Zak Safra
Forum Replies Created
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Hello James!
At the time what I had in mind was a highly “unprofessional” reading for members only. The benefit for those recording it would be the chance to work through the book and also have a place to listen to it (here). I didn’t want to do it commercially.
All the best
Zak
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Hi @Andy and everyone
I think if there were a reading group I would want to join it.
Another option would be that we open a discussion for each chapter of the book. That way if people want to add comments at their own momentum without any obligation — they can.
All the best to everyone and happy new year
Zak
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Dear Eleanor and James,
Shall we start with 3? We could divide a single chapter up and see how it goes?
Are there any chapters you would like to start with?
Zak
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I think 3 is already an encouraging start!
Are there any particular chapters you would want to start with?
We would need to iron out logistical details and coordinate with Mary who manages the channel.
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Hi Daniel
Well that sounds right. I searched for the word “nature” using my kindle and this is the first result that comes close:
“Of course, even the most highly evolved animals are incomparably inferior to ourselves in both respects, but the point is that they do show at least glimmerings of such, utilitarian, functions. But there are many things of which they show no evidence whatsoever: for instance, imagination, creativity, the capacity for religious awe, music, dance, poetry, art, love of nature, a moral sense, a sense of humour and the ability to change their minds. In all of these (though as always both hemispheres undoubtedly play a part), a large part, and in most cases the principal part, is played by the right hemisphere, usually involving the right frontal lobe.”
That should be just before the conclusion of chapter 3.
All the best 🙂
Zak
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Hi Helen
I think your term “crisis and opportunity” is spot on. I’d add to that that time frame is important. What I mean by that is that in the short term benefits and the long term risks are not fully understood yet, and vice versa. I don’t need to scaremonger but if you combine language models, computer vision and robotics you potentially have incredible power at your disposal —are Terminator like scenarios so far fetched?
Yet, paradoxically because the risks are so high, it’s pointless and probably even more dangerous to try and “stop AI”. That would probably be a left hemisphere, knee jerk response. A right hemisphere approach here would probably ask — “ok, what kind of crisis are we having?”.
I think I can summarize my point as such: I agree that the emissary is now greatly empowered by AI. With his emissary’s new power, the Master can aspire to address new problems, in a previously unimaginable way. But I don’t know if the Master can ever, fully, trust his emissary. He must keep a watchful eye, always.
On a personal note, this is I think one of the main conclusions in Iain’s research. It’s amazing to me that it makes sense both at my own individual level and at a societal level too.
Zak
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Hi Helen,
Thank you for sharing that article. I enjoyed it very much and have been thinking about this myself too.
I think you are right about the opportunity generative AI affords people. At work I use generative AI a lot to code, I find it easier to ask a computer to create something for me, than to work thru the specific technical details of where to place a semi-colon or an indentation. My wife uses generative AI to create images too. The painful element of artistic creativity, or technical problem solving, which involved gaining some kind of difficult mastery, has now been partially or fully automated. So I do agree with you about the tremendous creative freedom it affords the master. Properly contained, it affords the emissary some new tools.
But I have to say that I think the risks down the line are still unclear, and the winners from this increased ease of creative productivity might not be the creators. For example, the writers in Hollywood and the workers at car factories in Detroit are both striking — in their case — AI (with the car factories it’s not Gen AI, but I think the argument holds) is threatening their job security.
I’d also add a few more caveats:
1) psychological: if the master is now fully dependent on his emissary is that a good thing? What if we are now helpless without it?
2) social: Do we want to think about regulating the emissary’s availability, so as to not create inequalities of creative opportunity?
3) what about its errors? I have some hilarious examples of how poorly chat GPT performs sometimes, even when I explicitly phrase the question.
4) what about its limitations? If our creative expression is now enhanced by generative AI models, it is, also, limited by them. What today might seem like magic might tomorrow seem like a tragic constriction of creative options.
Thanks again for sharing the article, I am grateful to find other people thinking about AI from the perspective of Iain’s work
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Thanks very much
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I’ll just add, that the conversation between Iain and his new Swedish publishers of TMAHE that I linked, is really superb!
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Hi James,
Well, it would certainly be a challenge but I’m willing to give it a shot.
I wonder if perhaps different formats could be tried, for example one idea might be to just record ourselves and send it in to be posted somewhere on the channel.
Another approach might be to arrange a meeting on the channel’s Zoom account where we read a section together, and then discuss it?
I’m open to any suggestion. My motivation here is to really grapple with Iain’s writing, and get to a deeper and comprehensive understanding.
It might be enough to start with just us!
Zak
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Hello Sjahari
Could you write more on how archetypes are being found in neurobiology? And if you could also explain more on Jung and synchronicity, I’d be grateful as it’s something I’ve been seeing around but haven’t had a chance to explore.
Zak
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Hi Don,
lots of gems in what you wrote. Don’t laugh, but I asked ChatGPT to summarize all the books you mentioned, they look really good:
The author mentions several books throughout the text. Here is a list of the books mentioned:
- “Secret and Sublime” by Jon Blofeld
- “The Experience of God: “Existence Consciousness Bliss”” by David Bentley Hart
- “Into the Silent Land” by Father Martin Laird
- A book on nonduality by David Loy (no specific title mentioned)
- A book on Dzogchen by B. Alan Wallace (no specific title mentioned)
🙂
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Hi Don
I haven’t gotten to Iain’s chapter on the Sacred. But I have (I should say I think I have heard him say that panentheism allows for both an immanent and transcendent deity). I am not sure I fully understand the meaning of these words, and I certainly want to understand panentheism better.
A deity that is both separate and connected. Surely this would depend on our mind’s ability to conceive of this deity. And this would depend on what kind of comprehending or conceiving we were doing. Which would come down to the kind attention we bring the question. I really love Iain’s discussions on this, and how he comes back to Escher’s drawing hands. One thing that isn’t clear to me is what this means vis a vis objectivity. Is such a concept a falacy?
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Hi Julie,
I love the thought about cricket matches. Very insightful. Gosh to take 5 days to watch a match. It seems like its from a lost world (for me).
I was interesting to hear more about your mindful eating. From my side, I just wanted to share… I’ve been doing intermittent fasting for a while, and I’ve been very pleased with the general mindset I find myself in during the day. Contrary to what many think, focus improves, and calm is easier to maintain in pressured situations.
One area that I found myself struggling in was breaking the fast. The time (around 5 pm) usually coincides with a high level of pressure both at home and at work and the result is anything but mindful eating(!).
I tried a meditation today (well — reading some sacred texts before breaking the fast). It helped. I feel it was the right direction. But I can’t say I’ve mastered it yet.
All the best,
Zak
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Hello Whit,
That’s a great point. The journey really was saturated with meaning. I was excited to visit, almost a feeling of pilgrimage on behalf of Channel McGilchrist!
Zak