[alicebot-aiethics] Academic Ethics
Ing. Pedro E. Colla
alicebot-aiethics@list.alicebot.org
Thu, 23 Aug 2001 17:32:52 -0300
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I've been following with very much attention this thread; at first I took
the installment of it being kind of off-topic.
But as the thread got momentum I started to realize that at the very end
this is what ethics is all about, the fine fabric of beliefs that is behind
us thru life. And it was consistent, after all, that few of the participants
open up their emotional kimonos and share them with the rest.
Probably would allow us to put in the right context most of the beliefs
and opinions that we'll read from now on on the specific matter of AI.
I did learn to take with the highest respect whoever put itself in a weak
position to get thru his points, and nobody is weaker than when showing
openly the full set of strenghts and weakness points of his own self.
I don't personally feel close to Dr. Wallace; our virtual relation had been
for most part distant at best, and often stepped into heated clashes of
public or private nature. I'm sure each one consider the other as being
part of some disjoined set, assuming care to even catalog the situation
do exist.
I found Tamara's note moving, like dictated by the heart; and Robby's one
perspiring sincerity; and that somehow encouraged me to perhaps make a
fool of myself with some thoughts I came thru reading this debate.
The striking fact I got is that even with such a sizeable gap of differences
Dr. Wallace's story (which I might not know completely) is remarkably
similar to mine; the trick is to switch "Academics" by "Corporate"; perhaps
not in the fine level of detail but as a whole.
I'll not bore everyone with all the gory details, but some context is
necessary. I could not do anything but thanks academya, had the opportunity
to pursue more than one degree at different universities at my country,
US and Europe. They did nothing but to allow me to embrace knowledge and
to learn how to continue the process by myself on a never ending loop;
every time I turned into my old professors for advice they were there like
a beacon.
What makes remarkably for me, even at some time distance, is that because
an oddity of life I earned my first PhD level degree at age 20; when most
kids of my age were slowly thinking what to do with their lives, let alone
careers so support & coaching from my professors were a critical issue for
me.
In my corporate life I pursued and got whatever I dreamed of, challenging
posts, an almost unlimited support to pursue my own interests and education,
access to the best technology in the world, financial stability, prizes
and rewards at both national and international level, you name it. I'm not
talking about Jones & Son Co. I'm talking about one of the biggest
corporations
in the world (names not stated to protect the inocents) but anybody could
fairly guess.
I got my first degree by myself, earning each cent of the cost of it
under difficult circumstances, but corporate life give me access to
two additional degrees and countless short education spots at the most
prestigious universities in the world on a very wide range of subjects;
some of them more after my personal interests than any coherent connection
with the job at hand (but almost all of them ended up being connected with
something down the road).
They even backed up non-profit projects I participated on personal grounds
like when we put the first artificial satellite of my country in orbit; the
kind
of things that you are proud of but never get a dime with.
Never really played with all the rules, perhaps I had an inherent
ability to break specific rules at specific moments without placing
myself as a whole out of the system. I was placed often in places and
situations where rules didn't exist, the sheet of instructions were a
blank piece of paper.
They slowly turned me into an specific machine; one that could get
IT projects of any size and complexity to manage it and drive it into
a safe harbour within cost and time budgets. Most of them under difficult
business and political circumstances because of the damage already
incurred. And my fair assessment is that I performed very well at that;
by any metric you would like to take I was a very successful man.
Then, the unthinkable happened, the local branch of my company got involved
in a very dirt, high profile corruption scandal that involved scores of
high level people at the society, the government and the IT industry itself;
vented profusely by the media and congress earings as well as a high
visible federal case.
I was far from that in terms of decissions, but still too high in the
executive level to be considered part of "the management team" guilty for
such nonsense (not talking a platoon size branch, talking about some
3500 persons branch, almost 800 of them reporting to me).
As soon as the highest level were sacked (and few of them actually jailed!)
layer of management after layer of managemeng were sacked too, in a
senseless butchery aimed to demonstrate how tough corporate heads really
were, in the never confessed but widely off-the-record accepted attempt
to calm down the SEC not to pursue the company on grounds of the US
Foreign AntiCorruption Act; fairness in the process were absent of course.
Those like me, on executive but still technical oriented ranks claiming
about inocence received the most brutal, humilliating and disrepectful
handling anyone on this list could possibly imagine, until one by one
finally quit when the stomach could not take anymore that crap.
From heaven to the nearest dumpster, non-stop.
So I was left at the emblematic age of 40, a financial disaster at sight,
with a corporate non-written estigma on my forefront and my back (to ensure
IT COULD BE SEEN by anyone with the right lens) that prevented me to reach
a similar position in my country at least, and turned into a high end
specialist on a management/technicall niche that happens perhaps once
a year in my country and few dozens at any moment of time worldwide;
the biggest piece of my self-esteem fitted a coin (a small one).
