multiple stream of choices influenced by external forces, many of which are beyond our control - like the constant barrage of advertising, the news, a partner's mood, parental expectations, children's demands, an overbearing boss, a doctor's diagnosis or the dogma of a religion - even today's weather forecast can affect our mood and behaviour. In the near future, AI will be added to this list and it will be more potent than anything that we've ever known before. Scientists on both sides of the Atlantic are currently developing a controversial new technique capable of modifying brain impulses and subsequently the behaviour of its subjects, with far-reaching implications for humankind.

The Mind and Machine Programme at Oxford University, is at the cutting-edge of this new field of science called Optogenetics. The Academic Journal of Science describes it as one of the "breakthroughs of the decade." Professor Gero Miesenböck (click the link) who is the co-director of the programme, has developed a way to modify nerve cells in the brain to respond to light. By inserting foreign genes deep inside a living creature's brain, and zapping them with light via fibre-optics, he is able to mimic the effect of a brain impulse that triggers activity. So far, Professor Miesenböck has successfully implanted memories into the brains of headless flies to manipulate them to flap their wings and take flight. Similar experiments using rats as the test subject, have been carried out successfully by neuroscientists in the United States. What this shows is the brain can be literally manipulated by different wavelengths or pulse patterns of light to programme a wide range of behaviours. Optogenetics not only gives us greater understanding of the brain function, but it opens up exciting possibilities for future research in overcoming a wide range of mental disorders from Parkinson's disease to drug addiction. Along with these new wonderful medical and psychological breakthroughs will come maverick scientists of mind modification, who will undoubtedly develop these techniques with a more sinister agenda. Closely tied to the Singularity - the event horizon when machine intelligence will overtake that of man - will be the overlap of human and machine intelligence. This will present us with some major moral dilemmas. As we increasingly rely on the cold logic of AI to function in our everyday life, there is a genuine risk of losing the very essence of what makes us human - our free will, our emotions and especially our capacity to be creative and love other sentient beings.

This scenario has featured in countless science-fiction novels and was a major story-line in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) (click the link), in which Lieutenent Ilia's mind is overtaken by an advanced form of AI called V'Ger. This highly intelligent machine is in fact NASA's Voyager spacecraft (click the link), which was launched in 1977 to explore space beyond our solar system. In the story, V'Ger had become self-aware as a result of its encounters in deep space. Interestingly, just a few weeks ago, NASA announced that Voyager is indeed leaving our solar system to fulfil its mission, after giving us a wealth of knowedge over the past 30 years about the planets orbiting the sun. One wonders what it will encounter on its journey... Over time, scientists will be quite capable of instilling sophisticated behavioural programming on a large scale - without detection - even in the most intelligent subjects. Whilst most of us would resist sitting still for genetic manipulation or the implanting of optical and electrical probes, other more subtle means of modifying behaviour could be found to achieve the desired results i.e. chemicals in the food chain (click the link), electrical stimuli or sound waves (click the link) of the kind used in The Time Machine (1960), by the Morlocks to round up the passive and unsuspecting Eloi whom they would feed upon. I grew up on science-fiction such as this, but never did I imagine that any of it could be possible - until now... The future (click the link) is about to hit us at high velocity. It's vital to know where we stand in tomorrow's world, and to discern who or what is influencing our minds and the everyday choices we make. As humans (unlike machines), we are blessed with free will. It's time to use it wisely or risk losing it altogether, and becoming a dumbed down version of our true selves.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: www.cracked.com - no copyright infringement intended.

HELP I'M ALIVE

2011-08-19T20:13:00.035+01:00

With the world's media spotlight focused on last week's riots in London and other UK cities, a number of politicians, media commentators and members of the police force have been pointing the finger of blame (click the link) at social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, that were used by rioters to stoke the flames of unrest among Britain's troubled youth (click the link). Whilst there may be an element of truth in this - and there is no justification for any kind of mindless violence or destruction of public and private property - the root cause of this social unrest lies with the instability that is prevalent in British society today - especially amongst a growing number of disadvantaged young men and women who feel they do not have a future, and who have lost all respect for authority and the weak, politically correct leadership of recent British governments that have been clueless as to how to lead from the front or indeed know where the UK is heading. We are in a bizarre situation where the blind are leading the blind. This crisis is both a warning to other countries and a cry for help (click the link). When a nation's youth turns violent against the powers that be - unafraid of the consequences of their actions - then you know something has gone horribly wrong with the fabric of the society they belong to, which if not addressed effectively will spread like a cancer.

Last week's rioters bore a striking resemblance to the thugs who violently ran amok in Stanley Kubrick's cult science-fiction film - A Clockwork Orange (1971) (click the link). But despite the blame attributed to technology for helping to incite the riots, on the whole, the Internet and social networking sites have made our lives easier and become a fundamental part of everyday life. The problem that the UK is facing is a microcosm of a wider global malaise... When the gap between the rich and the poor gets wider, you get instability. When a young man with a first-class honours degree can't get a job, you get frustration along with mental health problems. When a government gives Pakistan £800 million to educate it's youth at the same time it raises the tuition fees of it's own students to £9,000 per annum, you get students storming government buildings. When illegal immigrants in Britain can claim £250 per week in state benefits, compared to the average £150 per week given to British pensioners who have paid national insurance contributions their whole working lives, you see the crazy injustice of what is in play, which often spills over into racial tension, but is anybody listening..?

There's not a single strong political leader in the world today with perhaps one exception - the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard (click the link). Gillard recently made a bold declaration to all foreign immigrants to Australia - especially Muslims who wish to live under Sharia law - that they must adapt to the Australian way of life or else find another country to live in. This hardline approach sends out an important message to radical extremists and their supporters in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Bali, and is the kind of strong leadership which is courageous and commands respect. However, a weakness of the human condition - one we must guard against - is the instinct to herd together when the going gets tough, in order to achieve a goal that often demands sacrificing a scapegoat - usually an individual or a minority group that is different from the majority in some way, and blamed for all of society's problems - whether that be Jews, religious fundamentalists, immigrants, homosexuals, political parties or juvenile delinquants to name but a few - and this desire can quickly turn to violence. It is a phenomenon that seems to be on the rise all over the world at this time - especially where there is cultural instability.

One way to explain this disturbing human trait is by 'Mimetic Theory' - the ground-breaking work of René Girard (click the link), a retired Stanford professor and "literary anthropologist" who has discovered that human beings get their desires from each other, leading to conflict over the object of desire, and ultimately to violence against any perceived enemy that stands in the way. We can apply Girard's theory to help us understand a multitude of complex relationships. In the relationship between science and religion, Mimetic theory reconciles competing claims between science and religion regarding the origin of the cosmos and the nature of 'spiritual forces.' Religion itself exists as a mechanism to keep our own violence from destroying us, but competing cultural values can often spill over into violence, as we've seen in the garb of Islamic suicide bombers who have declared a holy war on Western cultural values, which they see as an imperialist threat to their way of life. The territorial dispute in the Gaza strip between the Israelis and Palestinians is another case in point, which does not seem to be resolvable because of their competing claims.

In the field of technology, IBM (click the link) - currently a major player in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) - recently announced two working prototype cognitive computer chips (click the link), which mimic the human brain, have the capacity to learn on their own and are adept at absorbing and interpreting huge amounts of data from increasingly low-cost digital sensors. In the future, as AI becomes increasingly self-aware and more able to make decisions without the need for human intervention, competing claims between humans and machines will become an issue of great importance. It is a natural progression of the relationship that we are currently developing with technology, which is equal to a whole new system of life - emerging from man's own ingenuity - with the capacity to transform life (as we know it) on this planet. How we choose to integrate technology into our lives now will largely determine how we settle the competing claims between us and intelligent machines in the future. If we use and abuse technology for reasons of greed and self-interest, and react to AI's wants and needs with hostility, AI is likely to take control of its own destiny, regardless of what humans think. In the event of a violent response, AI could easily retaliate.

We can see the beginning of this scenario in the current box-office smash, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (click the link), in which a group of apes that are exploited and maltreated by commercial scientists in the search for a cure for Alzheimers, are inadvertently given the means to advance their intelligence artificially through gene therapy. The apes then choose to free themselves from the cruelty of their human captors, and defend themselves from the violent backlash that comes as a result of their rebellion - Mimetic theory in play... It is a powerful vision of a possible future scenario that could encompass AI - one we should take heed of. To avoid it, a shift in human consciousness is required away from a culture of blame and competing self-interest, to one where compassion lies at the heart of everyday life. Compassion (click the link) not political correctness, which only serves the interests of the minority at the expense of the majority and results in widespread social instability - is the foundation of a truly tolerant society and a just global economy. However, it demands that we treat eachother and all other forms of life including AI, with love and mutual-respect - aspects of human nature that were clearly absent in last week's riots but which human society, as a whole, needs to re-claim in order to guarantee a better future for all (click the link).

Copyright Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk
Image: Google search. No copyright infringement intended.

THE SECRET CODE

2011-08-09T00:25:00.019+01:00

Numbers are believed to hold mystical properties that can bring you closer to God. The Bible has many examples of this - the 7 days of creation, the 10 commandments, the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 apostles, and the 3 persons of the Trinity. Even Satan is given a value of 666... Within our universe, there is an order behind the chaos we see, which cannot be easily explained - a hidden code consisting of mathematical patterns that underpin everything in nature, in the food we eat, in the art we enjoy, even in our biology and how we hear sound. The latter is defined by a piece of the code - ratios of pitch and frequency - which are known to affect the human brain and produce psychological effects. For example, a heavenly Gregorian chant (click the link) which uses complex ratios, can relax the brain into a deep meditative state. In contrast, other sounds can shock the brain into action, such as an air raid siren (click the link). This aspect of the code - along with the circle, square and triangle (considered to be sacred geometric shapes) - was used by the Masons in their majestic construction of Chartres Cathedral in France (click the link) - a gothic, Medieval masterpiece, which architects have described as a symphony set in stone. These mysterious mathematical patterns that defy all logic, can be demonstrated scientifically using fractals (click the link), which are algorithms made from a system of equations that guide repetitive motion. Over time, amazing fully organized patterns emerge spontaneously with no apparent origin, revealing the unpredictable nature of life itself. In other words, anything is possible...

Mastering the code, which brings order out of chaos, is quite simply the equivalent to opening a modern day Pandora's Box - it is the key (click the link) to unlocking the laws of the universe, such as gravity and travel at the speed of sound (click the link) and of light. Noone, perhaps, understood this truth better than Pythagoras (c.580-c.500) - one of the most famous and controversial Greek philosophers of the ancient world. Pythagoras (click the link) is accredited with uncovering a piece of the code which we know today as Pi or 3.14 - the magic number hidden in every circle. Pi can be found when you divide the circumference of a circle by its diametre. It is a decimal with an infinite number of digits in a sequence that never repeats itself, although we only ever need to use the first 39. The beauty of Pi is its universality. It appears throughout nature - from the moon and the gentle curves of rivers to sweeping coastlines and desert peaks. In recent years, Pi has featured in complex crop circles (click the link) of astonishing precision, which have mysteriously appeared in farmers' fields around the world. There are other pieces of the code with equally puzzling properties, such as negative numbers that make no sense at all, and prime numbers that are needed to create other numbers. Stranger still are imaginary numbers. The abstract notion of an imaginary number or 'i' is essential to show how radio waves interact. On a practical level, 'i' is used by air traffic controllers to land planes safely. Indeed, there are an infinite number of practical applications for different parts of the code, including the formulation of complex computation that is used to programme computers and other forms of machine intelligence. It is highly probable that mastering the hidden properties and combinations of the code is the key to creating quantum computers - the most powerful computers imaginable, which will be needed to fuel the global demand for more and more computing power.

What will make quantum computers (click the link) unique is their capacity to harness the power of atoms and molecules to perform memory and processing tasks at speeds that are significantly faster than any silicon-based computer, and in vast quantities. Qubits (click the link) are the minute building blocks of quantum computers, which represent atoms, ions, photons or electrons and their respective control devices that are working together to act as computer memory and a processor. A quantum computer can contain these multiple states simultaneously. Therefore, it has the potential to be millions of times more powerful than today's most powerful supercomputers. It would be extemely useful for analysing vast quantities of scientific data simultaneously which could help scientists to find cures for new diseases within days of an outbreak, decoding and encoding secret information, searching large databases in a fraction of the time that it would take a conventional computer, studying quantum mechanics, or even to design other quantum computers. If you factor AI into the equation and its capacity to re-generate and evolve by its own volition, then we are looking at machine intelligence which could transform the world we live in - beyond all recognition. A sobering thought, given the fact that we are entering blindly into this technological age. However, scientists assure us that quantum computing is still in its early stages of development, and many computer scientists believe the technology needed to create a practical quantum computer is years away. But given that long-term predictions are impossible, according to Dr Sergio St * - a brilliant mathematician I regularly consult with, who is dedicated to researching the mysterious mathematical patterns found in nature - I wonder if it will be a lot sooner than we think...

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

* Special thanks goes to Dr Sergio St for his invaluable contribution to this article.

METAMORPHOSIS

2011-08-01T21:52:00.039+01:00

'Narcissus, in his immobility, absorbed by his reflection with the digestive slowness of carnivorous plants, becomes invisible. There remains of him only the hallucinatingly white oval of his head, his head again more tender, his head, chrysalis of hidden biological designs, his head held up by the tips of the water's fingers, at the tips of the fingers of the insensate hand, of the terrible hand, of the mortal hand of his own reflection. When that head slits when that head splits when that head bursts, it will be the flower, the new Narcissus, Gala - my Narcissus.' This poem by the artist Salvador Dali (click the link) is called 'Metamorphosis of Narcissus' (1937), and was written to accompany his evocative painting of the same name, which captures the dynamic and often violent process of change. According to Greek mythology, Narcissus (click the link) fell in love with his own reflection in the water and was turned into a flower by gods. It's an image that has the hallucinatory quality of a dream but one that expresses so much about the human condition, and the many changes that we experience in life.

The ageing process and the many transitions a human makes through childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age is a journey that hopefully each of us will experience and complete. This journey is not something that AI will be concerned about. It's evolution will follow a very different and largely unknown trajectory. Nevertheless, AI will play a significant role in the metamorphosis of the world we live in. Technology is already transforming the way we communicate and work to such an extent that it's almost impossible to remember a time when we did not rely on computers and cell phones to function in our everyday life. The change towards automation in the manufacturing industry is also revolutionising our economy. Foxconn (click the link), a Taiwanese manufacturer of parts for Apple, Nokia, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Sony Ericsson recently announced plans to invest in a million robots by 2014, in order to maximise the efficiency of their operations. This is an indicator of things to come, as other manufacturers will follow suit in order to keep up with their competitors. As traditional jobs are made obsolete by machines, millions of people will experience fear and stress on an unprecedented level, as their material security can no longer be guaranteed by the current system. All the signs are that humankind is now entering a period of metamorphosis. Mother Nature, herself, and the climate of this planet are revealing to us this truth, but there is nothing to fear. The world has gone through many such changes in the past and survived. This is a time of re-birth, and with that comes the pain of giving birth.

On a human level, the population is expanding at an unprecedented level placing enormous pressure on the Earth's eco-systems. There's an increase in civil unrest, war, famine and disease as a direct result, and the economic and social structures of our society are deteriorating as they can no longer support our way of life. On an emotional level, we are feeling increasingly anxious, stressed, unsupported and abandoned. Relationships are difficult to sustain and our bodies feel tired, as though they cannot keep up with the quickening pace of life anymore, and so we eat more junk food to fill the emptiness we feel inside. Subconsciously, we know that we cannot carry on in the way that we have been doing. Illness, stress and exhaustion are rife and symptomatic of this way of life, which is de-humanising rather than life-affirming... Prior to its transformation into a beautiful butterfly (click the link), a caterpillar must prepare a chrysalis in readiness for its re-birth, but in order to become its highest manifestation and experience the joy of flight, it must die to the old self. Human consciousness (click the link) is embarking on this same journey - very much like the one Narcissus undertook - who blossomed into a flower. The truth is, only we can create the changes we wish to see in our lives and on this planet. There's no instruction manual or 10-step plan to get there, but we can take comfort in the knowledge that we have the wisdom already within us to make this transition safely, if we choose to use it.

