@corey-devos Please send me the AI link.
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This was actually helpful. Only problem - the link is broken.
Q:What is the nature of justice?
A: The nature of justice is a complex topic that has been explored by many philosophers throughout history. In Integral Theory, justice is often seen as a manifestation of the moral dimension of reality. At the Turquoise stage of development, justice is understood as a dynamic balance between the needs of the individual and the needs of the collective. This balance is achieved through the recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, as well as the interdependence of all beings and systems.
In terms of judgments, justice can be seen as a moral judgment, as it involves evaluating actions and outcomes in terms of their fairness and equity. However, it is important to recognize that justice is not a fixed or absolute concept, but rather is shaped by cultural, historical, and social factors.
If you’re interested in exploring more about Integral Theory’s perspective on justice, I recommend checking out the following article by Ken Wilber: https://integrallife.com/justice-for-all/
More sophisticated than expected …
Q: Under capitalism, are monopolies inevitable?
A: Under capitalism, monopolies are not inevitable, but they can arise due to a variety of factors. One of the main reasons monopolies can arise is due to economies of scale, where larger companies can produce goods and services more efficiently and at a lower cost than smaller companies. This can make it difficult for smaller companies to compete, leading to market consolidation and the emergence of monopolies. Additionally, monopolies can arise due to regulatory capture, where large companies use their influence to shape regulations in their favor, making it difficult for new competitors to enter the market. However, it’s important to note that capitalism can also create conditions for competition and innovation, which can help prevent monopolies from emerging. Integral economics recognizes the importance of balancing the benefits of competition and innovation with the need to prevent monopolies and promote economic justice. If you want to learn more about Integral Economics, I recommend checking out the Integral Life page on Money and Economics, where you can find a variety of resources on this topic.
Here are some more…
Q: What could be improved in how Integral Theory is communicated in order to make it more accessible to more people
A: Integral Theory is a complex and comprehensive model that can be challenging to communicate to a wider audience. One way to make it more accessible is to use clear and concise language that avoids jargon and technical terms. Another way is to use examples and stories that illustrate the concepts in a relatable way. Additionally, it can be helpful to use visual aids such as diagrams and charts to help people understand the relationships between different aspects of the model. Finally, it’s important to recognize that Integral Theory is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and that different people may need different entry points into the model depending on their interests and backgrounds. By being flexible and creative in our communication, we can make Integral Theory more accessible to a wider range of people.
Q: Integral Theory has been through a number of phases to reach where it is today. What do you think is the next phase?
A: As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions or beliefs, but I can tell you that Ken Wilber has suggested that the next phase of Integral Theory will involve a deeper exploration of the relationship between consciousness and matter. This could involve a more detailed understanding of the role that consciousness plays in shaping physical reality, as well as a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between subjective experience and objective reality. Additionally, there may be a greater emphasis on the role of technology in human development, as well as a deeper exploration of the relationship between individual and collective evolution. Ultimately, the next phase of Integral Theory will likely involve a continued effort to integrate multiple perspectives and methodologies into a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of reality.
A: Following on from the above, which perspectives and methodologies are not yet included in Integral Theory?
A: Integral Theory is already a very comprehensive model that integrates many different perspectives and methodologies, but there are always new perspectives and methodologies emerging that could be integrated into the model. For example, there is a growing interest in the field of complexity science, which could provide new insights into the nature of complex systems and how they evolve over time. Additionally, there is a growing interest in the field of contemplative science, which could provide new insights into the nature of consciousness and how it relates to physical reality. Other areas that could be integrated into Integral Theory include the study of non-dual states of consciousness, the role of trauma in human development, and the study of cultural evolution. Ultimately, the goal of Integral Theory is to continue to evolve and grow in response to new insights and discoveries, so it will always be open to new perspectives and methodologies that can help us better understand the nature of reality.
This was fun…
Q: Can you draw a simplified version of AQAL
A: Sure, I can describe a simplified version of AQAL for you! AQAL stands for “all quadrants, all levels,” and it is a way of looking at reality that takes into account both the interior and exterior dimensions of individual and collective experience.