Not prepared one bit to be a charming salesman of myself, just the tought
guy that everyone hides behind when the things really got bad.
I did witnessed all sort of human miseries in the process, all sort of
treasons, and almost complete catalog of what I belief shouldn't be done.
To make the picture worse I don't have religious beliefs, so I was alone
in the universe in emotional grounds; or I felt like that at least.
Then a process that Robby despicted very well happened; a period of grief,
confusion, self-disrepect followed by the inventory of what were left
intact.
And I rather found to my surprise that when I left my office the last day
I didn't needed a box for my belongings; only a portrait of my family was
all I took with myself after 15 years of total inmersion on corporate life.
Everything else was portable, on my brain; and soon I also learn that it's
pluggable because I could still do my job at any organization in the world.
Since then (4 years ago) I work independently, on a world-wide scale, and
disregarding if I have an employeer or perform like a free-lancer; I don't
have a boss anymore, and I'm resolved not to have one for the rest of my
life.
I now have customers; and I choose the customers I want to serve with,
financial considerations not being completely neglected but neither
top ranked in the list of priorities to consider.
I have the opportunity since then to know many countries, many cultures,
learn half a dozen languages (actually DISCOVERED I had a gift with
languages), be a citizen of the world, feel at home
everywhere I happen to be. I'm considerably poor in financial terms but
I'm considerably richer in my interior self.
I could even afford professionally to present a sound resume that barely
mention my corporate activity at all, literally I rebuild my professional
career (and good chunks of my personal life) from the nothingness.
One of the reasons I regret not to have a religion is because I could not
thank anybody in particular for this; so I slowly started to play with the
existence of some sort of what Dr. Erdos would had called a "Great Fascist"
that is there, somewhere, somehow (hope religious people reading this
wouldn't
find this offensive, I have the highest respect for religions, all of them).
I don't know if this might help Richard or somebody else, I hope so, but
nobody wants to be in the bottom of the hole voluntarily; that's for sure.
But once you're forced there definitely you have some benefits out of that,
because in no other position you're able to actually make the inventory of
what you got and nobody could take you away and what really matters to you.
In my case it was my close family and my formation; everyone will found
what is it on a case by case basis because this is as personal as the
fingerprints.
Once you build from there, nobody, mean, nobody could affect you because
that's is THE genuine basement. And since nobody gave it to you nobody
could take it off from you.
Pursue revenge on the past make yourself step into the past, in a vicious
loop; the thing is the future.
I wouldn't do anything but encourage my sons to achieve high academic
degrees, the highest possible, because that would be a mind & door opener
for
them; I wouldn't sincerely give them the advice to enter any form of
a corporate structure because it's one of most corrupt places you could
imagine on Earth; so here I don't agree with Dr. Wallace one bit, but
the common denominator isn't what is a good and what is a bad place
for our sons; but the common set of skills that seems to be the bare
minimum swiss-knifes for them to build their lives and if someday got
the small stick of the round or the Great Fascist farts on them to be
able to get out of the hole by themselves.
Sorry for my prose, I think in Spanish then structure in German and them
translate to English, it's impossible for me to write more condensed than
this.
I do sincerely hope this long and boring prose might help Richard or
somebody
else navigating thru the white waters life sometimes put us in.
Back to the harsh mode making acid comments about AI and experimenting with
my bot on my free time and make a living serving my "customers" for a fee.
Will try not to repeat.
Clear. Out.