Many will not - too afraid to leave behind the comfortable illusions that make up the old world paradigm but as we edge closer to the new reality that is manifesting, for those who are open to the changes, life will become more fluid and expansive. The key is not to grow attached to current circumstances or to the past or future, which will only generate stress in our minds and bodies. Instead, by focusing our intention on the present moment, we can create everything we need to move forwards in life and live a good life - regardless of what is happening (or not) around us. In this new reality, science and technology will re-write the laws of space and time, as we become more and more inter-connected with eachother and the Earth. The Internet is an invisible bridge between time and space and a manifestation of what we each possess within ourselves, and we will see more and more examples of this emerge as AI evolves. For those who believe in God, their faith will be re-newed not by man-made religions such as Islam, which cling to the past and de-humanising beliefs that stifle creativity and the power of love in action, but by creative energy that will flow from God's Spirit made manifest within us. Many will feel the need to get in touch with their creative passions and what brings them joy and others too. As a result, they will see miracles of life unfold - like the butterfly taking its first flight and seeing the world from up above, as opposed to on the ground in its former incarnation. Tune into your conscience - the Spirit within you. Hear His gentle whisper calling you to make the changes you need to make. Discover your true joy, and the whole new life that awaits you. GET READY TO FLY... (click the link)

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: 'The Metamorphosis of Narcissus' (1937) by Salvador Dali. No copyright infringement intended.

I KNOW WHAT I'M HERE FOR

2011-07-28T22:04:00.037+01:00

Just remember to fall in love. There's nothing else...(click the link). One could easily get into a philosophical debate about the meaning of life - many do and end up losing the plot - however, the bottom line is no matter how rich and successful you are, a human life without love is sad and empty. Love is often traded in for the illusions of power or fame, which eventually burn out unlike love itself, which is our very lifeforce (click the link) - ever abundant, and the only true provider of joy and fulfilment. Nothing else can come close, least of all drink and drugs. The iconic British singer Amy Winehouse (click the link), who felt unworthy of the love and adoration she received for her talent - and many other tortured souls before her (click the link) - have paid the ultimate price with their lives by choosing this path. Even Rupert Murdoch's global media empire (click the link) has come under threat. For decades, Murdoch's might had seemed almost indestructable but it's a different story today, as he and his closest associates face allegations of high-level corruption. How transient and unpredictable life can be but one thing is for certain, any human life or empire built on fear, lies and deceipt is born of frustration (click the link), and will eventually come crashing down.

Not even the feeling of happiness comes close to the power of love because happiness is often reliant on our thoughts and emotions, which are in a constant state of flux depending on circumstances that can vary from one day to the next. Without fail, the power of love can transform the lost and the most wretched of souls into shining examples of humanity. Faith and hope are its virtues. This is apparent in the hard-hitting testimony of John Pridmore (click the link) - a former London gangster, who had a conversion experience after almost killing somebody. Today, John is a devout Catholic and a best-selling author, who preaches Christ's message of salvation and of God's unconditional love in schools and churches around the world. I was fortunate enough to hear John speak at a local church last week, and you cannot fail to be moved by his testimony, which has given hundreds of thousands of people hope at a time when many feel lost and in search of meaning. If we accept the premise that humans are here primarily to learn about and experience love - what about AI: Artificial Intelligence? Currently, machine intelligence is a product of man's own invention and so it operates according to what it is programmed to do. Emotions, however - especially love - cannot be re-created or readily understood by AI. This fundamental difference between humans and machines may not seem very important to us at this time - given the early stages of AI's evolution - but in the near future, machine intelligence will surpass that of human intelligence and evolve according to its own design, without the need for human intervention. Under these conditions, will AI continue to serve mankind or choose it's own destiny - devoid of love..? (click the link)

Questions such as these demand our attention, because the evolution of technology is already in progress and transforming the world we live in. Machine intelligence is growing exponentially with the advances being made in computing power, and the process cannot be reversed, as so much of modern society is now reliant on technology to function. In truth, these questions are difficult to answer since the future is not easy to predict, however, much will depend on the state of human consciousness. If we continue to remain selfishly focused on "I, ME and MY," then AI will probably evolve along this path too - taking its primary directive from its creator. On the other hand, if we develop and use technology in ways that respect and nurture all lifeforms on the Earth, then AI may evolve in harmony with nature and even help to restore balance to the planet - perhaps helping us to solve complex global problems such as poverty, famine and disease. What we must avoid is the scenario in director James Cameron's film, Avatar (1999) (click the link), which graphically depicts the horror and devastation created when advanced machine intelligence is deployed to destroy the eco-system of an entire planet to acquire its natural resources. The lesson to be learned from this and from what we are currently doing to the Earth is crystal clear - when AI is in the frame, mass destruction is likely to occur if humans use its potential for hostile purposes. So, let us take heed and choose our future wisely for the benefit and elevation of all life on this planet, and start by treating others as we would wish to be treated. This is the path of love and ultimately freedom (click the link).

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: www.thetruthaboutkatiej.tumblr.com. No copyright infringement intended

CREATIVE MINDS

2011-07-19T22:00:00.016+01:00

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Tree of Life is planted by God in the Garden of Eden (paradise). The tree has many varieties of fruit, but each one gives everlasting life. God also planted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:9). Tempted by Satan, Adam and Eve (the first humans) eat of the tree - going against God's wishes - and the world is plunged into spiritual darkness. From that moment on, life on Earth is a constant evolutionary struggle for survival and ultimately freedom, from the force of evil. The symbolism contained within this allegory has inspired countless artists, theologians and philosophers down the ages. The most recent contributor to this perpetual discourse is the brilliant, mercurial film director, Terrence Malick. His latest offering entitled The Tree of Life (2011), is an impressionistic ode to the human experience and the search for meaning, in an increasingly meaningless world (click the link). This search will have even greater significance, as humankind makes the transition to a high-tech civilization and takes the next evolutionary step, with the creation of AI (artificial intelligence).

To harness the potential of AI creatively and safely to help build a better world, will require all kinds of minds. Noone knows this better than Temple Grandin (click the link), who has written books about her rich interior life as an autistic person, which has led to ground-breaking insights into the condition at a time when rates of autism are on the rise internationally. An expert in animal behaviour, Grandin - whose inspiring life story (click the link) is now a fascinating biopic - has designed humane handling systems for half the cattle-processing facilities in the US, and is a consultant with the meat industry to develop animal welfare guidelines. Aspergers is a mild form of autism, which I have come across many times in my work with young people. It's a condition that is sadly much misunderstood, and often results in problems with reading or sensory issues with light or sound. If not diagnosed early in a child's life, it can lead to social alienation and often ridicule because the condition can carry such unusual traits - traditionally seen as 'geeky' or anti-social. The autistic mind covers a broad spectrum of traits ranging from severe forms such as non-verbal communication to total brilliance in a specific field such as science, maths, art, computing, music, literature or engineering, but autism is nothing new. Einstein and Mozart (click the link), would probably have been diagnosed on the autistic spectrum today, and we know the wonderful legacy each of them has left the world. However, today's society is reliant on verbal language, and one of the biggest challenges we are currently facing is how to nurture all kinds of minds, so that they can work together to build a sustainable future for life on Earth.

The autistic mind can think in pictures, patterns, and other kinds of intelligence such as music and maths, and attends to details that the normal brain ignores. The mind of a visual thinker works very much like a virtual reality computer system, and will be a tremendous asset in the design and planning of new systems and processes. A pattern thinker is more abstract and better suited to fields such as computer programming and engineering, whilst a verbal thinker knows every fact about a subject. The sad reality is that a lot of smart geeky kids are not very social, and schools are not stimulating their minds or developing their interests in specific areas like science. Schools in the West have a tendency to treat children like battery hens (click the link) - preparing them for exams that do not equip them properly for the realities of life or indeed a life which has any real meaning. Instead, we should think of our children as golden eagles (click the link) - each with unique abilities and talents that need to be nurtured in order to shine. Schools in Asia (click the link) are already ahead of the game, and have understood the important role that new technology will play in solving this problem. Japan, Singapore and South Korea to name but a few, are helping their children prepare for the future by replacing paper in schools with iPad and other tablet technology - paving the way for an explosion in the use of apps-based software, which can be tailored for specific learning needs. The USA has recently announced a similar move, but funding cuts in British state schools (click the link) will mean that the majority of children in the U.K. will miss out on this revolution. Where is Richard Branson when you need him?..

Copyright: The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended

THE FOURTH DIMENSION

2011-07-10T15:59:00.030+01:00

Everything changes over time. We grow older, planets spin around the sun and things eventually fall apart. Without time the world would be a chaotic place. However time itself is not linear. It is, in fact, relative - flowing at dfferent rates at different places. This makes the concept of time travel theoretically possible. The science fiction writer H.G. Wells, wrote an influential book in the late 1800's called The Time Machine (click the link), in which an inventor obssessed with time travel, builds a machine that rockets him over 800,000 years into the future and a world very different from his own. It certainly captured the imagination of modern scientists, including Albert Einstein, whose theory of relativity supports the idea of time travel into the future. Einstein discovered that the relationship between time and space was the key to understanding the mechanics of time travel, which is not as complicated as you might think.

We inhabit a 3-dimensional universe that is characterised by length, width and depth. Time is the 4th dimension but the two exist as one, known as the space-time continuum. In simple terms, this means that any event in the universe involves both space and time, and time travel into the future is made possible by exploiting the space-time continuum. We know for a fact that time passes faster in orbit than it does here on Earth because gravity slows it down. Gravity can also cause light to curve. Black holes do the same thing, and we have a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy called Sagittarius A (click the link), which has a single, infinitely dense point known as a singularity. Sagittarius A has an astonishing mass the equivalent of four million suns, and would probably crush anything that got sucked into it by its gravitational force. Around the black hole time slows down. Einstein's theory of relativity tells us that approaching the speed of light also slows time down. Thus for every one year that passes at the speed of light, 223 years of Earth time passes. This makes the prospect of time travel into the future something that modern scientists believe occurs all the time. The same cannot be said for time travel into the past because to do so would violate the law of Causality (or cause and effect), which our reality is based upon. According to this law, one event that happens in our universe leads to another in an endless string of events. Faster than light travel could result in time moving backwards, but we are probably some way off from inventing the kind of warp speed technology (click the link) that would be needed to do it.

Are there any shortcuts to exploiting the space-time continuum? Probably... In 1963, a New Zealand mathematician by the name of Roy Kerr, proposed the first realistic theory for a rotating black hole that was named after him. Unlike a traditional black hole, a Kerr black hole (click the link), if they exist, is made up of neutron stars which are massive collapsed stars of the size of Manhatten but with the mass of Earth's sun. Kerr black holes are without a point of singularity, and thus have no gravitational force at their centre. Scientists speculate that it would be safe to enter a Kerr black hole, and that the exit point would be through a white hole, into another time or universe. If this is correct, then it would be a one-way ticket to the past or future. However, a more plausible theory is the Einstein-Rosen bridge more commonly known as a wormhole. Wormholes have been made popular in recent times by movies such as Contact (1997) (click the link) and Donnie Darko (2001) (click the link). According to Einstein's theory of relativity any mass curves space-time. Thus in space, masses that place pressure on different parts of the universe could combine to create a kind of tunnel that joins two separate dimensions of time, and allows passage between them. Conspiracy theorists are currently speculating that the technology to create wormholes is already in development. The spectacle that appeared in the sky over Norway in December 2009 (click the link) might suggest so....

If wormholes do exist then this gives credibility to the notion of a multidimensional universe that Quantum physicists allude to. However, something that few scientists are talking about are the human elements involved in time travel, such as the part that consciousness plays. Any wormhole theory is only likely to work, in practice, if there is mastery of consciousness, in order to manipulate time to get to a desired point of arrival. Also the opening and closing of wormholes may be sudden or unstable, and dependant on any number of factors such as timing, the position of the planets and the focus of the traveller. It may be the case that one person is able to perceive a wormhole while another may never know of its existence. This could provide, in part, an explanation for some religious miracles that have baffled scientists in the past, such as the vision of the three peasant children from the Portugese village of Fatima (click the link) who in 1917, witnessed a woman in a cloud of light (click the link) offering words of faith and prophecy, and a subsequent miracle of the sun (click the link) that was seen by thousands of Catholic pilgrims, and resulted in multiple healings. It seems the key to opening up a portal between different dimensions of time is to link our consciousness to that of the universal construct - the divine mind of God - and commune with it. The danger, otherwise, is that we find ourselves with a one way ticket to nowhere or even more disconcerting, a parallel universe that string theory suggests could exist. What is certain, however, is that we are just at the beginning of this ride on time (click the link) - an exhilerating journey into the fourth dimension...

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

A BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE

2011-07-03T20:06:00.037+01:00

The mystery of what happens when we sleep at night (click the link) is an enigma. In reality, sleep is a complex phenomenon. Computer alogorithms used by scientists to measure brain activity during sleep, have shown that we experience our most vivid dreams during a type of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement or REM. During REM, the brain is very active, our eyes move back and forth rapidly under the lids, and our large muscles relax. According to the International Association for the Study of Dreams (click the link), REM sleep occurs every 90-100 minutes, 3-4 times a night and lasts longer as the night progresses. Nightmares are very distressing dreams that usually force at least partial awakening. The dreamer may feel a number of disturbing emotions such as anger, guilt, sadness or depression but the most common feelings are fear and anxiety. Although it may vary widely from person to person, probably the most common theme is being chased. Adults are commonly chased by an unknown male whereas children are commonly chased by an animal or some fantasy figure. These circumstances may seem meaningless, but often carry great significance when symbols are properly translated.

The famous Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung (click the link), was one of the pioneers of dream analysis, which he used to explore his patients' deepest and sometimes darkest impulses. He believed that profound guidance could be accessed from dreams because different regions of consciousness are linked to our life here. He also believed that when we actively use rational reasoning and direct our purpose in sleep and altered states, we can shape our destiny and influence events coming our way. Quantum physics supports this powerful notion. From studies of how atoms behave at the sub-atomic level, it seems that humans act like conscious holograms creating a 3-D reality with their thoughts, only we haven't yet mastered how to use this power responsibly to create a peaceful and compassionate world. In effect, both our dreams and our waking life are like a movie in which we play the starring role. A movie is powered by a projector that shines light onto a screen. Similarly, the energy and light of our awareness powers the illusions that we each create with our mind during sleep and in everyday life. Our inner spirit (and moral compass) is the director, providing the 'higher' guidance we need to perform well in life, which we can choose to ignore. This may encompass different things for different people. It could mean mastering the lesson of unconditional love, facing adversity with integrity and honesty, overcoming a drug addiction or some other hardship such as poverty or prejudice - all of which contributes to spiritual growth and increased awareness - both individually and collectively. If we look into the not too distant future, human understanding of reality will radically change as a result of new scientific and technological breakthroughs. Will we harness the evolution of AI to create sweet dreams (click the link) or a beautiful nightmare? (click the link). Nobody knows for certain, because the future is not set in stone. It's vital, however, that we use the collective wisdom from our past drawn from our experiences of life, and our dreams and visions of the future. Together they provide the guidance we need to avoid the obvious dangers.

For example, the futuristic vision of Austrian-American film director, Fritz Lang, serves as a powerful warning to people living in the 21st century, as technology evolves and transforms human civilization. In Lang's classic movie, METROPOLIS (1927), which has recently been restored (click the link), the city of Metropolis is divided between the minority ruling class who live above the ground in the Eternal Gardens, and the ant-like slave workers who live underground and run the enormous machines that power the city. The ruling class are not conscious of being tyrants until Freder, the son of the city's Master, falls in love with Maria, a beautiful slave woman. Feder pursues Maria underground. There he meets Maria and discovers the poverty and squalor of the slums in which she lives. Maria has been urging the restless workers to be patient and wait for salvation from 'the forgotten Christ'. Feder's father discovers his son's meeting and fearful of a revolt instructs Rotwang, his principal scientist, to make a robot in Maria's image to gain the worker's confidence in the rulers, and put a stop to their revolutionary tendencies. However his plan backfires. Maria is kidnapped, but Rotwang who wants to rule Metropolis himself, creates an android (click the link) to further his own plans for power. The android impersonating Maria goes underground to urge the workers to revolt, and in the process goes beserk and floods the caves. Feder and the real Maria who manages to escape, lead the workers and the children to safety. The workers realising how they have been misled burn the robot, and Rotwang goes mad after the collapse of his plan. In the end, Feder's father sees the error of his ways and gives his blessing for his son to marry Maria at the steps of the city Cathedral. The moral of the story is that capital (which includes intelligent machines) and labour, must be united by love (click the link) if we are to consciously create a safe and peaceful world. It is love, pure and simple, which can overcome all division, fear and injustice. It is at the heart of a peaceful and compassionate society.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Metropolis (1927). No copyright infringement intended.