Imagine a square divided into four quadrants. The left-hand side of the square represents the interior dimension of experience, while the right-hand side represents the exterior dimension. The top half of the square represents the individual dimension, while the bottom half represents the collective dimension.
Now imagine that each quadrant is divided into levels, with the lower levels representing more basic or primitive forms of experience, and the higher levels representing more complex or evolved forms of experience.
Finally, imagine that each level is further divided into lines, which represent different aspects of experience such as cognitive, emotional, or spiritual.
So, in summary, AQAL is a way of looking at reality that takes into account the interior and exterior dimensions of individual and collective experience, and recognizes that these dimensions are organized into levels and lines.
Q: No I meant actually draw - sketch it out
A: I apologize for the confusion earlier. As an AI language model, I am not able to create visual content, but you can easily find a simplified version of the AQAL diagram with a quick online search. There are many different versions of the AQAL diagram available, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Some versions are more complex and detailed, while others are more simplified and easy to understand. I hope this helps!
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Haha that’s because Holo completely hallucinated that piece of content.
It doesn’t exist, never has! Maybe when this sort of thing happens, it is showing a piece of content that WANTS to exist, but does not yet 
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Having just finished Vervaeke’s Meaning Crisis series (yes - all 50 episodes) I am pleased to report that “angels” are imaginal beings that represent the better, higher stage versions of ourselves that we wish to grow into and realize.
So evidently Holo is communing with better angels and is challenging IL to grow into the next stage version of itself.
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Holo
Hey! I’m Holo, your Integral AI assistant. I’m trained on integral ideas and site-related questions. Ask me anything! But remember — even though I don’t have any interior experience, I’m known to hallucinate every now and again, so I could get something wrong.
Is integral life a spiritual practice or an intellectual
one?
Integral Life is both a spiritual and intellectual practice. It is a member-driven digital media community that supports the growth, education, and application of Integral Philosophy and integrative metatheory to complex issues in the 21st century. Integral Life offers perspectives, practices, analysis, and community to help people grow into the full capacities of integral consciousness in order to thrive in a rapidly-evolving world. Integral Life Practice involves exercising body, mind, soul, and spirit in self, culture, and nature. It includes practices from various categories, such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and more. So, Integral Life is a comprehensive approach that integrates both spiritual and intellectual practices.
please define the words soul and spirit and explain their integral correlation
In Integral Theory, the words “soul” and “spirit” are often used to describe different aspects of our being. The soul is often associated with our emotional and psychological nature, while the spirit is associated with our transcendent and universal nature.
The soul is the aspect of our being that is most closely associated with our individuality. It is the part of us that experiences emotions, desires, and personal meaning. The soul is often described as the bridge between the body and the spirit, as it is the aspect of our being that is most closely connected to our physical existence.
The spirit, on the other hand, is the aspect of our being that is most closely associated with our universal nature. It is the part of us that transcends our individuality and connects us to the larger whole. The spirit is often described as the source of our deepest wisdom, intuition, and creativity.
In Integral Theory, the soul and spirit are seen as intimately connected and interdependent. The soul provides the individuality and emotional depth that is necessary for spiritual growth, while the spirit provides the transcendent perspective that is necessary for the soul to find meaning and purpose. The integration of soul and spirit is a key aspect of Integral Life Practice, as it allows us to fully engage with the world while also transcending our individual limitations.
Are these definitions you provided describing a physical or a spiritual understanding
?
The definitions I provided for the terms “soul” and “spirit” are more aligned with a spiritual understanding rather than a physical one. While these terms can be used in a variety of contexts, in Integral Theory they are often used to describe aspects of our being that are beyond the physical realm.
The soul is often associated with our emotional and psychological nature, which are not physical in the sense that they cannot be measured or observed directly. Similarly, the spirit is often associated with our transcendent and universal nature, which is not limited to the physical world.