Ing. Pedro E. Colla
Adrogue-BA
Argentina
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<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I've been following with very much =
attention this=20
thread; at first I took<BR>the installment of it being kind of=20
off-topic.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>But as the thread got momentum I =
started to=20
realize that at the very end<BR>this is what ethics is all about, the =
fine=20
fabric of beliefs that is behind<BR>us thru life. And it was consistent, =
after=20
all, that few of the participants<BR>open up their emotional kimonos and =
share=20
them with the rest.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Probably would allow us to put in the =
right=20
context most of the beliefs<BR>and opinions that we'll read from now on =
on the=20
specific matter of AI.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I did learn to take with the highest =
respect=20
whoever put itself in a weak<BR>position to get thru his points, and =
nobody is=20
weaker than when showing<BR>openly the full set of strenghts and =
weakness points=20
of his own self.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I don't personally feel close to Dr. =
Wallace; our=20
virtual relation had been<BR>for most part distant at best, and often =
stepped=20
into heated clashes of<BR>public or private nature. I'm sure each one =
consider=20
the other as being<BR>part of some disjoined set, assuming care to even =
catalog=20
the situation<BR>do exist.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I found Tamara's note moving, like =
dictated by=20
the heart; and Robby's one<BR>perspiring sincerity; and that somehow =
encouraged=20
me to perhaps make a<BR>fool of myself with some thoughts I came thru =
reading=20
this debate.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>The striking fact I got is that even =
with such a=20
sizeable gap of differences<BR>Dr. Wallace's story (which I might not =
know=20
completely) is remarkably<BR>similar to mine; the trick is to switch =
"Academics"=20
by "Corporate"; perhaps<BR>not in the fine level of detail but as a=20
whole.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I'll not bore everyone with all the =
gory details,=20
but some context is<BR>necessary. I could not do anything but thanks =
academya,=20
had the opportunity<BR>to pursue more than one degree at different =
universities=20
at my country,<BR>US and Europe. They did nothing but to allow me to =
embrace=20
knowledge and<BR>to learn how to continue the process by myself on a =
never=20
ending loop;<BR>every time I turned into my old professors for advice =
they were=20
there like<BR>a beacon.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>What makes remarkably for me, even at =
some time=20
distance, is that because<BR>an oddity of life I earned my first PhD =
level=20
degree at age 20; when most<BR>kids of my age were slowly thinking what =
to do=20
with their lives, let alone<BR>careers so support & coaching from my =
professors were a critical issue for me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>In my corporate life I pursued and =
got whatever I=20
dreamed of, challenging<BR>posts, an almost unlimited support to pursue =
my own=20
interests and education,<BR>access to the best technology in the world,=20
financial stability, prizes<BR>and rewards at both national and =
international=20
level, you name it. I'm not<BR>talking about Jones & Son Co. =
I'm=20
talking about one of the biggest corporations<BR>in the world (names not =
stated=20
to protect the inocents) but anybody could</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>fairly guess.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I got my first degree by myself, =
earning each=20
cent of the cost of it<BR>under difficult circumstances, but corporate =
life give=20
me access to<BR>two additional degrees and countless short education =
spots at=20
the most<BR>prestigious universities in the world on a very wide range =
of=20
subjects;<BR>some of them more after my personal interests than any =
coherent=20
connection<BR>with the job at hand (but almost all of them ended up =
being=20
connected with<BR>something down the road).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>They even backed up non-profit =
projects I=20
participated on personal grounds<BR>like when we put the first =
artificial=20
satellite of my country in orbit; the kind</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>of things that you are proud of but =
never get a=20
dime with.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Never really played with all the =
rules, perhaps I=20
had an inherent<BR>ability to break specific rules at specific moments =
without=20
placing<BR>myself as a whole out of the system. I was placed often in =
places=20
and<BR>situations where rules didn't exist, the sheet of instructions =
were=20
a<BR>blank piece of paper.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>They slowly turned me into an =
specific machine;=20
one that could get<BR>IT projects of any size and complexity to manage =
it and=20
drive it into<BR>a safe harbour within cost and time budgets. Most of =
them under=20
difficult<BR>business and political circumstances because of the damage=20
already<BR>incurred. And my fair assessment is that I performed very =
well at=20
that;<BR>by any metric you would like to take I was a very successful=20
man.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Then, the unthinkable happened, the =
local branch=20
of my company got involved<BR>in a very dirt, high profile corruption =
scandal=20
that involved scores of<BR>high level people at the society, the =
government and=20
the IT industry itself;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>vented profusely by the media and =
congress=20
earings as well as a high</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>visible federal case.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I was far from that in terms of =
decissions, but=20
still too high in the<BR>executive level to be considered part of "the=20
management team" guilty for<BR>such nonsense (not talking a platoon size =
branch,=20
talking about some<BR>3500 persons branch, almost 800 of them reporting =
to=20
me).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>As soon as the highest level were =
sacked (and few=20
of them actually jailed!)<BR>layer of management after layer of =
managemeng were=20
sacked too, in a<BR>senseless butchery aimed to demonstrate how tough =
corporate=20
heads really<BR>were, in the never confessed but widely off-the-record =
accepted=20
attempt<BR>to calm down the SEC not to pursue the company on grounds of =
the=20
US<BR>Foreign AntiCorruption Act; fairness in the process were absent of =
course.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Those like me, on executive but still =
technical=20
oriented ranks claiming<BR>about inocence received the most brutal, =
humilliating=20