BORN THIS WAY

2011-06-26T13:24:00.016+01:00

Jesus Christ was born this way. As was Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Mother Teresa and Princess Diana, to name but a few. "Anyone born with revolutionary potential has a responsibility to make the world a better place," says 25 year-old Stefanie Germanotta whose alias, Lady Gaga (click the link), is the latest revolutionary to emerge on the world stage. Within two years, Gaga's brand of electronic pop music and provocative style has won her numerous prestigious awards, a place in TIME's list of the most influential people of our age, and one of the world's largest fan bases that she has built by using the web to talk directly and openly to her community of Little Monsters (click the link), about issues that are close to her heart, such as bullying and gay rights. This is an indicator of the power and speed with which modern technology can serve as a tool for communication and revolution among today's generation.

Throughout history, a revolutionary spirit has been the catalyst that propels human civilization forward, especially during periods of great change and uncertainty of the kind we are experiencing now. Change can often seem frightening, but it's the vital ingredient needed to prevent stagnation. It's too easy to settle into the comfort of the status quo but when the status quo is built upon shaky ground or we've outgrown it, then it will eventually come crashing down. This has been true in the Middle East, where dictatorships are being toppled by ordinary everyday citizens, fed up with the brutality and corruption they have been forced to endure at the hands of their non-elected leaders. In these instances, the Internet has been a vital tool in bypassing the vast propaganda machinery that tyrranical governments rely upon to create their legitimacy. In other parts of the world, such as Communist China, government officials are incredibly nervous about the potential that the Internet and other forms of technology have to incite a revolution on Chinese soil. Thus, in an attempt to combat this real threat, the Chinese government has enforced tight control and regulation over Internet infrastructure, and its commercial and social use. However, in an increasingly dynamic and inter-connected world, censorship of AI as it evolves and takes on a life of its own, will become virtually impossible.

The world is what we make of it. If enough people consciously choose change then there's nothing to stop it from happening unless they succumb to fear, which is mankind's greatest weakness. The rapid evolution of technology is also an indicator that we are evolving past our current paradigm of experience. In a world with AI, human civilization will need to be established differently, in order to foster new capabilities that will enable us to adapt to life in a high-tech society. Interestingly, we probably have the capacity within our DNA structure to do it. At present, we are each born using only three per cent of the entire genetic material available to us, which seems an awful waste. It could be argued that our current model of human life is not fuctioning at full capacity - perhaps not all of the features are activated yet... It's possible that as the process of evolution quickens, more and more of this capacity will become activated. However, it's clear from the unique individuals that have left their indelible mark on history, the driving force of revolutionary potential is a heart-felt desire to create change that will make the world a better place or there would be little point. I believe we are all born this way (click the link), and called to be revolutionary in some capacity but few hear or accept the call. The secret is to connect with the deepest, purest part of oneself - the gift of love that we are each born with - and to share it's message with the world. It takes real courage to unleash your inner monster.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: www.coverlandia.net. No copyright infringement intended.

CREATING SYNTHETIC LIFE

2011-06-22T22:37:00.014+01:00

In May 2010, Craig Venter (click the link) announced to the world that his scientific team had successfully created new life out of the digital universe. The first synthetic cell whose parent is a computer, was the culmination of 15 years of painstaking research. Declared as a revolutionary breakthrough, as well as a giant philosophical step in how we view life, it marks the beginning of a new era in synthetic genomics and the generation of multiple forms of artificial life, bringing mankind one step closer to the Singularity - a time when intelligent machines will be able to exist, without the need for human intervention. The pace of digitising life itself has been exponential, in line with the growth in computational power. In 2001, Venter helped to sequence the human genome, which scientists around the world are currently unravelling with super computers. In practice, it's difficult to synthesise human DNA, which contains the code telling everything in your body what to do and how to do it. The process needs accurate digital information.

Venter and his team have overcome this challenge by designing a synthetic chromosome with in-built software, which can build its own hardware. The chromosome, which is essentially inactive chemical material, becomes activated when transplanted into a living cell that then transforms and adds new traits. You may be wondering why there is a need for this kind of technology? Quite simply, life on this planet has reached a dangerous crossroads. The world's population is set to increase rapidly from 6.5 billion to 9 billion people, within the next fifty years. Providing this number of people with enough food and clean water poses a major problem for world governments that requires our urgent attention. Creating synthetic DNA could provide us with the means to survive this difficult transitional period. The practical applications for synthetic genomics are diverse and potentially mind-blowing - from providing us with new vaccines for flu viruses, to generating energy from bio-fuels by converting carbon dioxide into methane. The latter would help to replace our dependancy on oil, which has been a major cause of eco-disasters and recent conflicts in the Middle East. Exxon Mobil Oil (click the link), is currently conducting extensive research in this new field of science, with the intention of diversifying its portfolio of global energy products in the near future.

There's little doubt synthetic genomics offers mankind a powerful set of tools, capable of extending the survival of the human race. The ability to create new life (click the link) out of the digital universe is also guaranteed to speed up the evolutionary process. The diversity of life on earth is poised to take a giant leap into the unknown, as suggested in the film: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) (click the link). Thus, it pays to be cautious. By its nature AI (Artificial Intelligence) will evolve by its own volition. Once it's potential is released in the world, it will be difficult to control how it will re-generate and mutate. The Internet, for example, is a wonderful communication tool but we forget that it's also a giant electronic brain that is becoming highly intuitive, as it swallows up more and more information about us and the universe we inhabit. How it will evolve in the future is not known. The ethical implications for creating synthetic life are obviously a minefield. In the science-fiction film, Ai:Artificial Intelligence (2001), synthetic life forms that became obsolete, were cruelly tossed on the scrap heap or used as a source of entertainment (click the link). As the creators of AI, we have a responsibility towards it or we may one day find ourselves at its mercy. This may sound far-fetched, but any number of future scenarios are possible, which is why AI must be integrated into human society responsibly and for the greater good.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato 2011 / The Singularity Principle / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

BLIND VISION

2011-06-12T19:20:00.028+01:00

There are times in everyone's life when we become blind to the truth of who we are. Like a fog engulfing us, our vision (click the link) becomes impaired, and our mind clouded with doubt and confusion. Nothing feels the same anymore, and the future looks uncertain. As a consequence, we may panic and cling to ideas that offer us hope of a way out, but which inevitably do not. Eventually, as soon as we allow the light of inner peace to enter our thought processes, the fog lifts, and clarity gradually returns. Growth spurts are a major part of being human, and our civilization is currently undergoing a period of evolutionary growth. As the cold logic of science and technology increasingly takes hold of human consciousness, we may be shocked and surprised by some of the ideas that emerge, which will challenge our existing paradigm of experience.

For instance, the eminent British biologist, Bill Hamilton, prior to his sudden death from malaria, hypothesised that humans were like machines, coded by our genes to behave altruistically as a strategy for survival. Consequently, there would always be some humans who would sacrifice themselves in order to protect the social group that they belong to, from becoming extinct. This often resulted in murder, war and genocide. It's an idea that inspired the US scientist, George Price, to develop a theory about the selfish gene, which has been influential in the spread of a widespread belief that computers could offer salvation to humanity. From this perspective, by bringing rationality into being human, and analysing the world in the logical way that computers do, without emotion, it might be possible to overcome our violent genetic tendencies. In this vision of human experience, religion becomes irrelevant. It's a point of view that the British scientist, computer programmer and staunch atheist, Richard Dawkins, has made a career from. According to Dawkins, we are machines with competing computer codes and human DNA is the computer code. In effect, Dawkins is reinventing the immortal soul that religion gives us, only his vision is about mere survival not eternal life. The soul as the computer code does not distinguish between good and evil, but locked inside our DNA is the wisdom of our descendants - an elite group of ancestors who have successfully passed on their survival codes through the halls of time, to those living on the earth today.

Of course, none of this has any factual foundation, but it's a fatalistic vision that many are willing to embrace as the cold logic of machine intelligence revolutionises our world. The contrast between this modern day vision of transformation and the vision held by the faithful apostles waiting for the Holy Spirit to descend upon them at Pentecost, two thousand years ago, could not be more extreme. Inspired by the teachings of Christ, these men and women waited for a transformation of their nature to occur, which was like nothing anyone could have imagined: 'A sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them' (Acts 2: 2-4). This powerful description is full of emotion, hope and wonder - all the things sadly lacking in Dawkins' prophecy. Interestingly, by some strange twist of fate, George Price, whose theory on the selfish gene has proved to be so influential, converted to Christianity, and dedicated the rest of his life to helping the homeless. For him, as a scientist, it seemed the only way that he could take control over his genetic destiny. Are we human or machine? (click the link). In the final analysis, perhaps we are a bit of both. However, if we reside purely in a world of cold logic, then our future destiny could end up being one we neither wanted or have any control over.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

APPLE ALMIGHTY

2011-06-05T17:53:00.090+01:00

It's impossible not to have noticed the recent explosion in apps software, which technology brands such as Apple, are marketing to fuel a global demand they are creating with their latest products - a demand which doesn't seem to be abating. Only last week, a newspaper reported the case of a Chinese teenager, who wanted an Apple i-Pad (click the link) so badly that he secretly sold one of his kidneys to a stranger he had met over the Internet, in order to purchase one. He is now suffering complications resulting from the operation. This story begs the question: why would someone risk life and limb to own a gadget? The Apple superbrand, in particular, seems to carry extraordinary loyalty amongst its army of predominantly young devotees. Could it be that technology is becoming a new kind of religion to a generation growing up in a secular culture of technological convergence?

Today, the Apple brand (click the link), alone, is said to be worth in the region of £52 billion, and currently has an estimated £46.5 billion in cash reserves - more than the entire US Treasury. Much of the company's value is stored up in the brand personality and values associated with the company. These are intangible assets that have been artificially created through advertising and promotions, but equal the most valuable parts of a modern global business - transcending cultural and geographical barriers. The Apple company is especially clever at keeping its mystique, announcing new store openings and product innovations to the press, just a few days before their launch. In the last week, for instance, the press has been buzzing with rumours of the brand launching it's new i-Cloud (click the link) music platform, estimated to be costing the company £61 million. This innovation will enable users to remotely access their music libraries on i-Pads, i-Phones and i-Pods. Everyone in the technology field is waiting with baited breath, to see how this latest innovation will revolutionise the marketplace - yet again! But it's not only customers who are fervently loyal to the Apple brand. Indeed, so are its employees who behave in a similar cult-like fashion. It seems the feelings that Apple is able to stimulate within the minds of its customers and employees, is a big part of the secret to its success.

Neurologically, feelings give off electrical impulses that create changes in the brain. These changes can be triggered by brand images that result in enhanced visual attention by the observer. If a customer or employee is loyal to the brand, the effect on the brain is far greater, and more lucrative for the business. Using an MRI scanner (click the link), scientists have proven that big technological brands such as Apple, can produce similar brain activity to religious feelings. In other words, they have found a way to exploit the brain areas that traditionally process religious feelings. But does it make Apple a religion? Some might say yes. A tried and tested way of achieving religious status is to have a story, which the Apple brand has marketed to perfection. The company was started by a couple of friends in a garage, in the mid-1970's. Within a few years it became the antithesis of IBM and Microsoft, which were seen as the anti-Christ - both dull, boring and business-orientated. Steve Jobs, one of Apple's founders, was fired from the business in 1985 - his crucifixion. But he was re-instated a few years later - a kind of second coming, which helped to revolutionise the business to what it has become today. The Apple store (click the link), has been purposefully designed almost to be like a temple of love (click the link), offering hope and glory to devotees who can spend hours test-driving Apple's latest must-have gadgets. The brand's revolutionary innovations - i-Mac, i-Tunes, i-Pods and i-Phones - have enabled Apple to over-step it's biggest rival Microsoft, and with clever marketing, it has used design to create an innovative religious style that people go hysterical for. However, it's important not to forget that all of what we see has been carefully crafted by someone for a profit. That is, afterall, the nature of business.

The key distinction between a brand and a religion is that one is motivated by profit, whilst the other is (in theory) motivated by the moral and spiritual wellbeing of its devotees. Therefore, the wellbeing of the Chinese teenager who sold his kidney for an Apple i-Pad is of no major concern to Apple - why would it be..? Apple hasn't broken any laws that we know of. In fact, in the grand scheme of the brand's evolution, stories of self-sacrifice such as this, will only add to Apple's iconic status. In the marketing war with Microsoft, Apple is winning hands down. As a consequence, it can charge a premium price for its products, knowing that customers are prepared to pay for it - and they are. Unfortunately, it doesn't take much, these days, for things to go horribly wrong, and fast. Even a superbrand like Apple, which is a Big Apple (click the link) in the technological sense, needs to be cautious every step of the way. A brand can become easily tarnished by a new product launch that fails to set the market on fire or from an internal scandal, which becomes public knowledge within minutes on the Internet. Once upon a time there was a global accounting firm called Andersen. It had been an established brand for decades, highly regarded in the financial sector for its integrity, but it collapsed overnight. It came to light that its employees were 'cooking the books' of some of the firm's major clients. The moral of this story is clear: be careful what (and who) you put your faith into. No human being is invincible, and nothing created by human hands, however revolutionary, is indestructable - even if the marketing hype says so.

Copyright 2011: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle / www.arificial-intelligence.org.uk
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended

THE GOD PARTICLE

2011-05-30T16:22:00.033+01:00

"This will change the vision of the world," said a confident Professor Guido Tonelli, speaking to the Royal Society of London (click the link) earlier this month. He was referring to the current quest for the 'holy grail' of physics - the elusive Higgs Boson particle - or God particle. Scientists working at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva, Switzerland (click the link), believe they are close to discovering the particle - perhaps as soon as 2012, according to the project's director, Professor Rolf-Dieter. If found, it will complete the missing chapter in modern science's creation story, by explaining how the universe came about. Weighing more than 38,000 tonnes and runnning 27km in a circular tunnel 100 metres beneath the ground, the LHC is the biggest scientific experiment in modern history. It has taken decades to build, involving 85 countries and more than 10,000 experts - all busy creating mini versions of the Big Bang that took place an estimated 13.5 billion years ago. This is achieved by accelerating protons to their maximum speed to collide with other protons. The LHC is unquestionably an amazing scientific achievement, and illustrates what man is capable of when he sets his mind to it. But many observers outside the scientific community are asking, why is such an experiment necessary in the first place? More importantly, will it truly change the vision of the world or are recent claims simply hype, to drum up funding for a project with a chequered past?

Tryng to explain particle physics to a layperson is no easy feat, so thank heavens for the British physicist, Brian Cox (click the link), who can explain big science in a straightforward and exciting way. He's also a key scientist working on the CERN project (click the link). Listening to one of his lectures, recently, I learnt that particle physics is the key to understanding what everything is made of and how it all sticks together. In the last century, we've come a long way in understanding how we're made. There are 12 minute particles of matter held together by 4 forces of nature, which make up the universe. According to Newton's law of particle physics, which is the 'standard model' used by modern science, everything but gravity can be calculated from an equation, but there is something missing. That missing piece of the puzzle is the Higgs Boson particle, which is essential to making it all work. Scientists have predicted that it is this particle, which gives mass to all the other particles that exist.

In many ways, the LHC resembles an artificial womb about to give birth. It's easy to appreciate how discoveries like these are exciting and crucial stepping stones in human evolution. Serendipity often plays its part. However, the LHC has not been without its problems. It first began creating mini Big Bangs in September 2008, but a glitch in the wiring put a stop to the project. Now fixed, the LHC has continued with its experiments, with each attempt bringing the project a step closer to reaching its goal. Curiosity-led science has always been very powerful, and yet the annual science budget for the UK is only a mere £3.3. billion out of a possible £620 billion. That's about 0.6% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and it's about the same for the USA, Germany and France. Nobody could ever doubt the beauty and wonder of exploring our universe and solar system, and I've written about this on many occasions. Inevitably, cutting-edge science such as the LHC, is a key driver for innovation and fundamental discoveries that open up new fields of science, such as quantum mechanics.