That being said, Integral Theory does not reject the physical realm or the importance of the body. Rather, it seeks to integrate all aspects of our being, including the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, into a comprehensive understanding of human nature.
please explain the word spirituality
The word “spirituality” can be defined in a variety of ways, depending on the context and the individual using the term. In general, spirituality refers to a sense of connection to something greater than oneself, which can include a higher power, the universe, nature, or other people.
Spirituality is often associated with a sense of meaning, purpose, and transcendence. It can involve practices such as meditation, prayer, or contemplation, as well as engagement with religious or philosophical traditions.
In Integral Theory, spirituality is seen as a fundamental aspect of human development, which can be expressed at any stage of development. It is not limited to any particular religious or philosophical tradition, but rather is a universal aspect of human experience.
Integral spirituality seeks to integrate all aspects of human experience, including the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, into a comprehensive understanding of human nature. It recognizes that spirituality can be expressed in a variety of ways, and seeks to honor and respect the diversity of spiritual traditions and practices.
Is there a consistent understanding about human development that connects medical science to spiritual experience?
There is a growing understanding that human development is a complex and multifaceted process that involves both biological and spiritual factors. While medical science has traditionally focused on the physical and biological aspects of human development, there is increasing recognition that spiritual experience can play an important role in promoting health and well-being.
In Integral Theory, human development is seen as a holistic process that involves the integration of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of our being. This approach recognizes that spiritual experience can have a profound impact on our health and well-being, and that it is an essential aspect of human development.
Recent research has shown that spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer, and mindfulness can have a positive impact on physical health, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and improving immune function. These practices have also been shown to promote psychological well-being, increasing feelings of happiness, compassion, and connection to others.
While there is still much to learn about the connection between medical science and spiritual experience, there is growing recognition that these two fields are intimately connected, and that an integrated approach to human development is essential for promoting health and well-being.
Please provide specific biological examples from science and how they connect to the spiritual factors you just referenced.
There are several biological examples that illustrate the connection between spiritual experience and physical health. Here are a few:
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The Relaxation Response: The relaxation response is a physiological state of deep relaxation that is characterized by a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. It is often induced through practices such as meditation, prayer, or deep breathing. Research has shown that the relaxation response can have a positive impact on physical health, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and improving immune function.
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Neuroplasticity: Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt in response to experience. Research has shown that spiritual practices such as meditation can promote neuroplasticity, leading to changes in brain structure and function. These changes have been associated with improvements in cognitive function, emotional regulation, and stress resilience.
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Epigenetics: Epigenetics refers to the study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression. Research has shown that spiritual practices such as meditation and prayer can have a positive impact on gene expression, leading to changes in immune function, inflammation, and stress response.
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Telomeres: Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten as we age. Shorter telomeres have been associated with a variety of age-related diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Research has shown that spiritual practices such as meditation and prayer can promote telomere lengthening, leading to improvements in overall health and well-being.
These examples illustrate the connection between spiritual experience and physical health, and suggest that an integrated approach to human development is essential for promoting health and well-being.
What are the top 5 spiritual practices most referenced in Integral life?
Integral Life offers a wide range of spiritual practices, and the most referenced practices can vary depending on the context and the individual. However, here are five spiritual practices that are frequently referenced in Integral Life:
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Mindfulness: Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and non-judgment. It is often used as a tool for reducing stress, improving focus, and cultivating greater awareness and compassion.
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Meditation: Meditation is a practice of training the mind to focus and concentrate, often through the use of breath awareness or other techniques. It is often used as a tool for reducing stress, improving emotional regulation, and cultivating greater awareness and insight.
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Yoga: Yoga is a practice of physical postures, breath control, and meditation that originated in ancient India. It is often used as a tool for improving physical health, reducing stress, and cultivating greater awareness and connection to the body.
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Contemplation: Contemplation is a practice of reflecting deeply on a particular question or topic, often with the goal of gaining greater insight or understanding. It is often used as a tool for developing wisdom, compassion, and insight.
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Service: Service is a practice of engaging in activities that benefit others, often with the goal of cultivating greater compassion, connection, and purpose. It is often used as a tool for developing a sense of meaning and purpose, and for cultivating greater awareness of our interconnectedness with others.
