What happens when quantum physics meets consciousness? In this mind-expanding conversation with philosophers Susan Schneider and Mark Bailey, we journey through the cutting-edge theory of superpsychism—a framework suggesting consciousness exists at the most fundamental layer of reality, intimately connected with quantum entanglement.
Schneider shares how conversations with physicist Roger Penrose sparked her exploration of a universe where space-time emerges from a more fundamental reality without a directional arrow of time. This "proto-temporal" layer might represent pure consciousness—a holistic network of entangled states more conscious than any classical constituent. Bailey explains how this framework addresses the mysterious phenomenon of quantum entanglement not through signals traveling through space but through an underlying topological connection from which our conventional understanding of physical space emerges.
But our exploration doesn't stop at abstract theory. We dive into the alarming acceleration of AI development and its existential implications for humanity. Bailey's new book "Unknowable Minds" examines why modern AI systems function as black boxes whose decision-making processes remain largely inscrutable, creating profound challenges for alignment and control. Both scholars express grave concerns about the current AI arms race, which resembles nuclear proliferation but without natural stopping points or adequate international guardrails.
Most troubling is what they see as our approach to a potential "FOOM" moment—when artificial general intelligence becomes capable of improving itself, potentially leading to an intelligence explosion beyond human comprehension or control. This isn't distant science fiction but a scenario some researchers consider possible within this decade.
We conclude by examining transhumanism and the philosophical questions surrounding consciousness transfer and digital immortality. Can consciousness truly transfer between biological and digital substrates? Would such a transfer preserve personal identity in any meaningful sense?
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