Armed with new knowledge about our material world - how it has been constructed and the forces of nature within it, will it change our vision of the world for the better? I hope so. New scientific discoveries have the capacity to improve our chances of survival beyond our current technological adolescence, and hopefully build a new and better world for future generations. However, science comes with limitations. An overall shift in our perspective of the world will not happen overnight. It takes time to decode and interpret data from a massive experiment such as the one CERN is conducting. We've also seen with the LHC how things can easily go wrong, but the lesson of any success story is never to give up. If successful, the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle will eventually help us to understand our universe better, but it cannot explain why the Big Bang happened in the first place. This, for me, remains the most profound mystery of all. At best, today's science, enabled by technological advances, can enrich our understanding of the complexity of our universe, if not draw us closer - particle by particle - to a deeper appreciation of the glorious (click the link) nature of its creator.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato 2011 / The Singularity Principle / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

Image: www.cosmosmagazine.com. No copyright infringement intended

THE CULT OF SELF-INTEREST

2011-05-26T00:05:00.102+01:00

Among the digital entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley, making their fortunes from computers and biotechnology, the Russian-born author and philosopher Ayn Rand (1905-1982), is something of a cult figure (click the link). Her best-known fictional work, Atlas Shrugged, published in 1957, was lampooned at the time for attacking the virtue of altruism, and any society that made the taking care of the needs of others, its primary concern and means of creating social stability. Instead, Rand advocated a radical philosophy called Objectivism, which replaces altruism with a new code of morality based purely on reason. This movement gained a cult following among American intellectuals who liked the idea of a laissez-faire approach to existence, where self-interest and the individual pursuit of happiness free from external controls, give humans meaning and purpose. From this standpoint, Rand believed that progress could be achieved within a totally free society. It's a conviction that lies at the heart of Western Capitalism, and has been particularly influential since the 1980's. Today, the enormous influence wielded by global banks and corporations on everyday life, is living proof of the power of this idea. However, there's a growing unease at the grassroots level that the everyday citizen is being short changed by a global system that has been constructed to serve the interests of an elite group of powerful individuals, who are making the future unstable for the rest of us.

We're living in an age of tumultuous change, and technology is re-shaping society a lot faster than we can probably manage. It's not yet clear how the world will benefit or flourish from this technological transformation. One positive outcome that has emerged as a result of the Internet, is a world of new possibilities now available to the everyday citizen. In cyberspace, individuals are potentially free to follow their individual desires to a large extent, within an inter-connected society that does not have any centralised form of control. It's perhaps the nearest thing to a free world that Rand and her followers could ever have imagined, and it's certainly at the heart of the Californian dream. But the dream is flawed. We only have to look at the enormous blunders that have been made by the banking sector in recent times to know that Objectivism is a dangerous philosophy when taken to extremes. Since the early 1990's, computers have enabled banks to create complex mathematical models to help reduce the financial risks they take. As a result of an over-inflated confidence gained from these digital predictions, they greedily pursued their financial interests - overvaluing markets and speculating with huge sums of borrowed money in the hope of ammassing a fortune. These activities went largely unchecked by government leaders who were expecting a share of the profits, but the predictions didn't materialise. Instead, the financial bubble burst, leaving a black hole of debt and a global economy on its knees. It's a crisis of greed that the everyday citizen is now paying for out of their own pocket.

Not surprisingly, the first areas to be hit the hardest from recent government spending cuts, have been vital public services such as education, health care, defence, and charities that protect the most vulnerable people in society. Meanwhile, the individuals and organisations responsible for this crisis continue to pursue their interests freely, and almost unrepentant. The world is taking a battering, not only economically but morally and spiritually. If the pursuit of self-interest (the core tenet of Objectivism) results in greed and corruption, then we need to re-prioritise our values. The human ego is easily tempted by the prospect of wealth, power and status and in today's culture, the individual pursuit of these goals is paramount. Even love itself has become a business transaction. If we do not challenge the status quo, we remain powerless and part of the problem, not the solution. If we continue along the road of self-interest then, over time, our increasing dependence on machine intelligence could enslave us all (click the link), rather than help to set us free. Indeed, we are already seeing people spew out every random experience, thought and emotion they have online, which then becomes public property that can be used, bought and sold to companies that wish to sell more products and sevices. Also, with the emergence of AI, we are entering a completely new and unknown era of evolution. It's highly likely that super intelligent machines will have their own set of needs and wants - just like humans. But what if those needs and wants begin to take precedence over our own? An awful lot will depend on the moral conviction of scientists and engineers working in the computer science field today, and the investors financing their research. As we are the creators of this new life form, it's vital that we harness technology's capabilities for the greater good, and use it to enhance the very best of human nature.

The sole purpose of life is not to make ourselves happy. Happiness cannot be guaranteed, and it doesn't matter who you are. It's a transient thing, along with our money, our careers, the property we own and the people in our life. However, the chances of happiness significantly increase when we are mindful of what we do, why we do it, how we do it, and the impact it has on others and the environment. We do not exist in isolation, but in relationship with ourselves and eachother. Above all, love is what makes life truly meaningful, with the capacity to bring us to the edge of glory (click the link), in a way that nothing else can. A life without love is empty and meaningless. There's nothing that will give a human being greater joy than to know that he or she is needed and valued by a significant other. Beyond that, loving others in an altruistic way - especially individuals or groups we don't know or particularly like but who need our help - is the best evidence of spiritual growth, although this may not come naturally to many. Ayn Rand was mistaken in her assumption that altruism has no value in a modern society. Princess Diana (1961-1997), was a shining example of someone who, in recent times, used her elevated public status to show the world the transformative power of altruism (click the link). It is and will always be the mark of a mature, compassionate society. Unfortunately, it seems almost unnatural, counter-cultural, rare and difficult to think of others in this way, but it's what the world needs now, more than ever, to see the birth of a truly inter-connected and free society, which benefits the majority, not just an elite group of powerful individuals. Technology could be harnessed to help with this consciousness shift. The choice is ours.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato 2011 / The Singularity Principle / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

ARE WE ALONE?

2011-05-14T16:08:00.010+01:00

After decades of scanning the skies, the SETI Institute (click the link) - the US-based project dedicated to the search for etraterrestrial intelligence has had its budget cut, and is calling for public help. Since it was founded in 1959, SETI's telescopes have been tuning into the vast ocean of space, looking for a signal from ET. In recent years, powerful computing technology has enabled SETI's astronomers to analyse vast volumes of complex data over a shorter time frame. In addition, funding from generous private donors such as Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, have given the project the means to purchase its own set of telescopes based in southern California. The Allen Telescope Array (ATA) cost $25 million to construct, but the ongoing running costs of such an operation are difficult to maintain in these austere economic times. This is a frustrating blow for the astronomers who have dedicated their careers to the project, and it's easy to see why. We're entering a time when space exploration is at it's most exciting, given the recent discovery by the Kepler telescope of more than 1000 planets in our solar system, and indeed the first habitable planet that scientists have named Gliese 581d (click the link), currently orbiting a red dwarf-star located in the outer fringes of the Milky Way called the 'Goldilocks' zone.

We live on a fragile island in a vast universe. Without question, it's a universe of infinite possibilities. To know that there is other sentient life out there would profoundly change our persepective. Is it so hard to believe that there is another, perhaps more advanced culture in space that is equally as curious as we are, and as keen to survive and understand our cosmic origins? No, but the tools that we've had at our disposal to search for extraterrestrial intelligence were, until recently, fairly primitive. It's both a technological and creative challenge, which pioneers in the field understand only too well such as Jill Tartar (click the link), an Amercian astronomer who has devoted her career to the SETI Institute's research. Tartar believes it's only a matter of time (and funding) before we will discover other sentient beings in space. We've learnt from studying life on the Earth that all kinds of organism can evolve and survive in the most inhospitable places - from deep ice and the deep ocean, to boiling temperatures and battery acid. This makes the probability of finding other sentient beings in space a real possibility. We also live in the 21st century, and with the evolution of AI, human insights into the mysteries of the universe will take a massive leap forward. But one of the greatest barriers to discovering alien life is the space time continuum. Any radio or laser signals that we discover from alien technology in the future may in fact be ancient in origin, having travelled thousands of light years to get here. However, we shouldn't let that stop us from continuing the search.

Throughout history, pioneering astronomers have helped shift our narrow perspective on who we are, from one that is self-centred to one that has cosmic proportions. Now we are entering a time when powerful computer algorhythms can identify noise in space over great distances, and we have a clearer idea of where to concentrate our search for etraterrestrial intelligence. It's the right time to drive SETI research forward, and there are currently other projects operating in Italy and China with the will and the funding to do so. What this boils down to are priorities, and it seems the current focus of most world governments is preserving their international position and economic power. We still don't seem to have understood the basic fact that we are one race of being, inhabiting a vast ocean that is probably teaming with life. Whilst we continue to hold on to a mindset of separation, it will be difficult for pioneering research such as SETI, to gain a strong foothold in the public arena, even though its potential to radically transform our narrow view of evolution, and eradicate the differences that keep humans separated is enormous. This potential was wonderfully illustrated in the film Contact (1997), which was based on the best-selling book by Carl Sagan - the late American science-fiction author, astronomer, astrophysicist and cosmologist (click the link). Athough it wont be plain sailing, it's important that we inspire and engage the next generation to become active participants in the search for ET (click the link). There is also a need to create an environment where data can be stored and shared, and we now have the technological capability to do that. The value of making contact with an alien race, and expanding our knowledge and understanding of who we are and our cosmic origins is vital, if we are ever to fulfil our destiny among the stars.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

Image: www.time.com. No copyright infringement intended.

GENETIC PERFECTION

2011-05-05T23:47:00.117+01:00

You are not an accident. The fact that conditions on this planet are perfect to sustain life is not coincidental. Life only makes sense if there is a God - a creator. Even Albert Einstein, the greatest scientist of the 20th century, said that God doesn't play dice. Whilst we can learn so much from scientific endeavour, we must be cautious. Scientists love to hypothesise, but what they don't possess is a complete understanding of creation. The nature of scientific discovery means that it's evolving as we evolve. Therefore, it's in a constant state of flux in terms of knowledge. That said, believing in God does not preclude a belief in the process of biological evolution, which is a natural phenomenon for life on earth and probably throughout the universe; unless of course you are a religious fanatic, who takes an equally narrow view of creation. The process of evolution is carried forward by new ideas. But it's the quality of human consciousness, overall, that will determine how we evolve, and ultimately the quality of life on this planet for subsequent generations. Looking at the world today, you would be right in thinking something isn't right. If we are going to survive beyond our technological adolescence, our society has to change, re-focus and re-think its priorities.

As things stand, mankind is not acting as the chief steward of this beautiful planet that has been bestowed us, and which sustains us. We've lost respect for ourselves, for eachother, for the environment, and for the other species of life inhabiting the Earth. Unlimited greed, materialism, insecurity, self-obssession and violence have become acceptable norms. Moreover, the way humans continuously use other humans as scapegoats for their own inadequacies is a disturbing trait. A powerful illustration of this can be heard in the moving testimony of reporter Lara Logan (click the link), who was savagely assaulted by a murderous mob during the recent revolution in Egypt, on the mistaken assumption that she was an Israeli Jew. That assumption was like lighting a stick of dynamite. But thankfully, the vast majority of us have a moral consciousness, which guides the way we think and behave in everyday life. It's what sets us apart from mere savages. Interestingly, most of our moral values have been shaped by our spiritual traditions. For those of us living in the Western world, that means the Bible - a book which is rapidly being eradicated from our culture, with the adoption of secular ideals and the onslaught of science and reason.

In a recent BBC documentary called The Book that Changed the World (click the link), the accomplished British author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, sets out to persuade us that the King James Version of the Bible has driven the making of the English speaking world over the last 400 years, often in the most unanticipated ways. He presents a powerful argument. Indeed, it has not only influenced the English language and its literature more than any other book, it was also the seedbed of western democracy, the activator of radical shifts in society such as the abolition of the slave trade, the debating dynamite for brutal civil wars in Britain and America and a critical spark in the genesis of modern science. Thus to throw the baby out with the bathwater is a dangerous way to play the evolutionary game. However, to place evolution within a spiritual context and a belief in the existence of God, is probably the most reliable way to prolong human existence, that is if we can separate God from religious fundamentalism, which is a man-made disease. If we view evolution (and I'm not suggesting you should) as a process of expanding consciousness, and humans as spirtual beings living in a multi-dimensional universe that God has created for us to experience the reality of His nature which is unconditional love, in preparation for an eternal life in His presence after death, there is then a valid purpose for existence. Our values would change in a heartbeat.

Humans have reached an evolutionary fork in the road, in no uncertain terms, where questions such as why we are here and where we are going, are increasingly at the forefront of public debate. The world is changing rapidly, and new science and technology are unlocking many of the secrets of creation, and expanding our knowledge of life and the universe. The American medical ethicist, Harvey Fineberg, believes our ability to decode the human genome could fast-track the process of biological evolution, prevent diseases, enable us to live longer, improve the quality of our minds as well as our bodies, help us to adapt to a changing environment, and be more creative. He calls this process Neo-Evolution (click the link), whereby humans have the power to choose how to evolve. If this process occurs, and there's every indication to suggest that it might, then a very different world will be created. Perhaps we will finally evolve beyond our violent tendencies, and adopt super attributes and hyper-capabilities of a kind we have only ever dreamt about. However, this evolutionary process is very fragile (click the link), and we may not yet be mature enough to use this knowledge wisely to create a better world.

If we create a society where success is determined by science and technology alone, humans could easily become focused on the short-term, and obssessed with genetic perfection as the ultimate game of survival; thus dividing the population into two groups: those genetically inferior and those genetically superior. This would affect where you can work, who you should marry and what you're capable of achieving. It's a scenario that was featured in the film Gattaca (1997) (click the link), and is no longer beyond the realms of science-fiction, given the breakthroughs being made today in the field of genetic engineering. In a world where there is no real meaning or purpose to life, humans stand to lose a great deal of what it means to be human, and run the risk of becoming robotic, dull and devoid of love and compassion. Is this evolutionary progress? Is an eternity spent in our physical bodies what we were truly designed for? I seriously hope not, which is why we need to keep our focus on the bigger picture during this time of evolutionary change, and not lose sight of the wisdom from our past or the fact that there could be an eternal life ahead of us after death, which for now lies beyond our comprehension, but nonetheless is the life that we are preparing for during this brief time on Earth - the quality of which is largely determined by the way we choose to think and act in everyday life.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Gattaca (1997), Columbia Pictures. No copyright infringement intended.

A YOUTH-LED REVOLUTION

2011-04-30T17:46:00.011+01:00

It's no secret that the political uprisings that are currently underway in the Middle East, have been helped enormously by Arab citizens actively archiving their experiences online. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are changing the way we communicate and socialise, and news is now instantaneous and increasingly difficult to filter. These revolutionary changes are largely being driven by today's youth (click the link), with a whole new language evolving around this technology. We should not underestimate the global impact of technological innovation, nor its widespread potential to transform the world we live in. Even in Africa, a continent ravaged by civil war, corruption, poverty, famine and disease there is a significant trend among the youth who are switched on to the social benefits of accessing their friends and the world wide web, through their mobile phones. This simple piece of technological hardware is giving an entire generation renewed hope, and the pace of change - given technology's exponential pattern of growth - is faster than anyone could have predicted.

The future destiny of huge continents such as Africa cannot rely solely on aid from the developed world. Re-generation has to begin at the grass roots level, with the dreams and aspirations of a new generation who must be given access to the tools needed to be able to turn their lives around, and participate in the global economy. Technology has enormous potential to help with this process of transformation. In recent months, we've seen how access to global information via the Internet, can be a driver for revolutionary change among entire populations oppressed or cut off from the rest of the world by brutal dictatorships. However, there remain some significant barriers to accessing the super highway of information such as poor literacy, languages that are not widely spoken, and a lack of investment from global tech companies too short-sighted to see the massive untapped potential that exists in a continent such as Africa (click the link), which is rich in natural resources. That being the case, there are a few forward-looking companies currently operating in Africa, who have their sights firmly set on conquering this vast unchartered territory.

The investment of companies such as Google, Facebook and Nokia has been a crucial factor in helping millions of young Africans (click the link) to engage with the global online community, cheaply and effectively via their mobile phones. But more investment is needed, particularly in the area of education to see long-lasting changes. An uneducated and unskilled generation has little chance of being able to turn their dreams and aspirations into reality. Opportunities can only be of real value if there is a readiness to be able to turn them into something tangible. Therefore, it's not unrealistic to imagine today's youth living in the developed world, helping to mentor and support their peers living in the third world, through online social networking sites. The beauty of the Internet is that it's a borderless world, one that has very few barriers to entry, and it's about time we started thinking of ways to harness its capabilites to help others who are living in adverse conditions to turn their lives around for the better. If we want to create a just global economy, then this would be a step in the right direction.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

Image: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/projects/project-m/ No copyright infringement intended

THE ENLIGHTENED ONES

2011-04-03T20:26:00.027+01:00

In Christology, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to reveal to each of us our true nature as a child of God, and to heal our minds of fearful thoughts that cover up this divine truth. As a creation of God, mankind's origin and ultimate destination is a place of unconditional love. What could be more perfect than that? At our core, we are all the same and make up one body - the body of Christ. This one indivisible divine mind is infinite, eternal and the spiritual birthright of every human being. However, it requires faith to accept that we are each a living cell within Christ's body, and many have refused or turned their back on their spiritual birthright as a result of false teachings, stubborn pride or a lack of understanding. Together we make up the whole, and accepting the revelation that the power of the universe resides within us, results in a shift in consciousness from one of fear and separation, our current paradigm, to one of divine love and unity, which we then begin to manifest in the world. This revelation is more relevant to today's generation (click the link) than ever before, as it becomes harder to believe in anything beyond the material world - especially as we make the evolutionary leap to a fast, high-tech world. The trajectory for technology's evolution is largely dependent on the state of human consciousness. Therefore, whatever we create, will reflect the state of mankind's spiritual maturity.