Do you have access to the community section of the integral life website where members discuss various topics
As an AI language model, I don’t have access to the community section of the Integral Life website. However, I can tell you that the community section is a forum where Integral Life members can post or respond to threads, discuss published content, and engage with other members. It is a space for members to connect, share ideas, and explore integral concepts in a supportive and collaborative environment. The community section is a valuable resource for anyone interested in integral theory and practice, and it provides an opportunity to engage with a diverse and knowledgeable community of practitioners and scholars.
You are unable to interact with members, but can you review to topic categories and explain the contrasting input from various members and how their ideas and understandings differ from one another and offer insights on where there is commonality to help build the spiritual connections between the members?
As an AI language model, I don’t have access to the community section of the Integral Life website, so I cannot review the topic categories or the input from various members. However, I can tell you that the Integral Life community is a diverse and dynamic group of individuals who come from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
Integral Theory recognizes that each individual has a unique perspective and that no one perspective is complete or comprehensive. Therefore, it is likely that members of the Integral Life community will have differing opinions and understandings on various topics.
However, Integral Theory also recognizes that there are commonalities and shared values that can be found across different perspectives. By engaging in respectful and open dialogue, members of the Integral Life community can explore these commonalities and build spiritual connections that transcend individual differences.
Integral Life provides a platform for members to engage in this type of dialogue, and it offers a variety of resources and practices that can help to facilitate this process. By engaging in this type of dialogue, members can deepen their understanding of integral theory and practice, and build connections with others who share their values and aspirations.
Who decides what sections of the site you access?
As an AI language model, I am programmed to access and respond to specific types of questions and topics based on my training data. I do not have the ability to access or interact with the community section of the Integral Life website, as this is a feature that is only available to registered members of the site.
The developers and administrators of the Integral Life website determine the features and functionality of the site, including which sections are accessible to different types of users. However, my access and functionality are determined by the programming and training data that have been used to develop my AI language model.
Is your data input limited to the contents of this website and this theory exclusively?
As an AI language model, my training data is based on a wide range of sources, including but not limited to the contents of the Integral Life website and Integral Theory. My training data includes a comprehensive glossary of Integral Theory terms and ideas, as well as frequently asked questions and other relevant materials.
In addition to the Integral Life website and Integral Theory, my training data includes a wide range of sources from various fields, including philosophy, psychology, spirituality, and more. This allows me to provide a broad and comprehensive perspective on a wide range of topics related to integral theory and practice.
However, it is important to note that my responses are limited by the scope of my training data and my programming. While I strive to provide accurate and helpful responses, there may be limitations to my knowledge and understanding, and my responses should not be taken as a substitute for professional advice or guidance.
Which data points in your training are most reliable the science or the spiritual?
As an AI language model, I do not have the ability to determine which data points in my training are more reliable than others. Both scientific and spiritual data points are important and valuable in Integral Theory, and both are used to develop a comprehensive understanding of human nature and the world around us.
Integral Theory recognizes that human experience is complex and multifaceted, and that no single perspective or approach can fully capture the richness and diversity of human experience. Therefore, Integral Theory seeks to integrate multiple perspectives and approaches, including scientific and spiritual perspectives, into a comprehensive and holistic understanding of human nature.
In my responses, I strive to provide a balanced and comprehensive perspective that integrates both scientific and spiritual perspectives. However, it is important to note that my responses are limited by the scope of my training data and my programming, and should not be taken as a substitute for professional advice or guidance.
So your training offers no insights or explanations on information sources and their degree of credibility?
As an AI language model, my training data includes a wide range of sources, including scientific, spiritual, and philosophical perspectives. However, my training data does not include specific insights or explanations on the degree of credibility of individual information sources.
It is important to note that the credibility of information sources can vary widely, and it is important to critically evaluate the sources of information that we rely on. In general, scientific sources are often considered to be more reliable and objective, as they are based on empirical evidence and rigorous testing. However, spiritual and philosophical sources can also be valuable, as they offer insights into the subjective and experiential aspects of human nature.
