How does science predict and design the future? What awaits us and what will we be like? In the spring in Tver, scientists look into the future in order to scientifically evaluate it, predict it, and, if possible, correct it. This was the second time this happened at the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Science. Society. The Future”, which is organized by Tver State University.
The conference brought together scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences and leading universities in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Irkutsk, Tver, Surgut, as well as from Bulgaria and Belarus. “All Tver” talked about this event.
However, we wanted to present the topic more broadly. “All Tver” met with the initiator of the conference, its organizer, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of the Department of Philosophy and Theory of Culture of Tver State University Vyacheslav Voitsekhovich. Vyacheslav Emerikovich is also the chairman of the Tver branches of the Russian Society, the Russian Cultural Society, and the Tver Philosophical Club. We bring to your attention a conversation with him.
Science is building the future
– Vyacheslav Emerikovich, for starters: how did the idea of holding such a conference in Tver come about?
– Now is the time when science is building the future of both man and society; it is a leading factor in development and transformation. Moreover, in these processes it is the natural sciences that differ – mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology. This was predicted long ago by various philosophers and scientists. Vernadsky, for example, who, by the way, opened our Tver Teachers’ Institute before the coup in October 1917.
The idea of holding such a conference was born from a conversation with Georgiy Gennadievich Malinetsky, head of the department of mathematical modeling of nonlinear processes at the Institute of Applied Mathematics named after. M.V. Keldysh RAS, which is known for its work on synergetics, mathematical history, and design of the future. The importance of discussing such issues is obvious, but Georgy Gennadievich noted that in Moscow and St. Petersburg the intellectual elite is quite conservative about such topics. And we decided to do this on the basis of Tver State University, gathering prominent scientists. The main goal is to analyze the impact of scientific discoveries on society and on the development of science itself, including in Tver.
The slogan of the conference: “Science builds the future of man and society.” Not oil, money or decisions of politicians, intrigues, but the discoveries of scientists. Artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and space exploration are radically changing civilization and even man – his body and psyche.
– It’s nice, of course, to hear that Tver is more progressive than the capitals. As well as the fact that it is science that has the leadership in transforming the world. But the statement that human nature is undergoing fundamental changes under the influence of external factors is perceived as somehow alarming… Among the factors changing human nature, you name genetic engineering. How developed is it today?
– Treatment of a number of diseases is already carried out by changing the DNA and genome. Your liver is bad – they change the liver genome, and the new organ works well. And as a result, a person already has two DNAs – like a pregnant woman. Nanorobots have been developed, they are injected into a vein, they deliver drugs to the diseased organ, and only treat it, for example, they suppress cancer cells. Medicine has become knowledge-intensive: today the doctor does not look at the patient, but at pieces of paper – tests, and on the basis of them he prescribes procedures. Which are very complex and expensive, with advanced technology and chemistry. And in 10 years, operations will be performed by robots without the supervision of a doctor.
“However, it can be difficult to fit a person and his illness into ready-made algorithms. A good diagnostician who sees a specific person is always valuable. And here the topic of natural and artificial intelligence arises. Very fashionable now. Vyacheslav Emerikovich, at the conference much attention was paid to AI. Tell me, does he serve humanity or threaten it?
– This phenomenon exists, and it should not be rejected, but accepted and studied. Artificial intelligence, as I said, greatly influences our lives. It is already displacing people from transport, trade, manufacturing, accounting, military affairs, medicine and many professions. Several years ago, I myself saw in Moscow how trolleybuses and buses without a driver were driving along the Garden Ring. There are sad statistics in recent years: driverless vehicles have already killed twenty people due to pedestrian errors and defects in the computer itself. But when a person is driving, accidents also happen. Or, for example, in trade: I was in Germany in stores where there were no salespeople at all. In production, more and more people are being replaced by machines that do an excellent job with monotonous work. The employee is left to maintain these machines. Accountants are busy adapting to the program.
And as a result, within 20-30 years, 80% of the adult population may lose their jobs. This is a big problem.
– This is the forecast. What do we do? Move over and give way to the cars?
– I want to emphasize that artificial intelligence is replacing humans, but in the simplest professions. However, there are boundaries beyond which AI cannot go, beyond which humans are stronger. This is creativity, the creation of something that did not exist: in science, art, education, management…
Neural networks are a type of artificial intelligence; now they also write music, draw, and help scientists. Their paintings may be bought, but art connoisseurs are indifferent to them. Because there is a lack of novelty in them. The machine only repeats, simplifies. She has no intuition, imagination, fantasy, madness, unpredictability. It is limited by the algorithm and data provided by the programmer. And therefore the “works of art” they created are boring.
– There are many science fiction films in which artificial intelligence gets out of control and begins to develop. And then – expect trouble.
– I believe that arguments that artificial intelligence will displace and kill human intelligence are not justified. Although, over time, I think they will create a new biospecies – which we do not yet have on planet Earth. But a person will always bypass it due to his imagination.
“It’s just with imagination that we’re not doing well right now.” Because they give us a finished visual product. Children from the cradle watch the flashing pictures – everything was invented for them, there is no need to strain.