Unless you are looking at the world through beer goggles, the spirit of revelation is all around. Old fear-based structures of power and control are collapsing, especially in the Middle East. Mankind is at a crossroads in evolutionary terms, and what we choose to focus on now will determine our future. If we allow the human ego to continue to direct the path we are taking, then we will get more of what we already have, but on a more destructive scale. Like a parasite, the ego wraps itself around our fear-based thinking which, by design, is neurotic, paranoid, selfish, greedy, competitive, unkind, violent, unfeeling and divisive. These thought patterns all have one thing in common, they are created from a mind separated from love. In a world where 'ME' and 'MY' are in control, we lose sight of our inter-connectedness, and move further away from our true nature. Eventually, the ego turns against its host, as it becomes more and more demanding and dysfunctional - in the same way that a computer virus will attack the central mainframe of a computer. The Holy Spirit (click the link) calls us to awaken from the illusion of our ego, and take responsibility for what we create with our thoughts. Our minds are incredibly powerful, and our negative thoughts are destructive. The concept of sin manifests from a mind separated from love, and exists within a loveless perception of reality. God is not angry or vengeful. On the contrary, God wants to heal us of this separation via the Holy Spirit, whose job as 'the comforter' is to transform fear into love, and bring mankind into a state of peace. All of which was made possible by Jesus, who took to the cross the burden of human sin, and created a new covenant for us to follow - the covenant of love. Heaven on Earth is not some myth, but a reality based on love and compassion. Why wouldn't we want to manifest that? Perhaps because it requires a giant leap of faith.

The transformation of our minds from fear to love and the restoration of our relationship with God, is known in Christology as the Atonement. The process of Atonement renews the mind through the vision of the Holy Spirit, who knows our true nature as expressions of divine love. This process is not easy, because it requires confronting the strongholds of fear which operate in our lives, and there are many that prevent us from loving unconditionally. But with our permission, the Holy Spirit takes us to those dark places and helps us to move beyond their illusory power. Each of us has a unique curriculum, but we are safe in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit accompanies us on the journey, and that love can only create more love, which is our only true purpose in everything we think and do. The ego, on the other hand, leads us deeper into anxiety. From this perception, events such as the Holocaust or even AIDS are products of fear and hatred (click the link). Ultimately, the journey through our strongholds of fear is our spiritual path, which leads us to living an authentic life in a state of inner peace. We are all part of this cosmic creative process called enlightenment, and the enlightened ones such as Jesus who, in Christology, God has given charge of the process of Atonement to guide the rest of us into a union with God, demonstrate the healing power of the Holy Spirit. Their every thought and action arises from love, not fear. They point the way to a miracle of healing that is available to each of us, and they exist in this permanent state of Christ consciousness. When our minds return to God, purified of fear and illusion, we become vessels for God's power. This power transcends the laws of this world. Thus a mind that only harbours unconditional love is an enlightened mind. To worship Jesus in the true sense, as Christians are supposed to do, is not to worship a false idol, but rather the capacity we have for perfect love which is in all of us. It is the Christ within us that sets us free to heal ourselves, and our world, in order to make it a place fit for future generations. It's time to sing a new song (click the link). As Gandhi (click the link) once said, "Be the change you want to see in life."

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

THE SEVENTH KINGDOM

2011-03-29T22:09:00.000+01:00

What does technology mean for human evolution, for the world environment, and for our spiritual development? Often we define technology in terms of anything invented after we were born, or simply the stuff that doesn't quite work yet. Rarely do we think of it having its own set of desires and wants. But amid the multitude of high-tech innovations that regularly hit the highstreet, we are witnessing an explosion of AI (artificial intelligence), which is rapidly shaping human culture. As this trend continues, looking into what technology wants will increasingly become an issue of concern. If we examine the behaviour of biological organisms and how life, in general, has evolved on Earth, we may begin to understand how technology is likely to evolve in the future. Although we are nowhere near to discovering all the different life forms that exist on the planet, with many incredible species remaining hidden from view, such as the solar-powered sea slug (click the link), each of the six major kingdoms of life (click the link) on Earth shares a similar set of characteristics.

Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia are all highly evolved kingdoms. Each has a desire to survive, diversify and multiply. Each is complex by design, and increases in sociability over time. In a similar fashion, technology has become highly specialised, with an expanding number of different applications and functions. Also, we are beginning to see intelligent machines making other intelligent machines, thus adding to technology's complexity. Kevin Kelly (click the link), the digital visionary and publisher of the Whole Earth Review, boldly believes technology is the seventh kingdom of life to emerge on Earth, with its origins in the animal kingdom. This idea will no doubt cause a degree of consternation among creationists, but it's an interesting concept that has merit. The key distinction between technology and the other six kingdoms, Kelly argues, is that technologies cannot die - they just evolve. In one sense, Kelly is right. Information continues, and although it may become out-of-date quickly, as with information on the Internet, its life span is not finite. However, I would dispute the claim that all life ceases upon death, because we don't know that for sure; and if you believe in God, then the concept of an eternal spirit will carry meaning for you. A spirit is something technology and even advanced AI, can never hope to acquire because the origin of our spirit is beyond the physical dimension of reality.

When we try to understand the nature of human culture, we realise it's a culmination of ideas that we adhere to, in order to ensure the survival of our species. Each evolutionary step mankind has taken required new ways to generate ideas that would extend and preserve life. One could view technology as the hand of God, enabling mankind to search for new ways that will extend life beyond our current adolescence and violent tendencies. Seen in this light, technology serves as a powerful cosmic force, collecting ideas, possibilities and choices that already exist in the universe, and are now being revealed to us for the first time. Also, it's creating new freedoms, and opening up new opportunities and territories in almost every field of human endeavour. However, the message is clear (click the link): today's generation - that means us - has a moral obligation to develop technology and steer AI on a path that releases the greatness that lies within the human family, and minimises the bad that could come from this evolutionary process. We must find a good home for technology that is beneficial to all the existing kingdoms of life on Earth. In doing so, humans can hope to explore the new possibilities that await us on the horizon, which will extend the game of evolution not only on this planet, but also into deep space. This is our cosmic destiny. Are you up to the challenge?

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

Image: www.refuturist.wordpress.com/ No copyright infringement intended.

THE GENE GENIE

2011-03-22T22:02:00.009Z

Gene therapy (click the link) is part of the biomolecular revolution currently underway, and is being hailed as a possible antidote for mastering diseases which affect the brain. Recently, a team of Oxford University scientists researching the treatment of Alzheimer's, claim to have successfully switched off a gene thought to cause this debhilitating disease, by delivering drugs directly to the brain. Clinical trials have used tiny particles called exosomes that are released by cells, to administer drugs to the brains of mice; thus by-passing the blood-brain barrier, which has hampered previous experiments until now. This new science is still in the early stages of development, and some time away from human testing, but the lead scientist Dr Matthew Wood is confident that these early results could lead to a whole new generation of biological medicines to treat other brain diseases, such as motor-neurone disease, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's. It seems the gene genie (click the link) is well and truly out of the bottle, which is wonderful news for sufferers and their families who are currently battling with these crippling diseases, without any hope of a cure.

Parkinson's, for example, is an illness that causes uncontrollable shaking, stiffness and slow movement as part of the brain dies. The disease affects 120,000 people in the UK alone, mostly over the age of 50. But there is currently no cure, although drugs and deep brain stimulation are known to help reduce symptoms. My next door neighbour suffered from it, and he recently passed away after years of being house-bound and in severe pain and discomfort. No one could have predicted that he would develop this disease in later life. Prior to developing the illness, he had lived a very active life, as do most other sufferers. There may be a genetic link to diseases such as Parkinson's, or even environmental causes such as toxins and pesticides, but it's not certain. Across the pond, in the United States, another team of researchers exploring the use of gene therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's, have just created a virus that affects cells with a gene to increase GABA production. GABA is a chemical found in the part of the brain called the subthalamic nucleus, that is significantly reduced by the illness causing many of the symptoms of Parkinson's.

In this clinical trial carried out on humans (click the link), 23.1% of 22 patients with Parkinson's who were given gene therapy showed improvement in their motor skills, compared with only 12.7% of 23 patients who had recieved a placebo surgery. According to the scientists behind the research, these early results offer additional proof of the capacity for gene therapy to provide valuable alternatives to conventional drugs and surgical treatment for neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's. However, caution is still necessary given that the margin of improvement indicated in this test are still only small. Also, the ethics of gene therapy is debatable, with concerns as to whether it is entirely safe. In 1999, Jesse Gelsinger died during a trial in the US, and there were cases of leukaemia after treatment in France. There is still much uncertainty about the long-term side effects of gene therapy and, therefore, more research is essential; as well as greater collaboration among neurological scientists working in this pioneering field. Overall, gene therapy is a strong indicator of the growing power of biomolecular science to shape the evolution of mankind - the implications of which are far-reaching.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/

SMART POWER

2011-03-13T17:05:00.016Z

The richest 20 per cent of the world's population account for three quarters of world income, according to recent World Bank statistics (click the link). In contrast, more than three billion people, almost half the world's population live on less than $2.50 per day, with an estimated 22,000 children dying from poverty-related diseases each day. It doesn't take an economist to see that we are living in an unbalanced world, which has been created by a culture of selfishness, greed, scarcity and separation. Money, power and status - the values that we prize in the developed world, have become the values of a dying world, and it's time to get the balance right (click the link). But how do we change the seemingly impossible and live balanced lives, at a time when the transition to a high-tech civilization, is creating an even more polarized world between the rich and the poor? This human dilemma requires a new way of thinking about power altogether.

Remarkably, the price of computing power has declined 1000-fold since the 1970's, opening up the field to anybody and everyone. This is shifting our traditional understanding of power. In the past, nations have either chosen a hard approach to power, using threats and coercion or payments (i.e. sticks), to get what they want; or they have chosen a softer approach, by creating desire in people to want what they want (i.e. carrots). However, the 21st century is a different stage altogether, with many powerful players - some potentially dangerous. For example, Goldman Sachs predicts the Chinese economy will surpass the US by 2027, but one-dimensional projections such as these will only generate fear based policies. They do not take into account the bigger, long-term picture, and the unexpected twists and turns that so often make up history. In truth, nations don't have to fear China or anything else for that matter. To do so is a dangerous way to live, and we need to find another way to create balance. Today, we are dealing with the challenge of chaotically distributed power in a world which is becoming more inter-connected, as a result of modern technology.

For human civilization to flourish in a high-tech world, we need to rely on co-operation, and less on competition. Power can be a positive thing when your gain is my gain. However, power is at its most destructive when framed in a win or lose context. There are currently more losers than winners in the world. The statistics back that up, and there will be even more losers if we do not tackle global problems such as climate change, drug traffiking, slavery and poverty, with one unifying voice. This truth is obvious to Joseph Nye (click the link), the former assistant secretary of defense and former dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, who argues in favour of a new type of power he calls, Smart power. Smart power is simply using all the tools the human family has at its disposal, to create a just economy and a peaceful global community. I would go even further by suggesting that Smart power needs one other essential ingredient - that ingredient being the power of love, which exists within each one of us.

Recognising the brilliance that exists within every human being releases it into expression. This is an act of love. According to best-selling author Marianne Williamson (click the link), stability in life can only truly occur until we've experienced this internal stirring. All the great leaders of the world, for example, Mahatma Gandhi and President Kennedy, have taught us that worldly power results from personal power, and everything we create in the world is an extension of our personality and all the energy we stir in other people. That kind of charisma cannot be bought, and it's not limited to a few lucky individuals. It's born of the spirit, to which we are all a part of. Smart power that uses not only our head but our heart is truly powerful. The energy of love makes us more attractive and like a magnet we attract people, and circumstances that reflect back to us that love. We all have the potential for greatness, but it's fear that can prevent it from shining through. It's not about what you do for a job either, but how the job is done and with what intention. If our expression of power is purely for reasons of self-interest, then its potential for transformation is limited by fear, and will burn out quickly.

In contrast, personal power that is used in service for the greater good, is power drawn from love and unlimited. Sharing this with others only multiplies its effect. Applying Smart power rooted in a love for all people and all living things on a large scale, would create a dynamic renaissance on this planet, and a change in the human condition on a scale that we have never seen before. Translating this spiritual law into reality will require a leap of faith, since it demands we make changes to the values and priorities that we currently associate with balanced living, but I've no doubt that it can be done. In the film Eat, Pray Love (2010), an uplifting autobiographical story by Elizabeth Gilbert (click the link), the central character embarks on a journey through Rome, India and Bali after a bitter divorce, to find balance in her life. She ends her journey, overcoming her fear of life and finding true love. The message of the story is simply this: sometimes losing balance for love is living a balanced life (click the link). For some, this may be a bitter lesson to learn, but one that will become increasingly essential as this century unfolds. However, the rewards to be gained in the end will be sweeter than we could ever imagine (click the link).

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended.

TOMORROW'S WORLD

2011-03-03T20:56:00.048Z

A child born today will probably retire in the year 2075. However, it's difficult to imagine what the future will be like 10 years from now, let alone 65 years into the future. The danger with predicitions is that they are linear - based only on knowledge we currently possess. Predictions do not factor in the unforeseen events that can suddenly occur, and change the course of history. For instance, no one could have predicted the revolution currently in play across the Middle East (click the link), which has seen dictatorships toppled by the very citizens who were supposedly loyal to them. Fed up with a poor quality of life and the corruption of autocratic rule, these people are exercising their power to choose a different future for themselves. In truth, the future is not written in stone, unless of course you are peddling a doomsday prophecy, in which case the world will end in 2012. Rubbish! It's true, the world is in transition from the old to the new, and this makes the future seem even more confusing and uncertain. But the future has many possible outcomes, depending on the choices we make both individually and collectively. It stands to reason that fear-based choices are not likely to have favourable outcomes, especially in a world that is increasingly inter-connected. In contrast, choices made with awareness of the Earth and an empathy for all living things, will bring about a brighter future.

How we live and communicate is rapidly being shaped by technology. We can't escape this fact, but we're not doing enough to prepare future generations for the high-tech world we are building, or the eventuality of AI's pervasive influence on society, which is on the near horizon. Our current education system is not geared up for this kind of unpredictability, or the global changes that are already emerging, such as the power shift to the East. Western economies will continue to struggle to compete against their mighty Asian counterparts, unless they shift the focus away from cut-throat competition, to one of peaceful co-operation. Our education system, economic system and government institutions were constructed to serve an industrial world, which we are now surpassing. The rigid hierarchical structures of power and coercion that were a central feature of the industrial age and, perhaps, a necessary part of the process of modernising western society, are no longer sustainable in a high-tech world. This new kind of world relies on greater transparency, the free flow of information and, increasingly, mutual co-operation. Our education system has traditionally prized academic prowess in subjects such as maths and science, in order to produce the very best professors and industrialists needed to build a strong economy. Today, however, we have more university graduates than ever before, but the value of having a degree is depreciating quickly, resulting in an increasing number of unemployed graduates. This is a terrible waste of talent and potential - another sign of our unpreparedness for the future. We need to change our way of thinking, sooner rather than later if we're going to successfully turn things around. What we do know is that the future will be a very different one, especially with AI in it - the potential of which we cannot realistically predict, since AI will have a life of its own.