and disrepectful<BR>handling anyone on this list could possibly imagine, =
until=20
one by one<BR>finally quit when the stomach could not take anymore that=20
crap.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>From heaven to the nearest dumpster,=20
non-stop.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>So I was left at the emblematic age =
of 40, a=20
financial disaster at sight,<BR>with a corporate non-written estigma on =
my=20
forefront and my back (to ensure<BR>IT COULD BE SEEN by anyone with the =
right=20
lens) that prevented me to reach<BR>a similar position in my country at =
least,=20
and turned into a high end<BR>specialist on a management/technicall =
niche that=20
happens perhaps once<BR>a year in my country and few dozens at any =
moment of=20
time worldwide;<BR>the biggest piece of my self-esteem fitted a coin (a =
small=20
one).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Not prepared one bit to be a charming =
salesman of=20
myself, just the tought<BR>guy that everyone hides behind when the =
things really=20
got bad.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I did witnessed all sort of human =
miseries in the=20
process, all sort of<BR>treasons, and almost complete catalog of what I =
belief=20
shouldn't be done.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>To make the picture worse I don't =
have religious=20
beliefs, so I was alone<BR>in the universe in emotional grounds; or I =
felt like=20
that at least.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Then a process that Robby despicted =
very well=20
happened; a period of grief,<BR>confusion, self-disrepect followed by =
the=20
inventory of what were left<BR>intact.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>And I rather found to my surprise =
that when I=20
left my office the last day<BR>I didn't needed a box for my belongings; =
only a=20
portrait of my family was<BR>all I took with myself after 15 years of =
total=20
inmersion on corporate life.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2><BR>Everything else was =
portable, on my=20
brain; and soon I also learn that it's<BR>pluggable because I could =
still do my=20
job at any organization in the world.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Since then (4 years ago) I work =
independently, on=20
a world-wide scale, and<BR>disregarding if I have an employeer or =
perform like a=20
free-lancer; I don't<BR>have a boss anymore, and I'm resolved not to =
have one=20
for the rest of my<BR>life.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I now have customers; and I choose =
the customers=20
I want to serve with,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>financial considerations not being =
completely=20
neglected but neither</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>top ranked in the list of priorities =
to=20
consider.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I have the opportunity since then to =
know many=20
countries, many cultures,<BR>learn half a dozen languages (actually =
DISCOVERED I=20
had a gift with<BR>languages), be a citizen of the world, feel at=20
home<BR>everywhere I happen to be. I'm considerably poor in financial =
terms=20
but<BR>I'm considerably richer in my interior self.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I could even afford professionally to =
present a=20
sound resume that barely<BR>mention my corporate activity at all, =
literally I=20
rebuild my professional<BR>career (and good chunks of my personal life) =
from the=20
nothingness.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>One of the reasons I regret not =
to have a=20
religion is because I could not<BR>thank anybody in particular for this; =
so I=20
slowly started to play with the<BR>existence of some sort of what Dr. =
Erdos=20
would had called a "Great Fascist"<BR>that is there, somewhere, somehow =
(hope=20
religious people reading this wouldn't</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>find this offensive, I have the =
highest respect=20
for religions, all of them).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I don't know if this might help =
Richard or=20
somebody else, I hope so, but<BR>nobody wants to be in the bottom of the =
hole=20
voluntarily; that's for sure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>But once you're forced there =
definitely you have=20
some benefits out of that,<BR>because in no other position you're able =
to=20
actually make the inventory of<BR>what you got and nobody could take you =
away=20
and what really matters to you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>In my case it was my close family and =
my=20
formation; everyone will found<BR>what is it on a case by case basis =
because=20
this is as personal as the<BR>fingerprints.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Once you build from there, nobody, =
mean, nobody=20
could affect you because<BR>that's is THE genuine basement. And since =
nobody=20
gave it to you nobody<BR>could take it off from you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Pursue revenge on the past make =
yourself step=20
into the past, in a vicious</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>loop; the thing is the =
future.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I wouldn't do anything but encourage =
my sons to=20
achieve high academic<BR>degrees, the highest possible, because that =
would be a=20
mind & door opener for<BR>them; I wouldn't sincerely give them the =
advice to=20
enter any form of<BR>a corporate structure because it's one of most =
corrupt=20
places you could<BR>imagine on Earth; so here I don't agree with Dr. =
Wallace one=20
bit, but<BR>the common denominator isn't what is a good and what is a =
bad=20
place<BR>for our sons; but the common set of skills that seems to be the =
bare<BR>minimum swiss-knifes for them to build their lives and if =
someday=20
got<BR>the small stick of the round or the Great Fascist farts on them =
to=20
be<BR>able to get out of the hole by themselves.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Sorry for my prose, I think in =
Spanish then=20
structure in German and them<BR>translate to English, it's impossible =
for me to=20
write more condensed than<BR>this.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I do sincerely hope this long and =
boring prose=20
might help Richard or somebody</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>else navigating thru the white waters =
life=20
sometimes put us in.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Back to the harsh mode making acid =
comments about=20
AI and experimenting with<BR>my bot on my free time and make a living =
serving my=20
"customers" for a fee.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Will try not to repeat.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Clear. Out.<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Ing. Pedro E. Colla<BR>Adrogue-BA<BR>Argentina</DIV></BODY></HTML>
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