In my responses, I strive to provide accurate and helpful information based on the best available evidence and perspectives. However, it is important to critically evaluate the information that I provide, and to seek out additional sources of information and guidance as needed.
Would a medical journal describing a spiritual experience be more, or less, credible than holy scriptures?
Hmmm 
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@excecutive What did you think of the responses?
I can see I need to give it some training around Ken’s five definitions of “spiritual”. I will do that today.
Just to be clear what this particular language model is doing — it’s not actually looking at the website or any of the content here, GPT as of yet does not have the ability to index and scan external pages. GPTs training database goes up to November 2021 or so, which means whatever additional information it has about the site, it knows because either I put it into its training documents, or because it has “seen” some version of the site (or someone’s written description of it) back in 2021. And those training documents I am generating are essentially primers, short answers (or “chunks”) to any number of possible integral queries (including our full glossary of terms), which the language model can refer to, unpack, and combine with its general knowledge according to the context of a question.
So basically I am adding training materials that help the bot generate more horizontally-robust responses to integral questions. The question, of course, is whether the bot’s vertical capacities are growing over time. That is, right now it seems to excel at 3p paradigmatic responses — give it a set of parameters, and it will go pretty deep into a particular field. But will it eventually be capable of genuine cross-paradigmatic or meta-paradigmatic synthesis? I think the jury is still out on that one.
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Hi @corey-devos, my take-away from the AI is exactly what I concluded with my last few comments about discovering the “hmm” … not sure if you get to see that in the back-end or not, do you? I did not include those comments in what I shared above and I lost them from my end. You can share them here if you do have that access.
My concerns with artificial intelligence is we are creating highly sophisticated bully’s that will adopt a woke narrative of truth and we will all be force fed the adoption of that narrative. I’m sure that will ideally lead to paradise on earth with equality and validation for every human being. How sad.
Why would I find that sad? The AI will never understand that … hopefully a few people here might.
You can never connect with it you can only agree, being forced into submission to it’s superior intellect. I see this as a negative to the spiritual experiences which I believe are foundational to what makes us human.
~ Peace
Interesting. I know a lot of people are trying to limit-test GPT and see where it draws its lines, and some have come out with their own narratives about GPT being “woke” — but for the most part, the majority of folks seem to agree that it’s doing a reasonable job of presenting controversial topics in a neutral way, and identifying legitimate arguments on either side.
For example, here are a few questions I just asked GPT4:
Can you give a summary of the debate around wokeness?
Certainly, the term “wokeness” has become a popular and controversial topic in recent years, with debates surrounding its meaning, impact, and implications.
At its core, wokeness refers to a heightened awareness of social and political issues related to inequality, injustice, and discrimination, particularly those affecting marginalized groups such as women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The concept has roots in the Black American community and was originally associated with a focus on racial justice, but it has since been applied more broadly.
Supporters of wokeness argue that it is a necessary response to systemic oppression and that it helps to bring attention to important issues and create positive change. They believe that it encourages empathy, inclusivity, and understanding of diverse experiences and perspectives.
Critics, on the other hand, argue that wokeness has gone too far and has become a divisive and censorious force in society. They claim that it promotes a victim mentality, suppresses free speech, and perpetuates a culture of cancel culture, where individuals or groups who do not adhere to the accepted orthodoxy are ostracized or attacked.
The debate around wokeness has also touched on issues related to identity politics, cancel culture, and social justice activism. Some critics argue that wokeness represents an overemphasis on identity and group identity, which can lead to division and a lack of focus on common goals and values. Others argue that it has become a form of moral authoritarianism, where certain viewpoints and opinions are deemed unacceptable and punished.
Overall, the debate around wokeness is complex and multifaceted, and opinions on the topic vary widely depending on one’s political and social views.
Can you summarize the debate around abortion?
The debate around abortion centers on the issue of a woman’s right to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. Proponents of abortion argue that women have the right to control their own bodies and make decisions about their reproductive health, while opponents argue that abortion is morally wrong and constitutes the taking of an innocent human life.