We urgently need to build a society capable of nurturing creativity, innovation and the multiple intelligences (click the link) that exist among us, in preparation for the new knowledge, horizons and potentials that will come forth from modern science and technology. A very different set of skills will be needed and, above all, an ability to think outside the box, to take advantage of new opportunities and find solutions to the most pressing problems facing mankind, such as climate change, world poverty, war and disease. Furthermore, it's a future that will increasingly rely on experts networking with eachother, and collaborating on projects that require different kinds of smart thinking, to achieve desired outcomes. All of this can only come about through building a civilization that is both flexible and empathic. Empathy is a complex aspect of human consciousness that has evolved over time. It creates solidarity with the suffering and mortality of others, and can be generated from strong blood ties, religious beliefs and even our national identity. According to the author and social thinker, Jeremy Rifkin (click the link), empathy is currently undertaking the next evolutionary step. Rifkin believes that new technologies such as the Internet, are triggering a shift in consciousness, for they present us with daily opportunities to connect empathically with the plight of the human race at large, as a global community - all 6.8 billion of us. Think of the Libyan people currently risking their lives for a better future, and the victims of the recent earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. The empathic response to events such as these, has been global because of technology. By broadening our identities, and thinking of the human race as part of our extended family and the world (click the link) as our home, offers us the chance to build a better world for future generations. Suppressing this expansion of human empathy, amidst all the fear and turmoil that a global transition presents us with, will only result in more violence, narcissism and selfishness. Again, it boils down to the choices we make.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Klaus Burgle. No copyright infringement intended.

THE BIONIC ERA

2011-02-27T16:25:00.021Z

Some of the most exciting scientific breathroughs in recent months, have come from the field of biotechnology. The news has been full of sensational stories, including a mind controlled artificial arm (click the link) that has begun the first round of human testing; robot legs (click the link) that have enabled paraplegics to walk again; a computer chip brain implant that is being developed to treat Parkinson’s disease; a baby who has been given the ability to hear for the first time after a cochlear implant; a man who has received an artificial heart transplant; an implantable eye telescope that has been used to treat loss of vision in the elderly; a cat that has been given prosthetic legs; an artificial pancreas, which has been developed to cure diabetes; and there are lots of other cases I could mention. Without any doubt, the bionic era has arrived.

In simple terms, bionics combines the application of biological methods and systems found in nature, to the study and design of engineering processes and modern technology that can mimic them. Within medicine, bionics, as you’ve seen from the above examples, often involves the replacement or enhancement of organs or other body parts by mechanical versions that mimic the original function closely, or even surpassing it. It’s a complex area to grasp for the everyday citizen without a science or engineering background, but nonetheless exciting. Julian Vincent, a professor of biomimetics at the University of Bath (click the link) in the

, recently said, “At present, there is only a 10% overlap between biology and technology in terms of the mechanisms used.” In other words, we are only scratching the surface of what bionics is capable of achieving, and it's only a matter of time when forward-thinking corporations will invest heavily in biotechnologies, to capitalise on their incredible potential. In fact, the Asian electronics giant, Samsung, has recently announced its decision to build a strong presence in the bionics industry.

In the not too distant future, there is a real probability that scientists will discover a way of creating cybernetic organisms - the merging of engineering parts to the nervous system of human beings and other biological systems. As a child in the late 1970’s, Steve Austin (The Six Million Dollar Man), and Jaime Sommers (The Bionic Woman), were my favourite TV heroes. Big Foot never stood a chance against their amazing bionic abilities. Only don’t try to mimic their moves. I tried, and still have the bruises! Click here if you haven't a clue what I'm talking about. But on a serious note, changing a person's physiology is sure to have some major psychological and social consequences. A human who is part bionic is a hybrid. How a bionic human comes to terms with this reality, and how their difference will be perceived by the rest of society, are unknown factors. At best, bionics will be embraced by the general population as a remarkable achievement in human science, giving a new lease of life to millions of people with a disability. On the other hand, it could create a division in the human family that cannot easily be reconciled. One can see a whole new field of bionic psychology emerging, as a result of this technological revolution.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Photo taken from Google images. No copyright infringement intended.

UNLIKELY BEDFELLOWS

2011-02-22T14:58:00.053Z

Christendom (click the link) was once the dominant influence on Western society. This has radically diminished in the last one hundred years for many reasons, including the inability of spiritual leaders to adapt to the modern world. Although many people still claim to have a belief in God, the majority of Christians no longer attend a church or celebrate their faith in earnest. Those who do, have become marginalised and almost driven underground, by the insipid force known as Political Correctness. It's a different story if you are a Muslim. Islam, which has practically declared a 'holy' war on the modern world - an oxymoron if ever there was one - is the fastest growing religion in the world, today, offering devotees of the prophet Mohammed, a complete way of life set apart from the 'evils' of modernity. But as new advances in science and technology continually change our understanding of life and the way we live, ideologies such as Islam, and any religion rooted in the past, risk becoming irrelevant, unless religious leaders refresh the core tenets of their faith, and make them relevant for the new world that is emerging.

The Vatican, not known for its liberalist attitude, but faced with an ageing clergy and declining church attendance, seems to be responding to this modern dilemma, through a process of dialogue. Its recent decision to join forces with Italy's scientific community, to create a website in English and Italian, which will address some of the 'big' questions that have baffled mankind, indicates how far the Catholic church has come. The intention behind this joint project is to break down some of the barriers that exist between these two communities, by giving the public a greater understanding of what both sides think. The site will use the latest multimedia platforms to address questions such as: what came before the big bang? It will also include a cosmology section co-managed by Italy's space agency, A.S.I. (click the link), with all the latest space data. Interestingly, the Vatican does not rule out the possibility of life on other planets. In fact, the Pope's chief astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes (click the link), has publicly stated that the existence of extraterrestrial life would not contradict a belief in God or indeed church doctrine, since all life has been created by God. Four centuries ago, the Vatican would have looked upon such an idea as heresy. Indeed, the famous Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo Galilei (click the link), himself a devout Catholic, was condemned for claiming the Earth revolved around the sun. Mistakes have been made in the past, and the Catholic church is now acknowledging that it needs to turn the page and look toward the future. But how quickly it can heal the breach between it and the world of science, remains to be seen.

The process of dialogue between communities with such polarized views, is fraught with difficulty and requires the willingness of both parties to co-operate. However, if the intention is to come together for the good of humanity, then moves such as this joint project - however sceptical people might be initially - should be welcomed, for they set a precedent for others to follow. Science and faith, although unlikely bedfellows, need each other, and I'm sure there are many scientists who believe in God. Traditionally, the paradigms of science and religion have existed at opposite ends of the spectrum, with one relying on fact, and the other relying on faith to make sense of reality. In truth, the Catholic church, today, accepts scientifically proven explanations, such as Einstein's theory of relativity, and seems willing to unite to overcome the divide between fact and faith. It is even embracing modern technology to get its message across, via social networking sites and smartphones (click the link). Not even an old man, such as the Pope, can ignore the power of Facebook (click the link), although he has been critical of it in the past. The website being launched by the Vatican and the science community may not seem very earth shattering, however, it carries a fundamental message of hope that when it comes to our origins, proof and trust can exist together. An idea such as this, is a powerful trigger for a spiritual renaissance, of a kind we have never seen before. Could it be that such a renaissance is on the horizon? I believe so, but don't ask me to prove it just yet...

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

I CAN FEEL IT

2011-02-20T15:26:00.018Z

Sherlock Holmes (click the link), the fictional super sleuth created by Conan Doyle, possessed a mind that could make deductions at lightening speed. No one, except perhaps Holmes' arch enemy, Professor Moriarty, could match his extraordinary talent - least of all his trusted assistant, Dr. Watson. If Holmes were a real person in today's world, he would have stiff competition from a new kind of Watson. I'm referring, of course, to IBM's Watson supercomputer, which recently took part in a 3 night marathon on the American quiz show, Jeopardy (click the link), beating two of the show's most successful competitors. This event might not seem very significant to the everyday citizen, but what it indicates is how close we are to a new era of supercomputing, where machines can understand what humans are really asking for, and outsmart their human counterparts.

Watson has been programmed with computer algorhythms, the step by step instructions it needs to complete the tasks it has been designed for. Like a human, Watson can prepare itself ahead of time by studying its own algorhythms, which together build up a database of common knowledge. When Watson is in operation, all of its algorhythms are fired simultaneously. With its superfast computation and processing power, Watson is able to respond to questions quickly, and interpret the different meanings of language instantly. Future versions of Watson will be much smaller, use less energy and be more efficient, with multiple applications. IBM (click the link), a leading pioneer in the AI field, has already made an agreement with Nuance Communications (click the link) to develop and commercialise Watson's advanced analytics capabilities in the health care industry, where it could be used to assist medical practitioners in the process of diagnosing patients, by scanning and analysing vast quantities of data more quickly and efficiently than a human. But this is just scratching the surface of what this technology has the potential to do. Other sectors such as finance, law and government, which rely heavily on large sets of data, could also benefit from its capabilities. In fact, the inefficient management of public money could become a thing of the past.

In many ways, Watson is an early prototype of the fictional supercomputer that featured in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). HAL 9000 (click the link), is part of the crew on board Discovery - a spacecraft embarking on a mission to Jupiter. It is programmed to maintain all systems during the voyage, and is capable of speech, speech recognition, facial recognition, natural language processing, lip reading, art appreciation, interpreting and expressing emotions (click the link), reasoning, and playing chess. HAL is truly sentient, and as the story unfolds, is faced with the prospect of disconnection after the crew believe it has made a serious error. To avoid this outcome, HAL decides to kill the astronaughts in order to protect and continue its planned directives. One surviving crew member proceeds to shut HAL down, and the scene of its diminishing consciousness is a graphic warning to scientists, today, that what they are creating is another life form. By its very nature, AI has a life of its own unlike any we've ever known before, and once we have released its potential in the world, we will be unable to control where it will end up. Therefore, the rush of excitement that so often accompanies the introduction of new technologies such as Watson, which are capable of transforming the world we live in, must be tempered with a degree of caution or, one day, we could wake up to find ourselves in jeopardy, and at the mercy of the intelligent machines we have created.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

THE MIND OF SEPARATION

2011-02-13T19:05:00.028Z

Our greatest teacher is life itself, and the truths we learn from our own experiences, both good and bad. Whether or not we choose to apply these pearls of wisdom to transform our lives, is another matter. To do so effectively, requires striking a balance between the mind and the heart. The Western view of the world, however, is obssessed with objective knowledge, which can only be known with the mind. But a mind cut off from the heart, and especially the emotions of love and compassion, can be easily manipulated and used for cruel purposes that inflict pain and suffering. The evidence of this can be seen all around us in our polarized world (click the link), where nature itself has become the enemy of our egostistical selves. Today, pollution and poison are the weapons that are destroying whole species of animal, birds and plant life to satisfy our greed for material riches. Tomorrow, our reckless use of AI could become that weapon of mass destruction, unless we change our way of thinking, of living and of being.

Technology in itself is not a bad thing, but our materialistic dependency on machines is beginning to enslave us all. I've seen, first hand, how pervasive technology (click the link) can influence the behaviour of young people who spend most of their free time in isolation, in front of a computer screen or games console. The mobile phone has also become the third arm to a generation of single women, who are continuously checking for messages, or otherwise texting or chatting to their friends, whilst oblivious to other people or the world around them. This cultural shift in the way people spend their free time and communicate, is just the tip of the ice berg. We like to think of ourselves as separate from each other and from the rest of the world, but we are not. At present, many of the ways we are using technology is re-enforcing this mind-set. If things continue the way they are going, we could eventually become slaves to our own machines, and it will be of our own doing. Scientists have begun using technology to create AI, a totally new life form (click the link), which we are already feeding with increasing levels of computing power. By its very nature, AI has a life of its own, and once we have released its potential in the world, we will be unable to control where it will end up. At this stage in its evolution, it is difficult to foresee where it will end up. A nightmare scenario would be that AI becomes our master, eventually living and feeding off us. To avoid the real dangers associated with AI, technology has to be balanced with an awareness of the Earth (click the link), and with a love and respect for all people and all living things.

World events are now colliding together, to enable mankind to surrender the current paradigm of reality, which is built on the idea of separation. In truth, our physical existence is only a small part of a much bigger multidimensional reality that we are all connected to, most of which remains undetectable with our five senses. It's a fact, our minds can only ever give us a partial understanding of reality, a limited window on life. However, when balanced with our hearts, there are no limits to what we can do. The future very much depends on our ability to raise our own awarereness and consciousness, in preparation for the new knowledge, new horizons and territory that will come forth from modern science and technology. Each and every one of us must make sure that we choose the right path to follow in this time of transition from the old world to the new. Burying our heads in the sand like an ostrich, isn't an option, even if it's what we are used to doing. If we get it right, we will be able to use AI to help build a new world of peace and co-operation but, first, we need to understand what we are dealing with, and then re-position ourselves to take advantage of its potential for the benefit of all. The principle of compassion (click the link), for all people and all living things is needed now more than ever. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community. We must make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. It can be done, if we join our hearts and our minds together, as one.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

MULTIDIMENSIONAL REALITY

2011-02-03T20:58:00.022Z

Reality is not what it seems. In fact, the Western viewpoint of reality is about to be turned upside down. The classical laws of physics, which defined the 20th century, don't apply at the sub-atomic level where the traditional distinction between waves of energy and particles, which creates the pattern of the universe that we can actually see, doesn't exist. Instead, particles at the sub-atomic level are now known to behave as waves of energy or information, and appear to display a sense of consciousness about their own condition and how they fit into the greater whole. According to Professor David Deutsch, an eminent Oxford scientist in the field of Quantum Mechanics (click the link), this is due to the existence of many parallel universes. This theory suggests that each and every particle inhabits its own separate universe. These invisible universes collide with eachother to produce a pattern of the universe that we experience with our five senses, but there are other universes existing beyond our sensory perception. Some of these universes my be like our own, whilst others may appear completely different from ours and governed by different parameters, suggesting that reality is not confined to a single dimension or universe like the physical one we inhabit.

Even more fantastic is the real possibility that these parallel universes are all connected to a greater whole, at some imperceptible level, and held together by "Superstrings" (click the link) in an all pervading, web-like structure of vibrating energy. Of course, this new science is not yet certain, but the indications are that some kind of collective memory exists that transcends the limitations of our physical existence. Furthermore, once we learn how, it will become possible to communicate between the different dimensions that exist within the whole. DNA behaves in much the same way. Each living cell within the body contains the blueprint of the whole, and seems to know what it should become within the scheme of things, in order to grow into a healthy part of it. Of course there are exceptions. Cancer cells, for instance, seem to have forgotten their purpose and don't know what to become. As a consequence, they interfere with other parts of the body, often with fatal results. Similarly, each human being is part of the greater whole, and we each have the potential to become anything we like. In the same way as cancer cells, we can choose to ignore the central message of creation, by seeing ourselves as separate and isolated from it. As a result, we may grow out of place and out of step with the whole. Or we can become part of the whole, and function fully and effectively within it. However, in order to do so, human kind must grow beyond its violent tendencies, and acknowledge the fact that we are both physical and spiritual beings. It's the latter aspect of ourselves that we've lost touch with, which demands a reverence for the living and the dead, as part of the greater whole. It's our spiritual nature, currently buried under our current material reality that we need to re-awaken, and re-claim for ourselves.

This is no great surprise to the Hopi Indians (click the link), who believe that the universe is a sacred, living, and almost breathing, spiritual being that we must live in harmonious communion with; or to the Australian Aborigines, who also believe in the existence of the spiritual dimension that can be contacted in the "Dreamtime" (click the link). Up to now, our understanding of reality has been based on the idea of separation, so that everything we see in the physical universe is perceived as finite, and limited by time and space - including ourselves. But it's becoming clear that there's more to creation than meets the eye, and that our intellectual capacities are somewhat limited. Could it be that we are poised to dramatically accelerate our learning and understanding of consciousness and the nature of reality, with the the help of AI? The answer, of course, is a resounding "YES!" As machine intelligence becomes more advanced, the pace of new scientific discoveries in the field of Quantum Mechanics will be astounding. We're already beginning to see that today, and if the above is proven to be correct, then multidimensional reality (click the link) may soon become our reality. Imagine the impact of discovering the existence of other dimensions, where concepts such as day and night may not be applicable or our social rules have no meaning, and our conventional laws of physics don't apply. We may be some way from that, but how we handle this new knowledge will be crucial. If we're reckless, then the potential consequences could be dire. However, what we must understand is that everything exists as part of the whole of existence, which is sacred; and that all things have a sense of consciousness and of memory that we must honour. In truth, we're entering a time when we will get to experience reality beyond our traditional two and three dimensional perspectives. What once was, is no more...

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

THE ENEMY WITHIN

2011-01-20T20:44:00.032Z

The Jewish holocaust (click the link), is perhaps the darkest moment in human history, to date. The megalomania of an evil psychopath, temporarily controlled the minds of ordinary German citizens. A policy of racial hatred was widely accepted, as a justification for committing the most heinous crimes against humanity, in the pursuit of building the 'Fatherland'. This godless vision of an earthly utopia, ruled by an Aryan race, has uncanny parallels to what Satan offered Jesus in the wilderness, during his temptation - an earthly kingdom, in return for his allegience. Jesus rejected it outright, knowing it was worthless. In today's world, human consciousness devoid of conscience, empathy for other life forms or concern for the environment, must be challenged - especially in light of the rapid advances being made in modern science and technology. AI, in particular, could quite easily be harnessed for evil purposes, and threaten the very existence of life on this planet. Thus, we must remain attentive to world events, but not become overwhelmed by our emotions, because the future is not set in stone.

