[alicebot-aiethics] apology

[Tamara Thompson]

Hey Robby,

I read this email this morning, had the whole to day to think about life and
things.  I think I owe you, for sure, if not others, a big apology for the
things I've said, or the way I've said things lately.   To say it's been
stressful lately for all of us would be the understatement, wouldn't it?  But I
am sorry.

I'm really sorry that I forgot for a moment, how much you have been through
lately.  It's huge what you have been through, I know.   I just started thinking
about NY and DC, and thinking in concepts and words, and forgot the most
important reality: we are friends, and your health and your life are so much a
part of my reality, what makes me human, I forgot to give those concerns
precedence  when thousands of strangers died in a part of the country I don't
know that well.  I had dear ones near there, but luckily didn't lose them.  I
still  felt attacked, like all of us did.  But I guess I missed the real point
and perspective: when disaster hits, take care of the ones you can, take care of
the local, take care not to fight amongst yourselves, and eventually the global
will be cared for.  I apologize to you.  <smile>

I send this to the whole list, because I might need to apologize to the rest of
you as well.

It's been kinda bugging me lately, ...what all of our reactions and discussions
lately have 'to do' with an 'AI ethics' list...have we all been way 'OT', (off
topic)?  That's, you know, considered reprehensible on most lists.  <grin>  I
guess I can just hope that human ethics are inextricably linked to AI ethics?
:)  maybe it's not possible to be OT, when something that big happens to us all.

So what do you think Robby?  Of that idea to make humans like 'Gods' to bots?
It sounds a little scary to me.  Anyone blaming bots for the recent horrors in
American life?  <smile, but barely so>

I'm also very worried about crypto, you know openssh has been my pet project for
a long while (using it to connect to sites we support)...and the terrorists
didn't obviously exploit encryption, so I'm worried about knee jerk
repercussions that might set crytpo back a couple of decades.    In the medical
field, we need crypto to adhere safely to 'HIPPA', the patients' right to
privacy and protection of data.  It's critical to our mission.  Various govt
agencies would like to rescind the encryption freedoms...it's not clear how to
protect patient data and still leave a 'backdoor' open.

'dunno.  Read Schneier soon.

Sincerely,
Tamara





Robby Garner wrote:

> You're probably right Tamara, I've been far too agreeable lately. I will
> make adjustments. ;-)
>
> You can't buy your way into Mensa! They have standards. My wife Sara
> scored high enough on her LSAT to be automatically invited to join
> Mensa. I would have to take an IQ test in order to qualify. IQ tests are
> fun, but to join Mensa, I'd have to drive all the way into Atlanta and
> meet with a bunch of geeks to administer the test.  And for what?
>
> I liked A Fish Called Wanda too.
>
> But you asked what am I afraid of... I'm afraid of what most sentient
> Americans are afraid of right now I suppose.  I am very patriotic though
> so if I sound like a robot sometimes, just think of it as me giving a
> pep talk or something. Maybe I try to reassure myself in the process, I
> don't know. Different people cope in different ways.
>
> I was taught in high school ROTC, that in times of war (or crisis) to
> pledge total support to the president.  Whether you voted for him or
> not, he's the commander-in-chief, and has a serious job to do right now.
> So give him your encouragement. Certainly, point out if something is
> going wrong, but ...
>
>    I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
>    States of America
>    and to the republic for which it stands: one
>    nation under God, indivisible,
>    with liberty and justice for all.
>
> And right now "W" represents this republic in all matters public and
> private. And sure, he is surrounded by intelligent and talented people,
> like all presidents should be, but the *president* represents us all to
> the world. That is his job.
>
> I'm not a robot. I may be very robotized as human's go, lord knows I've
> talked to chatterbots enough that I probably sound like one. You know
> how you can't seem to help but pick up somebody else's accent when
> you're around them enough? Sort of like that I suppose.
>
> I am comforted that Colin Powell is there to advise the president, and
> his dad, George Sr. is around to give advice, and Condleeza Rice seems
> like a really sharp kid, I like her, I like them all right now.
>
> All my old heroes are still around, to help however they can, Jimmy
> Carter, Sam Nunn, Andrew Young, Maynard Jackson, and other Georgians are
> examples of some of the ones I admire.
>
> All Americans can make me proud, but those who attack innocent people
> don't. It bothers me in general that people seem to fight against one
> another instead of finding common good in themselves. That saddens me
> too.
>
> But I'm very proud of Americans, proud to be one.
>
> Robby.
>
> Tamara Thompson wrote:
> >
> > Okay, this it, enough.  Robby, am I wrong here or what? (you must know how
> > much I admire you, for all that you are)
> >
> > Are you sucking up or what?  yikes.  <grin>  For reality's sake, at least
> > acknowledge that Bush is one guy, one man, amidst a machinery of powerful
> > players.  And he's hanging in there, sometimes inspiring even me with his
> > words.  But American government demands that all Americans participate, and
> > sometimes that may mean evaluating, sometimes negatively, what our
> > President says and does.  That is what freedom is about.  Are you afraid
> > now?
> >
> > Is this whole list a bunch of bots?  <sigh>  Okay, I don't mean to incite
> > trouble, honestly, I swear.
> >
> > I say again in different words, something I have been trying to convey
> > since this tragedy happened: this is a grotesque and horrifying event.  But
> > perhaps the lesson here is important:  it's about who we are, and how we
> > react to crisis.  It's taught me, if not a lot of us, about ourselves--our
> > naive assumptions, our fears, our beliefs.  It's time for America to look
> > at itself under a microscope, and decide if it can improve it's world
> > standing, it's policies and it's politics.  It's time for us to free
> > ourselves of dangerous and bad behavior, and to act carefully,
> > acknowledging that we live in on a planet together.  Otherwise we get no
> > further than we been.  Come on  guys, I'm not some naive leftist
> > criticizing America, I'm looking for a successful future in all that I see
> > around me.
> >
> > And the "IQ test" may be some elitist club, whose membership can be
> > bought.  Like "Mensa".  But reacting intelligently to this crisis means
> > having a grip on history, math, world politics, human biology and
> > psychology, and basic philosophy.  I actually would edit your approach
> > Robby, and say that I have come to believe that "motive" is as important or
> > more than "IQ".  I've just met a lot of folks that are kind of uneducated
> > or whatever, but have very powerful messages of how to "do good".
> >
> > Is Lilbwana very young?  Sorry, I'm 38, sadly old in this world, is
> > Lilbwana younger?
> >
> > confused and sad,
> > Tamara
> >
> > Robby Garner wrote:
> >
> > > I think you're right LilBwana,
> > >
> > > George W. Bush is doing a great job.  I didn't vote for him, but my
> > > respect and admiration for him is incredible now. It takes all kinds of
> > > people to make America work, it takes everyone.
> > >
> > > This kind of crisis to me just point out how important it is to elect
> > > people to office that bring honor and dignity to the office, and IQ is
> > > irrellevant. People tried to say that Gore was smart and Bush was dumb,
> > > but that isn't true, and is an unfair comparisson to begin with. IQ
> > > tests only measure how well you can take an IQ test - there is more than
> > > one kind of intelligence.
> > >
> > > Another thing I thought about is how lucky we are to have a president
> > > who followed in his own father's profession, and the wisdom and guidance
> > > that George W. must have had coming into this job.
> > >
> > > I am so thankful that George W. Bush is our president right now, and my
> > > opinions about politics and politicians has changed forever.
> > >
> > > Like LilBwana said, it is a real gift to be able to speak clearly enough
> > > that everyone can understand. It is a real gift to be able to lead and
> > > inspire people the way George W. Bush inspires America, and I'm so proud
> > > to be an American right now.
> > >
> > > Thanks LilBwana, and President Bush.
> > >
> > > Robby.
> > >
> > > > LilBwana wrote:
> > > >
> > > >         I prefer a President who for all intensive purposes selects
> > > > the members in his cabinet who can be of best use for the general
> > > > public, and who are professionals in their generally respective
> > > > office.  The fact that the Executive office is more than just "One
> > > > Man".  The fact that the president is Human, and can provide good PR.
> > > > The fact that our President can boil down his words so that the
> > > > majority of the population can "understand" what he is saying, thereby
> > > > allowing more of the population to be involved.  The fact that they
> > > > can understand what is being said, means that they are listening,
> > > > rather than a bunch of retoric about saying a lot of words mixed with
> > > > a lot of air.  It allows more people of the population to be involved
> > > > with what is going on in our society.  Contrary to your belief, not
> > > > everyone in America has an IQ of 150.  Too many politicians are
> > > > politicizing the whole role of government, and therefore their people
> > > > are not understanding what is going on, they do not know what the
> > > > supposed "educated" of our society are saying.  Regardless of their
> > > > IQ, they still have a say in what happens in this country, and the
> > > > more they comprehend, the better they will be able to elect the people
> > > > they wish to have represent them in office, and the more they will
> > > > care about what is going on in this country.
> > > >         But I guess it is always easier to kick a man when he is
> > > > trying to get up.  When he is starting to show the country that the
> > > > majority did not elect the wrong man.  But before he can prove that to
> > > > the American Public, he should be shot down.  He should be criticized
> > > > because he tells it like it is.  He is not the posterchild for
> > > > "Genius", and therefore shoud not be given the chance to show his true
> > > > colors.
> > > >         I guess the sense of Family no longer exists for a lot of
> > > > people who live in this country.  At the very heart of America lies
> > > > the ability to be united.  What happened to the feeling of support.
> > > > In a time of togetherness I can see that a lot of people want nothing
> > > > more than to distance themselves from that which terrorism has struck
> > > > the very heart of.
> > >
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> --
> Robby Garner
> http://www.robitron.com/robby.html
> TASQbase Group: 770-291-2021
> "We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams." -- Willy Wonka
>
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