– I tell students that informatization leads to degradation. As an example, immersing children in games, constantly consuming clips. This weakens the imagination. When a person reads, he follows the author and creates his own images. And when a ready-made vision is imposed on him, creativity is weakened. And we need to support them. To compete with artificial intelligence, we must study more and longer, master complex professions.
– It’s a paradox – artificial intelligence should seem to make our lives easier, but on the contrary, it poses even more complex tasks.
– Yes, and the human race must reach a new level. It is necessary to take not by quantity, but by quality. And competently manage artificial intelligence and scientific achievements. It is better to do this if there is a united humanity. It was predicted by many philosophers, including Kant, whose 300th anniversary is celebrated this year, Marxists, Hegel, Solovyov, and others. Globalization, there is no escape from it.
– What about national identity? Polyphony of the world?
– National identity is preserved, but is being crowded. This is inevitable due to the growth of humankind and the development of science and technology. Transport will become increasingly accessible and cheap, the transfer of information is practically free. Economic development leads to overproduction. Already today, the production of basic goods: food, clothing, shoes, houses, cars is becoming cheaper. Stores could give them away for free.
– I’ve already heard somewhere – everyone doesn’t need money according to their needs. But I haven’t seen it yet.
– And this is happening. For example, in the United States of America, poor people periodically smash and rob stores. Do capitalists suffer as a result? Absolutely not. This is practically a free distribution of goods.
– In your opinion, is communism ahead again for united humanity? What awaits us ahead from a scientific point of view?
– Global problems and their management were discussed in the speech of Doctor of Technical Sciences Sergei Yuryevich Malkov (M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University) “The science of society in the 21st century: problems and prospects.” Today is a very contradictory period, when there is a struggle between the old and the new, not only in the sense of the relationship between science and technology, but also between the Western and Eastern blocs. In international relations, the main method of control by the West has become “color” revolutions. We are witnessing the processes of the weakening of society in weak countries, the seizure of power by a pro-Western group of people who studied in the United States, and the establishment of military bases. This happened in Georgia, the Baltic states, Ukraine, and now in Armenia. But it didn’t work in Belarus. Western forces are pushing the project of the golden billion (the elite billion live well, the rest serve them) and a new feudalism with complete control of the individual.
According to the forecasts of our Russian mathematicians, globalists and philosophers, we are moving from capitalism, from the love of money, the production of material goods to a new Middle Ages in its best manifestation. Bourgeois civilization is ending, a more spiritual one is approaching – an era of restrictions and asceticism, spiritual development. This will happen after a period of disasters (financial, environmental, man-made, military) into which we have entered.
– How long can the period of disasters last?
“It started around the fall of the Twin Towers in New York and will last until the 60s. Every civilization ends in disaster. After the Middle Ages, it took two centuries of cholera to “clean” the territory from the traditions of the previous civilization.
The chaos of today will end with the weakening of the United States and the West, the strengthening of China, Russia, India, and their allies. As a result, a triarchy will emerge: China, USA, Russia.
– And a new civilization will appear?
– Yes, as I already said, a society free from the love of money is more spiritual. New values will be formed. Probably, a new science will appear – “science-art”. Some of our predecessors were already close to this: Leonardo da Vinci, Vernadsky.
A person will mainly realize himself in creativity (this means not only artists and musicians, but also scientists and engineers). This means that we need to develop more education, upbringing, and obtaining highly qualified professions. We must educate a society of creators, not mindless consumers, as we do now. Machines will be nearby, but it is humanity that will be the guardian of such important spiritual categories as conscience, beauty, harmony, love, faith.
– There is an opinion that the main engine of science forward is war. What do you think?
– This is true to some extent, because science creates new knowledge, new tools for influencing the surrounding reality. And almost any tool can be used for good or evil. Here, Agatha Christie has a detective story called “The Alphabet Murders.” The harmless order of letters has become a dangerous weapon. But for the most part, science, of course, leads to the Light, helps to ultimately reduce the cruelty and aggressiveness of man and society. And moreover, science is already a global phenomenon that brings together very different countries, sometimes in opposition to politicians.
– It is clear that we touched upon only a small part of the questions raised at the conference at Tver State University. Will there be a document based on its results that will record the main points and perhaps suggest how we should face the future?
– Yes, the participants of our conference formulated proposals that will be submitted to the authorities. We need a scientific council under the governor, mayor (there is something similar at the federal level), which will contribute to the “scientificization” of society, strengthen control, prevent negative consequences from ill-considered actions of the authorities, give a forecast of risk points – civil unrest, riots, earthquakes, floods… To not to live by the principle: maybe it will blow away, and to face disasters completely unprepared.
– Vyacheslav Emerikovich, thank you for the conversation in which you highlighted such global issues. With your help, it’s like I was in a science fiction film. To be honest, not everything there was to my liking, but there are reasons for optimism, which is important. Good luck to you, your colleagues and students, and science in general. A humane future for all of us.
Interviewed by Tatiana Ivanchenko, photo: TvSU and neural network
Tags: era disasters spiritual civilization opposition artificial intelligence discussed scientists Tver
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