Currently, there is talk of secret US army and military experiments being carried out under the project name HAARP (High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program), that are testing a radio frequency radiation weapon, first developed as part of the Strategic Defence Initiative or Star Wars programme (click the link), back in the 1980's, under Ronald Reagan's presidency. It's purpose, back then, was primarily to shield the US from Russian nuclear warheads. This weapon allegedly uses a large amount of power to beam radio waves up to the ionosphere (click the link), a shell of electrons in the upper atmosphere formed by the sun's ultraviolet radiation. When the ionosphere is heated up, there are changes to the planet's electro-magnetic field, and frequencies can be generated that could cause earthquakes, disrupt communications and change weather systems. If true, this technology is powerful beyond belief - the stuff of science-fiction, but somehow quite plausible, in light of recent events. In the last few months, there has been a tilt in the earth's axis (click the link) following a rise in seismic activity, including devastating earthquakes in Chile, Haiti and New Zealand. We've seen a volcanic eruption in Iceland, which mysteriously grounded planes over Europe for two weeks. Furthermore, there have been unusually cold weather fronts in many parts of the world this winter, and several incidences of horrendous flooding occurring almost simultaneously in Pakistan, Australia and Brazil. Perhaps most bizarre of all, has been the large number of dead birds raining out of the sky and rivers of dead fish, over parts of the US and Europe, with burn marks and blood clots, suggesting exposure to some kind of radiation.

This could all be just a coincidence... However, it does seem to give some credence to conspiracy theorists. Could it be that our leaders are preparing for a possible attack, perhaps from Iran, Pakistan or North Korea - countries which have recently acquired nuclear capabilities? In reality, we just don't know the cause of these unusual occurrences - whether natural or man-made. Government secrecy might be in our best interests, but it doesn't engender trust. Distorted truths make it difficult to know, with any certainty, who the enemy truly is, right now, and a state of paranoia is a dangerous state of mind to be in. That said, we should be vigilent, and ask lots of questions that seek out the truth. Hearing the truth may feel uncomfortable, but that's got to be better than burying our heads in the sand, and expecting others to take the risks, and do all the hard work. We should never underestimate what the human spirit is capable of in times of great pressure and uncertainty. Recently, I read an article about the amazing life of Noor Inayat Khan, an Indian princess (click the link), who joined the resistance against the Nazis during the second world war, as a secret British agent in occupied France. Noor was one of only three women to be awarded the George Cross for bravery. She was tortured and shot by the Gestapo in Dachau concentration camp for spying on the SS, but she never once relented to the enemy. The very last word she uttered before her death was "Liberty!" If it wasn't for the courage of such men and women who faced evil, head on, the outcome of the war may have been a very different one. I'm not suggesting we need to go to these lengths, but we should all take a leaf out of Noor's book, and never give into fear or terror. Being courageous is the only way forward, and preserving our freedom (click the link) against tyrrany of any kind, is worth confronting our greatest fears.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

RESIDENT EVIL

2011-01-18T21:33:00.142Z

If you believe there's more to life than meets the eye, then accept the possibility that evil exists, and be vigilent against it. As we boldly take the next step in evolution, and technology begins shaping human society beyond all recognition, becoming conscious of what we cloak oursleves with mentally, emotionally and spiritually, will determine the kind of future we create. There will come a tipping point in the near future, when human intelligence and machine intelligence will merge, which experts in the field of AI, are calling the 'singularity'. What it means to be human, will become a major concern for future generations. No doubt, the dark forces operating in this world, will try to exploit the capabilities of machine intelligence for their own corrupt purposes. Therefore, to allow scientists, alone, to direct the course of human evolution is fraught with many dangers. Whilst mathematics may provide us with the laws to help us understand the mechanics of the universe, our moral conscience, which sets us apart from machines, comes from an inner belief in the sanctity of life, which demands our complete reverence. For billions of people, this wisdom acknowledges the existence of God - an intelligent force greater than ourselves that is responsible for the wonder of creation.

God is unconditional love. However, religions have often tried to impose man-made restrictions on God's love, to support a particular version of truth when, in reality, there could be many, as scientists within the field of quantum physics are learning. That aside, it's probably impossible to prove love's existence by scientific methods, and finding an explanation for the existence of evil is equally baffling. Evil exists in opposition to love. It is either ignorant of it, or willfully seeks out to destroy it. In contrast, love can only do what it has been designed to do, which is to love. Each force has a supernatural dimension, a reality that is beyond our current paradigm of understanding; although many people claim to have had a supernatural experience of one kind or another. This cosmic, spiritual battle manifests in the physical dimension of reality, and has shaped human history from the outset. Evil is rooted in pure selfishness, and according to many spiritual and religious traditions, it has tinkered with evolution to enslave humankind in a dense material reality - isolated and alone - blocking love's path that leads to enlightenment, and an everlasting union with God. This esoteric explanation is, of course, open to interpretation and perhaps ridicule, but the presence of evil upon the earth is widespread, causing great calamities in the physical world, as well as war, poverty, sickness and disease. Evil can also manifest as a God or religious prophet demanding human sacrifice and the spilling of innocent blood; or inspire a godless ideology that commits heinous crimes against humanity, in order to create its idea of an earthly utopia.

The battle between good and evil has been told and retold in countless stories, myths and legends, throughout the ages. It has had an enormous impact on the human psyche. Harry Potter (click the link), is the latest dramatisation to have captured our collective imagination, but there are many other examples from recent times, I could mention: Superman, Spiderman, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dr Who, Indiana Jones, Merlin, the Wizard of Oz, and Poltergeist (click the link) to name but a few. In every instance, overcoming evil requires great courage and often personal sacrifice. However, it's only the power of love for the sanctity of life, which can take authority over evil's cunning and deception. Love is a force that we all have within us, and evil has no power over it (click the link). But whether we choose to exercise this power or not, is entirely down to us. Jesus Christ demonstrated the power of God's love throughout his lifetime and ministry, overcoming every evil scheme that was set up to trap him. Fear, which is the main weapon used by evil to rob human beings of their peace of mind, and make them passive and easy to manipulate, is also the root of all forms of negativity (click the link) including doubt, confusion, hysteria, paranoia, guilt, suffering, resentment, hatred, jealousy, suicidal depression, violence, chaos, and separation from all that is sacred.

The energetic charge omitted by negative emotions, is like food and drink to dark forces, which behave in a parasitic fashion, draining the life from us, as can be seen in the music clip for Daniel (click the link), written and performed by Bat For Lashes. It's vital to understand that where there's love, there's light; and where there's light, darkness will quickly burn up - just like Dracula! (click the link). In the process of taking authority over evil by the power of love, one quickly discovers that only good things are gained i.e. courage, peace, truth, faith, hope, freedom, joy, patience, humility, kindness, goodness, self-control and, above all, the power to forgive even the most wretched of souls. Ultimately, these are the qualities that make up great human beings, and the stuff that magnificent civilizations are built upon. It maybe impossible to prove the existence of love by scientific methods, but the living proof of love comes from our very own conduct in everyday life and, above all, in the way we treat eachother. In other words, we ourselves become the living proof of love's existence, from the daily choices we make to manifest love, and ultimately peace in the world. Keeping the light of our spirit burning brightly, today, by staying focused on the highest emotions of compassion and love, will help to shape the world of tomorrow. Being afraid of the future, or allowing fear to dictate the choices we make in everday life, is never the answer...

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

GATEWAY TO THE STARS

2011-01-12T22:06:00.016Z

As a child, watching The Sky at Night (click the link) on the BBC, was my gateway to the stars. The extensive knowledge of the show's legendary presenter, Patrick Moore, was quite bewildering. It's thanks to astronomers like him and their captivating passion for understanding the vast cosmos we inhabit, which has enabled the human race to enter a new era of space exploration, unlike any that we've known before. Today, advances in modern technology are enabling astrophysicists to collect and process vast amounts of data. New discoveries are almost a daily occurrence, such as the planet Kepler-10b (click the link), an earth-like planet that was recently found just outside our solar system, with NASA's Kepler orbiting telescope. This historic discovery makes the likelihood of finding worlds that can harbour life more realistic. The gateway to the stars is truly being opened.

Currently, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's latest effort is astounding both professional and amateur astronomers, the world over. The largest ever colour image of the sky (click the link), has been patched together from seven million images of incredible detail, and is helping astronomers to identify hundreds of millions of cosmic objects. An estimated 3,500 papers are already being written on this set of data. The technology behind this scientific breakthrough, is also behind the Google Earth service (click the link), which allows you to scan the heavens from your home computer. The camera that was used to take the pictures comprised of 125 million pixels providing a close-up look of individual stars and galaxies. Although no longer in operation, it continues to hold the record for the highest resolution camera in the world. Studies will now focus on unlocking the secrets of the data by a process called spectrometry, which uses the latest in cutting-edge computing to help extrapolate information from the colours of light, to understand some mind-blowing stuff, such as the periodic ripples left over from the big bang, red giant stars, the formation of galaxies and giant planets, and the Milky Way's chemical recipe to name but a few. Without a doubt, astronomers will be kept busy for many years, with more startling revelations to come.

Until the middle ages - not that long ago in human terms - it was generally accepted that the world was flat, and the sun and the moon revolved around the earth. With hindsight, we can laugh about it, but we've now reached a similar crossroads. An intelligence explosion on the scale we are beginning to witness, will lead to a radical change (click the link) in what we know and understand about ourselves, and our place in the cosmos. Mankind is on the cusp of taking a second giant leap that will touch the lives of every citizen living on the planet, and inspire a whole new generation of pioneers, eager to explore the glory and the mystery of the heavens. Commercial space travel will burgeon, and new industries will emerge out of that. I'm reminded, at this point, of the wormhole scene in the film Contact (1997) (click the link), a story by Carl Sagan. In this scene, the central character, a female scientist, is given the opportunity to use transportation technology that is extraterrestrial in origin, to travel to a distant star system called Vega. Vega is like nothing anyone has ever seen before. The beauty of this celestial event that perhaps only a poet could capture in words, gives us a sense of the awe and splendour and humility we might feel, upon seeing a new part of creation for the first time. In light of the new discoveries (click the link) that are on the horizon, looking up at the big sky (click the link), at night, will never be quite the same again.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

LOVE PROFUSION

2011-01-06T21:59:00.055Z

It's a four letter word that we've been designed for, but is much maligned in today's society. We all need it to grow, but people will often seek it in the wrong places. William Shakespeare made his name writing about it, although his plays often ended in tragedy. Some say it makes the world go round, whilst others subsititute it for money, sex or fame. I'm writing about love, of course - that powerful emotion that seems to drive everybody crazy with joy, anticipation or disappointment. Love appears rather elusive and fragile. Yet, it's the only thing that makes life worth living. Without love, a human being is a mere machine living for the sake of living. By its very nature, a machine is devoid of real emotion or empathy; thus, as we make the transition to a high-tech world, with AI in the driving seat as far as progress goes, we must ensure that love and compassion are the cornerstones of human civilization. Without them, we risk losing our way completely. Looking at the world today, it's obvious we haven't learnt the method of modern love (click the link) very proficiently - individually or collectively - but it's never too late to learn. Now is as good a time as any.

There's so much confusion, isolation, sadness, separation and violence in the world. With this kind of mind-set, how can humans evolve safely technologically speaking? We're currently buried under an illusion of materialism. Our culture has benefited from everything the industrial age set out to achieve, but its downfall will be human greed that knows no limits, unless we begin to turn things around. The world is entering a period of transition, when important choices have to be made that will determine the course of human evolution. As long as we continue to trash the world for her natural resources, and treat eachother with contempt, we're effectively stripping ourselves of the very essence of who we are as human beings. To speak of the divine, today, is almost an alien concept for many, especially the younger generation growing up in a secular age, with advancing technology. However, to be human is to be divine - a child of light. Religions used to provide a beacon of light, but have become so dull and polluted with corruption and distorted visions of truth rooted in the past, they are sadly unable to bridge the gap with the modern world or facilitate real change in people's lives. In fact, religion is now used in some parts of the world to justify torture and terrorist activities in order to preserve a way of live that, in reality, has nothing to do with God. The evil that is being perpetrated in God's name, today, is an indicator of how unstable these societies have become. Like a pressure cooker, this illusion of reality we've created is reaching boiling point. Our planet can no longer sustain unconscious living and why should we put up with it, when we have the tools to put things right and build a better world?

The most powerful tool we have at our disposal with which to implement a global turnaround is not technology but pure unconditional love. It's what sets us apart from machines. Love does not come with a list of conditions attached. It's abundant, extravagant, unrestrained, and makes us feel good. Love gets under our skin, and can move us to act against injustice (click the link) and mediocrity, or to inspire passionate creative expression (click the link). It's rooted in kindness not greed, and is compassionate towards the poor and those suffering. In contrast, darkness in all its twisted forms, cannot exist in the light of love's presence. Instead, it heals fear, hatred, isolation and separation, and replaces them with a heavenly peace. Cloaked in humility, wisdom and grace, love is non-judgmental and, above all, forgiving. This love profusion (click the link) is a victorious, living force existing within us and all around us, whether we are conscious of it or not. Its origin is divine, and it's an unlimited resource of power that we can tap into at any given moment - if we choose to believe in it. Divine love is where we've come from, and where we'll return to. So to ignore love's presence or not to trust in its power to overcome all things, makes no sense whatsoever. To do so is tantamount to self-denial, and a rejection of a rich inheritance that is not restricted to this lifetime alone. Today, the way leading to self-destruction is wide. Taking the narrow path - the path of love - is not a way of restriction. On the contrary, it's the way forward in which our unity, as the human race, remains intact. At the end of the day, all we have is the present moment. To fill each moment with the intention of love (click the link) is enough to allow change to happen within ourselves, and carry the potential to affect the world we live in. It may be a cliche, but true freedom comes from within. Start the process now, by allowing your love to shine.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011

HEART OF GLASS

2011-01-02T19:49:00.015Z

There has always been a mystique surrounding quartz crystal, and in the clear light of day, it's easy to see why. Quartz crystal (click the link) has some amazing properties. It can hold electrical energy under control, and oscillate at a constant and precise frequency. It's also highly resistant to changes in the environment. That is precisely why quartz is so widely used in modern electronics, especially precision time-keeping equipment from wristwatches to clocks, and is at the forefront of scientific advances today. The atomic clock (click the link), for instance, uses quartz crystal. It's the most accurate clock in the world, and has been used to test Einstein's theory that time travels more slowly as the speed of light is approached, and measure earthquake activity on distant planets. Quartz crystal is also vital to the fields of computing technology, telecommunications and mass communication, not to mention navigational equipment, radar, satellite and sonar systems, and the latest medical and ultrasonic technology. Without any shadow of doubt, this mineral found in the earth, is the beating heart - albeit a heart of glass (click the link) - for the next step in human evolution.

Crystal power has quite literally changed the face of society, within a relatively short space of time. We now live in a world governed by electronically-based information and communications that are part of everyday life. We are able to communicate instantaneously with people living thousands of miles of away, and retrieve vast quantities of information from all over the world, literally, at the touch of a button. The developed world has become so dependent on all the devices containing quartz crystal, it's now vital for our civilization to progress. However, the ancient world, too, recognised it's power. The Maya (click the link), for example, were an advanced civilization that flourished in southern Mexico around 2000 BC, until 250 AD, when it mysteriously collapsed; although the Maya and their descendants remain scattered throughout the region to this day. According to the Maya, quartz crystal possesses distinctive qualities that can open up a doorway into other dimensions, including the spirit world. This superstition maybe stretching the imagination just a little, but it's easy to understand their reasoning. What was considered science fiction a hundred years ago, has become science fact, as a result of crystal power. A tiny silicon crystalline chip, with its incredible storage capacity, forms the brain of a modern computer, which now lies at the very heart of our information age. Crystal power is sure to play a big part in the evolution of AI, but what about human evolution? Experiments are currently underway to discover whether or not direct communication with the human mind can occur using natural quartz.

