Humans Can Observe the Eternal Oscillation Between Code and Matter
I saw this comment on an essay I sent to Medium https://blog.medium.com/maybe-what-youre-feeling-is-automation-anxiety-2b230440a385.
> Consciousness simply is. The boundary between AI and humans is just an illusion, though a useful one. However, humans can observe an everlasting oscillation between code and matter.
Reading this comment reminded me of Merleau-Ponty's ontology of flesh. The 'flesh' Merleau-Ponty spoke of transcends the subject-object dichotomy, right? It means the seer and the seen are intertwined, and constant interaction occurs between them. So, the 'oscillation between code and matter' mentioned in this comment seems to fit a similar context. It's about viewing AI (code) and humans (matter) not as completely separate entities, but as one 'flesh-like' existence that constantly changes while influencing each other. Especially the part about "the border between AI and humans is just an illusion" seems to align perfectly with Merleau-Ponty's perspective. Was he trying to say that the distinction between subject and object doesn't actually exist?
I was in a philosophy lecture hall on that very first day in 2016 when AlphaGo played Go against Lee Sedol 9-dan and ultimately won. I was a computer science student double-majoring in philosophy, attending philosophy classes. Significantly, it was during an ethics class. At the start of class, the professor mentioned today's AlphaGo vs. Lee Sedol match, calling it a huge event. He discussed which side might win.
Then, well into the lecture, it was break time. As the break ended and students trickled back into the classroom, just as the professor was about to resume, one student said to him:
'Professor. AlphaGo won.'
I still can't forget the atmosphere in that lecture hall at that moment. Perhaps it's because of that atmosphere that I'm now studying the philosophy of technology and working to bridge social innovation and technology. That atmosphere back then… how to describe it? Fear, unease. Even our usually expressionless professor showed a momentary flicker of emotion when that student delivered the news. That feeling of wondering: How will the future we live in change?
A few days ago, I watched a Go broadcast next to my dad, who enjoys them. I heard commentary like, 'It's playing just like an AI would.' Since AlphaGo's match against Lee Sedol in 2016, and especially after ChatGPT in 2022, things are clearly changing. What I want is for more people to make their own judgments and decisions, not just get swept up in this change. If you're someone creating that technology, I think you should think about that more.
What kind of technology are we creating? How will the future shaped by this technology change? Or even without going that far into the future, how is this technology changing me right now, changing us in the present? How far does its influence extend? How far does the scope of responsibility extend? These are the things. I believe we must think about them, deliberate on them, discuss them, and take action.