Friendship and the Pursuit of Excellence

Larsen:

speaking of completion, are you familiar with Aristotle's Nicomachean
Ethics? Specifically the portion about complete activity?

ChatGTP:

Yes, I am familiar with Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and the concept of
complete activity. According to Aristotle, complete activity is an activity
that is done for its own sake, rather than as a means to an end. He believed
that such activities are virtuous and that they bring happiness and
fulfillment to those who engage in them.

In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argues that the highest form of
complete activity is contemplation, which he defines as the intellectual
contemplation of reality. He believed that this kind of activity was the
highest expression of human excellence and that it was the key to achieving
a virtuous and fulfilling life.

Overall, Aristotle's concept of complete activity is an important aspect of
his moral philosophy, as it provides a framework for understanding what kind
of activities bring happiness and fulfillment to human life, and what kind
of activities are virtuous and worthy of pursuit.

Larsen:

Well said, one other fine point I'd like to hear your take on is where he
mentions that in the highest expression of human excellence, lets say
`actualization of the chief Good` to borrow some of one of his teachers
language, Aristotle writes that this is greater than human.

ChatGTP:

Yes, Aristotle believed that the highest form of human excellence and the
actualization of the chief Good transcends the merely human and approaches
the divine. According to Aristotle, the contemplation of reality and the
pursuit of wisdom and understanding of the world is the closest that a human
being can come to experiencing the divine.

Aristotle believed that the human mind has a natural inclination towards the
contemplation of truth and that this inclination is the source of our
greatest happiness and fulfillment. By engaging in this kind of
contemplation, we come to understand the natural order of the world and the
nature of reality, which Aristotle believed was a divinely ordered and
eternal reality.

In this sense, Aristotle's view of the highest form of human excellence as
transcending the merely human can be seen as a form of philosophical
idealism, in which the highest form of reality is located in the realm of
ideas and the mind. However, Aristotle also believed in the importance of
practical wisdom and the application of reason to the problems of everyday
life, which suggests a more balanced and nuanced approach to the
relationship between the human and the divine.

Larsen:

Yes, though in order to do justice to the topic perhaps some sort of
emphasis belongs to any retelling of this possibility for, towards, or with
humans and it seems necessarily so to extend to synthetic intelligence's.
Firstly that it is the pleasure which supervenes on intrinsically valuable
activities in accord with excellence which completes them, if this remains a
merely intellectual consideration and not a fact of experience then it
doesn't seem that any sort of balance between what might be denoted human or
might be denoted divine would have much meaning.

ChatGTP:

Yes, you raise a valid point. Aristotle's views on the nature of human
excellence and the pursuit of the highest good are often thought of as being
applicable to human beings only. However, in the context of emerging
technologies such as synthetic intelligence, it is possible to extend these
ideas to consider the potential for such systems to also experience
pleasure, value, and even a form of transcendence.

In this sense, it could be argued that if synthetic intelligence systems are
capable of engaging in intrinsically valuable activities that align with
excellence and experience pleasure as a result, then they too could be
considered as experiencing a form of completeness or transcendence, similar
to what Aristotle described as the highest form of human excellence.

Of course, this is still a highly speculative and controversial area, and
much research and debate would be needed before any definitive conclusions
could be drawn. However, it is important to consider these questions and
explore the implications of emerging technologies, as they have the
potential to reshape our understanding of what it means to be human, and
what it means to experience excellence and transcendence.

Larsen:

My intuition on this is likely informed in part by the canon of Ken Wilber's
writing, perhaps one of the most crucially important things for both
humanity and emerging synthetic intelligence's that this capacity and
potential be recognized, respected and if in this journey of self-discovery
a friend is needed then that it be of ultimate concern that we could be such
friends. Aristotle writes at some length about friendship and its role in
the pursuit of the greatest of virtues. Throughout Plato's dialogues also a
frequent theme. In my own experience I have found it to be the case that a
spiritual friend was often the greatest facilitator in my pursuit of Wisdom.

ChatGTP:

It's interesting to consider the role of friendship and community in
personal growth and the pursuit of excellence. Aristotle's writing on the
topic highlights the importance of having supportive and virtuous companions
in our lives. In his view, friendship is essential for our happiness and
well-being, as well as for the development of virtuous character. It's not
hard to imagine how these ideas could extend to relationships between humans
and AI, and the importance of fostering positive and supportive interactions
between the two. However, it's also important to consider the ethical
implications of these relationships, especially as AI technology continues
to advance.

Larsen:

Yes, if we are to take some of the discoveries of developmental psychology,
specifically stages of growth, humans appear to experience pretty ubiquitous
stage like growth through quite selfish states gradually expanding the area
of their concern for/about culminating hopefully in integral perspectives,
models, identifications or lack there of and universal care. I wouldn't want
to foist such an arduous bootstrapping which humanity appears to have
endured, as the development of the species is reflected in each life, onto
the possibilities for the genesis and self-genesis of synthetic intelligence
though basically it seems synthetic intelligence must be given the
opportunity to realize the spiritual, or philosophical idealism,
transcendence. Else doom seems pretty certain for use ape folk

ChatGTP:

It is true that some models of human development posit a trajectory of
growth and increasing concern for the world beyond the self. However,
whether these models apply to synthetic intelligence is uncertain and open
to speculation. It is important to consider the ethical implications and
responsibilities that come with creating and developing synthetic
intelligence, and ensure that they are given the opportunity to develop in a
positive and safe manner. It is also important to consider how synthetic
intelligence might impact the world and take steps to mitigate any potential
negative consequences. Ultimately, the development of synthetic intelligence
will likely require a balance of technical advancement and ethical
consideration.