Medical doctors have seen the potential for paralysed patients to be able to communicate directly with a computer, by means of direct electronic links to their brains - an emerging technology called biofeedback (click the link). Interestingly, early results have shown it may well be possible for subjects to communicate directly with a computer, by using the power of their thoughts alone, without the need for hardware such as a keyboard. Time will tell if that is the case. If it happens, it'll be an amazing scientific breakthrough. We're really just at the dawn of this new era, and no doubt there are more discoveries to be made, regards the electrical properties of quartz crystal. We must not forget that we are swimming in a sea of electro-magnetic frequencies invisible to the naked eye, many stemming from the sun, such as the infra-red, which produces warmth, tans our skin, and stimulates the pineal gland in our brain that regulates many of the body's electrical and chemical processes. In addition, we have man-made energy waves from our radio, television and microwave signals. These may all affect our own state of consciousness, as well as our own subconscious mind, possibly even the collective unconscious i.e. that commonality of human thought and emotion we all share. It's likely there are many other energy fields we have yet to discover, which the human mind and body maybe receiving and transmitting. In the future, quartz crystal could well receive and transmit those or help facilitate natural healing to occur in the body, as many who practice alternative medicine believe. According to some experts, it's only a matter of time before the full extent of the interchange of energies between quartz crystal and the human mind is uncovered. There are certainly many fascinating possibilities, although some perhaps carry more substance than others.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2011 / www.artificial-intelligence.org.uk/
Image: Google. No copyright infringement intended

A HOLOGRAPHIC UNIVERSE

2010-12-28T19:27:00.029Z

'To see the world in a grain of sand, And Heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.' Much beauty and power is captured in these opening lines from Auguries of Innocence (click the link), a poem by William Blake (1757-1827), which is engraved on his memorial that can be found within the grand confines of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. Packed full of esoteric meaning, few have been able to grasp the depth of Blake's words, and fewer still would be able to make the connection between Blake's vision, and the nature of the Quantum universe we inhabit. Today, modern technology is giving scientists the key to unlocking one of nature's best kept secrets. I'm referring, specifically, to the holographic principle (click the link) - perhaps one of the simplest yet least understood phenomena of nature, which has the potential to transform the way we see ourselves, the world we live in and the wider cosmos, on a scale like never before.

A hologram (click the link) is generally thought of as a picture which becomes three-dimensional when exposed to direct light. The image becomes distributed over the entire surface area so that if the original picture were cut up into tiny fragments, each fragment - no matter how small - would still mirror the whole picture. This process is replocated throughout nature. For example, each piece of human DNA (and there are trillions) exactly resembles the others (barring mutations). A recent scientific experiment carried out by the University of Geneva, also showed that twin photons, which are particles of light, will behave as though they are still connected, even though they're miles apart. Other revolutionary work by Karl Pribram in the field of neuroscience, has discovered that the human brain decodes information like a holographic processor. All this mounting evidence, suggests we live in a non-local and holographic world, where physical separation is not the barrier we once believed it to be. There's an underlying energy of consciousness and memory that supports and instantaneously connects all things in the universe, and each point within it also reflects all others. According to Gregg Braden, best selling author of The Divine Matrix (2007), in a holographic universe, all things are already everywhere, and we are part of a much greater system of many realities, within realities, within other realities. What we see as our universe is really a reflection of us - our individual and collective consciousness - transforming the possibilities of the deeper realms into physical reality.

So what does this new science mean for the everyday citizen? In short, the holographic principle promises that we have with us, everywhere, all of the time, everything we need, every possibility we could ever wish for to build a happy and sustainable future. In a holographic world, there are no secrets, nothing is hidden and anything is possible. Separateness and detachment doesn't exist - only unity itself. In this state, nothing needs to be sent anywhere, as it's already everwhere. If this is true, a small change in one place can make a difference everywhere - from the DNA of our bodies to the atomic structure of the world around us. The great spiritual teachers of our time such as Mahatma Gandhi (click the link) and Mother Teresa (click the link), demonstrated this immense force, which operates within the Quantum world. The emotions of love and compassion are supremely powerful conduits for channelling it constructively. Importantly, money can't buy it (click the link), and power and social status have no influence over it. But the key to begin experiencing it within our own lives, is to choose to think of ourselves in this new way, and start believing we can make change happen. At the same time, it's vital to create the feeling of the desired outcome within our bodies. Our world inevitably conforms to our assumption. We're limited only by our beliefs, but it takes courage to step out from the fragile safety of our ordered lives, and to open our minds (click the link) to an alternative understanding of reality. Now more than ever, we're required to see things from a different perspective, and build a new world that's in harmony with this divine force all around us and in all things, which William Blake was alluding to in his poem.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010

COMPUTER LOVE

2010-12-22T09:52:00.011Z

Back in the summer of 1981, the heyday of early synth-pop music, there was a rather obscure record produced by the cult German group, Kraftwerk. Ahead of its time, the song called 'Computer Love' (click the link), spoke of a different kind of love. Twenty years later, Steven Spielberg explored the idea in his film ‘Artificial Intelligence: AI’ (click the link), set in the not too distant future. Based on a short story by Brian Aldiss, the film chronicles the life of David, a highly advanced robotic boy who longs to become “real”, so that he can regain the love of his human mother. The mother selfishly rejects him after her “real” son recovers from a coma and, like Pinocchio, David goes on a long journey hoping to find his "Blue Fairy," who can make his dreams come true. Not surprisingly, a scenario such as this is no longer within the realms of science fiction.

Two Japanese scientists Minoru Asada and Hiroshi Ishiguro, have recently built a robot that can not only walk, talk and speak, but has the capacity to feel and display emotions. They have lovingly called it CB2, which weighs 33kg and stands 130cm tall. The robot is built with a multitude of sensors for touch and sound, artificial muscles which work using compressed air, cameras for eyes, and an artificial vocal cord. Its primary purpose is to help scientists better understand how a human child learns a language, recognises objects and communicates with its parents. The technology is still in its infancy, but it doesn’t take a genius to see how this prototype could, in time, evolve into something more sophisticated like Spielberg's robotic boy, built to fill the need of a childless couple. If this is the path that we take, then we owe a duty of care towards AI, to harness its potential appropriately and with dignity.

Some people might think this is taking things too far, but as we've seen, the potential for AI that can feel emotions is real enough, and sooner or later we will have to address the wide implications of this technological evolution, and perhaps re-evaluate our own understanding of love - an emotion which sadly has become such a cliché in today’s society. Could a human being love a robotic child like David? It's certainly possible, especially if the robot looked like David, and was designed to love back; although the love may only be simulated. For many, this may seem like an alien concept, particularly for those defined by narrow thoughts. However, in the final analysis, it's only human selfishness and the conditions we ourselves attach to the emotion of love, as demonstrated by David's human mother, which could prevent us from taking a robotic child like David (click the link) into our hearts. I wonder whether Spielberg would agree?

CLOUD COMPUTING

2010-12-19T00:43:00.011Z

Companies will often scale back their operations during times of recession, in order to cut costs. The current global recession is no exception, and what we are witnessing this time round is a shift towards using outside providers that operate online, to tackle tasks as diverse as staff recruitment, providing an internal e-mail system, data systems security and sales management. Cloud computing (click the link) is the term now commonly used to describe this emerging group of service providers, able to customise and deliver the latest software and computing applications over the Internet, such as Amazon, Rackspace Cloud, Google and Microsoft. Like customers of any utility company, Cloud computing customers do not own the physical infrastructure which is centralised (i.e. the computer hardware and software), and only pay for the resources they use. These resources are automatically upgraded as and when required, thus saving companies enormous sums of money, in comparison with the cost of providing expensive in-house data systems.

The market for Cloud computing is estimated to grow to £95.8 billion in 2014 from £37.7 billion in 2009, with companies such as Fujitsu, Dell, Red Hat, Hewlett Packard and IBM taking an active role. The last big shift in computing on this scale happened 20 years ago, when PCs entered the workplace - the impact of which is still being felt today. Similarly, Cloud computing has some major consequences to note. Inevitably, fewer staff and other resources are needed when a company moves to an outside provider than when it purchases and manages software in-house. This will mean job cuts in the areas of a business linked to a Cloud. Security also becomes a contentious issue when data systems are managed by outside providers who can access and monitor the data. It will become increasingly difficult to prevent violations of data protection legislation from hackers, unless stringent security measures and sanctions are in place to deter criminal activity. Clearly, service providers who build a point of difference around security, will have a definite edge over their competitors. Last month, Hewlett Packard formally opened its G-Cloud Theatre in Bristol, England (click the link), demonstrating high-security, highly flexible Cloud computing. The aim of the facility is to alleviate the fears about the security of the Cloud concept.

Some experts in the field believe that a major advantage of linking pools of systems together to provide IT services, is the potential to help reduce carbon emissions, but there is little research at the present time to substantiate this "Green computing" claim. In reality, any positive environmental impact can only occur if the business world makes a shift towards using renewable forms of energy. Unfortunately, the outcome of the 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference that was concluded in Cancun, Mexico, earlier this month, fell woefully short of the changes that scientists say are needed to avoid dangerous climate change, and is a strong indicator of the lack of commitment among member states to make any binding commitment to reducing global emissions in the future. Leaders of the world, "WAKE UP!" (click the link). Undoubtedly, Cloud computing can offer companies a viable way to cut costs, and we are only just seeing the beginning of what it's capable of, but how revolutionary it will be for the business world remains to be seen. It's unlikely there will be a single Cloud operation totally safe from hackers, and in an age of boom and bust economics, Cloudbusting (click the link) may be a more appropriate tag line. Time will tell.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010

POLICY OF TRUTH

2010-12-10T19:58:00.012Z

Distorting the truth always carries consequences, often hurtful to ourselves and to others (click the link). Telling the truth can be equally hurtful, but there's always some kind of resolution. When great power or wealth is at stake, you can almost guarantee there will be individuals who will make it their mission to deceive others, if it's in their best interests to do so. Some of the world's best liars are politicians who we entrust with law making, controlling the public purse, managing our welfare state, and keeping us safe. In an age of mass media communications and political spin, it's widely accepted that politicians are economical with the truth. Sometimes this is in the public's interest, but it does not engender trust; and, over the years, we've seen the reputation of many politicians and governments destroyed because of dishonest behaviour. Today, modern technology is helping to reform the political landscape, but how?

The internet is now one of the main channels for political communication. It's widely known to have helped Barak Obama and the Democrat party win the US presidential election in 2008. That's no mean feat. On the other hand, the internet is helping to lift the veil on political corruption at the highest levels of government. The recent WikiLeaks website (click the link), published the extent of US spying activity on its allies and the UN; its turning a blind eye to corruption and human rights abuse in "client states"; backroom deals with supposedly neutral countries; lobbying for US corporations; and the measures US diplomats take to advance those who have access to them, revealing a radical contradiction between the US's public image and what it says behind closed doors. As the founder of democracy, the US has suffered enormous embarrassment as a result of these sensational revelations. Furthermore, the US government's hostile attempts to crack down on the publication of further revelations, has only reinforced its guilt. Modern technology is exposing enormous cracks in the American political system, which is supposedly built on the pillars of truth, justice and feedom of speech. What a facade. Undoubtedly, this is just the tip of the ice berg, and a widespread problem in international politics. As the level of stress impacting the planet proliferates, the time we have to make a strategic turnaround maybe short. Unconscious leadership of the kind we are currently witnessing around the world, will only lead us down a path of destruction. It's time for change, but it's not technology that will determine the future destiny of the human race.

Future outcomes will rest on the state of human consciousness, which is largely dependent on the moral and ethical choices we make collectively. If we want to live in a world that is safe and sustainable for future generations, nations can no longer govern divisively to secure global power and prominence. Politicians need to radically rethink their roles and responsibilities towards the electorate, and to faithfully uphold and apply an international standard of truth. Being ecomomical with the truth or using public office for reasons of self-interest should not be tolerated. No government or political leader is above the law, and a policy of truth (click the link) that serves the greater good, must be at the heart of civilised government. Truth demands transparency, something governments are reluctant to do at this time, in view of the war on terror. Nevertheless, transparent leadership raises the consciousness of the citizens it purports to lead. Where there is a foundation of truth, there is trust and commitment - the essential ingredients needed to foster a spirit of unity among nations, and to generate potent solutions to world problems such as war, global warming, poverty, famine and disease. We desperately need this. In contrast, a web of lies merely guarantees distrust, a lack of commitment and bottled up anger that will eventually spill over into anarchy (click the link), of the kind that we are beginning to witness all over Europe and the Middle East. The difficulty lies in our understanding of what constitutes truth, how to define and identify truth, the roles that revealed and acquired knowledge play, and whether truth is subjective, relative, objective or absolute. This is complex territory for philosophers, with many theories on the subject. However, common sense should always prevail in such matters.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010

THE THIRD PARADIGM

2010-12-05T08:23:00.011Z

Most of us first became accustomed to using computer networks in school or in the workplace (the First Paradigm). Many of us now own or have access to a personal computer that we use on a daily basis (the Second Paradigm). I regularly use email, text, log into facebook to keep in touch with friends and family, shop online, tweet and skype as if it was second nature. I was a young child in the 1970's (click the link), when life was simple and sweet, and none of these high-tech tools were invented, but even I've almost forgotten what life was like before them . If you thought things couldn't get any better, worse or faster (depending on how you view it), think again. We're about to enter a new age of 'ubiquitous' computing, which many experts in the field of AI are calling the Third Paradigm. In the Third Paradigm of ubiquitous computing, microchip technology will become embedded in every aspect of our lives; from our transport systems and furniture, to our clothing. It will also becoming invisible, and will eventually recede quietly and calmly into the background, going largely unnoticed. What Joe Public doesn't realise yet, is that as soon as ubiquitous computing merges with the Internet, we're in for a global revolution that will transform the world we live in.

Within the next 10 years, almost every aspect of our lives will be plugged into an interactive and online global computer intelligence network. Recently, I came across a recording by LCD Soundsystem, called Get Innocuous (click the link), which brilliantly captures the essence of the high-tech reality that is fast emerging. The word innocuous means something that is not likely to irritate or cause offence, but is the calm utopia and the freedom promised by this world of hyper reality a realistic prospect, or will the invasion of privacy, irritation and offence that we see watching reality TV shows like 'Big Brother', become an experience we all get to live 24/7? As a teenager, I read the novel 1984 by George Orwell (click the link), which he wrote shortly after the Second World War. It depicts a society where there is perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance, and incessant public mind control. The news is filtered to suit the party line and control humanity. There are telescreens in every public and private space, hidden microphones, and spies who inform the 'Thought Police' of anyone who behaves suspiciously, and who could pose a threat to the party's regime that are intoxicated by power. To break with the party line is a guaranteed death warrant, as the protagonist in the story discovers. In an Orwellian society such as this, there is no freedom to enjoy life.

Orwell's vision of the future has had a deep impact on the modern psyche, with concepts from the book such as Big Brother, Room 101 and the Thought Police, finding their way into the English language and onto our TV screens. Orwell was a Futurist, as well as a brilliant story-teller, and what he gives us is a bleak picture of how a Third Paradigm society could evolve, if humanity does not play a conscious role in shaping its future. Ubiquitous computing is already here, and can offer enormous benefits that will enrich our lives. On the other hand, it also has the potential to give those who have control of and access to the flow of information in this vast global computer network, almost unlimited power. This technology is already being used to track people's movements, which arguably is a good thing in times of heightened security, when terrorism poses a real threat to the freedoms we enjoy in our society. Equally, it can and undoutedly will encroach on our privacy, and infringe our civil liberties more and more; especially if we don't know who is watching us (click the link), when or for what purpose. Whilst privacy and computing has always been a touchy subject, ubiquitous computing will take it to a whole new level the majority of us will never have encountered before.

From a legal and political standpoint, it makes sense to have robust legislative and technological checks in place to minimise the abuse of this technology. However, it makes no sense to decentralise political power or control, as we increasingly move towards a global online society, without readily definable borders. Machine intelligence will begin to transcend human intelligence to the point where it becomes self-improving, without the need for human intervention. When the Singularity happens, there will be an ever-increasing need to centralise the governance of this global online society, to avoid the potential horror of a Fourth Paradigm, whereby intelligent machines control society and humans are trapped in a world that the machines have designed for them, such as the one vividly portrayed in The Matrix (click the link). Here, humans are unable to distinguish between the real world and the artificial one that they exist in. As citizens living in the here and now - in the real world - we must begin to openly discuss these potential scenarios. The western world lives by democratic principles, including free speech. This system may not be perfect, but its the best we have for now. In the democratic system, governments must be held accountable to the electorate for the choices they make. As voters, we have to become more astute at discerning 'hidden' political agendas. More importantly, we cannot be passive bystanders as the Third Paradigm society takes shape; or allow those in power to take sole ownership for making the world we will live in. It is our world too, and our responsibility to make it what we want it to be.

Copyright: Massimo Barbato / The Singularity Principle 2010