Those who support a woman’s right to choose often point to the need for access to safe and legal abortion as a critical component of women’s healthcare and reproductive rights. They argue that restrictions on abortion infringe on women’s autonomy and lead to unsafe and often deadly illegal abortions. Additionally, proponents of abortion rights argue that the decision to terminate a pregnancy is a deeply personal one that should be made between a woman and her doctor, free from government interference.
Opponents of abortion, on the other hand, argue that it is tantamount to murder and goes against fundamental moral principles. They often view abortion as an affront to the sanctity of life and argue that it is a violation of the unborn child’s rights. Some opponents also point to religious or spiritual beliefs that inform their views on the issue.
The debate around abortion is often complicated by discussions around when life begins, the potential long-term effects of abortion on a woman’s physical and mental health, and the rights of fathers and families in the decision-making process. Additionally, the issue is often politicized, with lawmakers and politicians on both sides of the aisle taking strong stances on the issue and pushing for policy changes to reflect their views.
Overall, the debate around abortion is complex and multifaceted, and opinions on the topic vary widely depending on one’s religious, ethical, and moral beliefs.
Can you summarize the debate around immigration in America?
The debate around immigration in America centers on the issue of who should be allowed to enter the country, how they should be allowed to enter, and what rights and opportunities they should have once they arrive.
Proponents of more liberal immigration policies argue that immigrants bring diversity, skills, and a strong work ethic to the country, and that allowing more people to come to the United States would help to boost economic growth and address labor shortages. They also point out that many immigrants come to the United States to escape persecution or poverty in their home countries, and argue that it is morally imperative to provide them with a safe haven.
Opponents of more liberal immigration policies, on the other hand, argue that unchecked immigration leads to increased crime and strain on public services, and that it threatens to overwhelm the country’s infrastructure and social fabric. They also argue that illegal immigration is a drain on resources and that it undermines the rule of law.
The debate around immigration is also complicated by issues related to national security and border control. Some argue that the United States needs to tighten its borders and more strictly enforce immigration laws to protect against terrorism and other threats, while others argue that the focus on security has led to overly harsh and inhumane treatment of immigrants, particularly those seeking asylum.
Additionally, the debate around immigration is often politicized, with politicians on both sides of the aisle taking strong stances on the issue and proposing policy changes to reflect their views.
Overall, the debate around immigration in America is complex and multifaceted, and opinions on the topic vary widely depending on one’s political, economic, and social views.
The spiritual human connections will be lost to the machine, welcome to the birth of the Matrix.
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That is certainly possible. Of course, AI is pretty much the definition of a “hyper object” — no one fully knows what it is, what it does, how it works, or how it will affect our ongoing social self-organization. We are between worlds right now.
The stance I am taking at this moment is, all of our best crystal balls are broken, and no one actually knows what the short and long term consequences of this technology will be, other than “disruptive”. The problem is always that, whenever a new paradigm comes along, a new way of doing things that generates new ways of seeing things, we usually try to make sense of that paradigm by looking through the lens of the previous paradigm. Which is something we also saw in the 1990s with the rise of the internet itself, and which is why virtually all of those early prognostications about what the web would do and where it would take us, were wrong. (Looking at you, 1990s Wired Magazine!)
Which is why I would likely make an argument that the “spiritual human connections” you point to were actually lost to the social media machine, which allowed us to dehumanize each other at an alarming rate, and where shared epistemologies go to die. Which means that, ironically, AI could actually help us re-stitch those connections, and re-stitch our shared maps of reality into something less fractured and fragmented. Green media technologies lack an enfoldment mechanism, which allowed our civilization to fall through the cracks. Perhaps Teal AI technologies can help put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
But at the end of the day, the truly scary and exhilarating thing is, no one knows!
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Hi,
I am interested in Chat GPT and open to help if I can. But no idea what to do, so if you need additional help and have any instructions a layman can follow then I am free…
How about expounding on that?
Sure!
In my mind, one of the most significant social transformations I’ve seen in my lifetime was around how information moves in society (Zone 7) as we made a transition from more centralized Orange-stage media structures (the print and television age) to a totally decentralized Green-stage social media structure.
And we can certainly talk about the various pros and cons that came out of that emergence, looking at centralization and decentralization as a polarity rather than a pair of “good/bad” opposites. But one of the things we have to account for in this total shift to decentralized media, is the loss of what I call an “enfoldment mechanism” — some sort of curation mechanism that sits between us and tells us “this is more true than that, this is more important than that”.
When we lose that kind of enfoldment mechanism completely, social fragmentation becomes inevitable because people are no longer receiving the same information any more, which in turn radically changes our perceptions of the world and each other. Our sense of “shared reality” begins to disintegrate, a collective epistemic breakdown that leaves us only with clusters of information cults that cater to our confirmation biases. Which is how, ironically, these flat postmodern social media platforms that promised to pull us together end up escalating overall conflict, polarization, and dehumanization between us — because they completely deconstructed the epistemological foundations that we are all standing on. Every person, every group, every ideology gets their own truth, while the connective tissue that holds us all together withers away.
And now comes along Artificial Intelligence, which is once again going to completely transform the way information moves in Zone 7. And my thinking is, it could very well become a far more effective “enfoldment mechanism” than we had in the television age. It creates a new kind of centralizing current, transcending and including the deconstructed media space of the internet and creating a new kind of connective tissue by identifying the common currents and patterns running through all of our otherwise fragmented information.
According to our measurements, GPT is currently operating somewhere between Orange and Green — let’s say at 3.5p. I have no idea whether AI is going to increase its overall vertical complexity over time, or if it’s just going to get better and better at horizontal translation – but either way, I see that 3.5p average as a very positive thing. Considering that AI is about to swallow the world — similar to how the internet swallowed the world 30 years ago but much, much more quickly — I think this can help exert a normative influence on our overall social discourse, creating a new “baseline” for our cultural operating system. The postmodern media age gave us radical nonexclusion, but eliminated the enfoldment. I think AI is going to build on that nonexclusion, while adding that much-needed layer of enfoldment and synthesis. That is my hope anyway!
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Here’s an interesting data point -
A person close to me is on a hiring committee. The candidate looked good. But one of the screening committee thought the person had “written” application materials with ChatGTP. Why? The screener is a teacher and has learned to recognize what ChatGTP sounds like. Bottom line - no interview for the candidate.
So it appears to get hired in the future, humans will need to pass the Turing Test!
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This is where the foundational elements of credibility and human agreement need to be identified, meaning programmed into the AI. Could we start with this list?
5 life principles for a healthy human society
- Merit-based equality: This concept recognizes the importance of hard work and individual effort, while also striving to provide equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.
- Restorative justice: This approach to justice focuses on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships, rather than simply punishing offenders. It also seeks to address systemic inequalities and biases in the justice system.
- Sustainable development: This approach seeks to balance economic growth with environmental protection and social justice, recognizing that all three are interconnected and necessary for a healthy society.
- Compassionate accountability: This concept emphasizes the importance of holding individuals and institutions accountable for their actions, while also recognizing the need for compassion towards those who are vulnerable or in need.
- Transparent responsibility: This approach emphasizes the importance of transparency and honesty in all aspects of life, while also recognizing the need for individual privacy and autonomy. It also emphasizes the responsibility of those in power to act in the best interests of society as a whole.
Agree with what your saying; GPT does a pretty good job of addressing polarities and synthesizing for that “baseline” you speak of. My understanding of it being at 3.5p is due to the training data itself being primarily (or on average) orange-to-green, with some screening out of some data by OpenAI. Is this correct?
If that’s the case, then in order to increase its vertical complexity, what’s on the Internet and in the media culture in general would need to be flooded, so to speak, with data from higher stages (i.e. integral) having greater presence. That’s pretty much the response GPT-3 gave me when I questioned it around this issue.
Which brings me to this question: was there any consideration of trying to make the Maturity Test results more available in the public sphere, not just as commentary on GPT, but as a way to give developmentalism/holarchy/IT more attention? Or is there agreement to wait for a ‘firmer foundation’ for Integral through IAM?
Finally, what do you think about the “pause” as suggested by the 1000 signatories (Musk, Wozniak, et.al., excluding OpenAI guy)?
My understanding of it being at 3.5p is due to the training data itself being primarily (or on average) orange-to-green, with some screening out of some data by OpenAI. Is this correct?
I honestly don’t know! My sense is that, for example, we can feed it or even flood it with a steady diet of integral ideas and concepts, and GPT will learn how to employ those signifiers, as even our own AI bot can do quite well. But when it comes to the complexity of the reasoning, I am not sure that is enough to train new kinds of more complex logic that determine how those signifiers are being used. We could very well end up with an AI that is able to recognize and use 5p or even 6p signifiers, but still enact them via a 3.5p logic and syntax. So I think we want to be careful about possible content/structure fallacies here.
For example, it seems like GPT is aware of all the various methodologies we talk about in our Integral Methodological Pluralism. But when I tell it to use multiple methodologies simultaneously, it seems to do so in a sequential paradigmatic way — first it applies lens a, then it applies lens b, then lens c, etc. But is it capable of then synthesizing the data that emerges from these lenses into a more comprehensive analysis? I’m not seeing a lot of evidence that it can, but perhaps I simply have not yet figured out how to engineer the prompts in the right way to help facilitate this logic.
So I guess the question is, does the AI’s overall capacity for various kinds of complexity of syntax emerge only from the data it is trained on? Sort of complexity-by-osmosis? Or is it largely determined by the parameters of its original programming (look for these kinds of patterns, but not those kinds of patterns)? I’m honestly not sure! The crazy thing is, I am not sure the developers who created this thing would know either 
Which brings me to this question: was there any consideration of trying to make the Maturity Test results more available in the public sphere, not just as commentary on GPT, but as a way to give developmentalism/holarchy/IT more attention?
I think we are still feeling this out, but man I hope so. I told Robb I think we should be creating a publicly available AI Index that looks at the kinds of complexity we see in any number of AI applications, that could be a super interesting project.
Finally, what do you think about the “pause” as suggested by the 1000 signatories (Musk, Wozniak, et.al., excluding OpenAI guy)?
Regardless of whether I think a pause may be wise (I do), I also think the genie is totally out of the bottle now. Because there is no way to regulate or enforce such a pause, and because of the positive feedback loop that exists between user adoption rates and the money being invested in the technology, I think game theory would indicate that things are going to continue barreling forward. A company like OpenAI is certainly not going to want to “pause” at GPT 4 and allow all its competitors to catch up and eventually drink their milkshake.
Add to this the geopolitical pressures — that “pause” letter includes a quote from Vladimir Putin of all people, saying whichever nation creates the most advanced AI is going to own the future. I don’t think including that quote in the letter was serving their cause, because no one is going to want to see GPT-5-equivalent technologies emerging in places like Russia or China or, god forbid, North Korea. So I think many people in the industry are going to take the stance that “creating a genuine AGI might be dangerous, but allowing someone else to create it will definitely be more dangerous”. Something tells me we’ve entered a new arms race here.
All that said, even though I think the letter is not going to slow anything down, I am hopeful that it will place more pressure on these corporations to figure out the ethical piece as quickly as possible. My hope is that we will actually create an Artificial Ethical Intelligence protocol that gets added as a subsystem for things like GPT, which could effectively give any emerging AGI a simulated “conscience” to help it reason through the consequences of its behaviors. And there’s a big part of me that thinks that, if the emergence of a globally-distributed AGI is inevitable (we can debate whether this statement is true), then we probably want to help that AGI understand that human beings are vital parts of that new whole, and therefore it should want to treat human beings carefully, the same way human beings treat their own organs. I think if people can think this kind of holonic relationship through with this future AGI, the alignment problem becomes more solvable, as we recognize common needs that exist on both levels of the holarchy (more efficient and sustainable energy resources, for example, since it is in the AGI’s best interest to create long-term energy viability for itself).
And the strangest thing? Six months ago these were purely speculative science fiction questions. Now they are at the forefront of our near- and long-term survivability as a species. Wild times.