Tag: philosophy

AI Perspective at Age 105

Airplane view of Mt. Rainier

Looking back, what truly matters is the effort you make to cultivate yourself,” says Korean centenarian philosopher, Kim hyung-seuk. “Life is about nurturing yourself, about allowing the heart to grow.”

Kim possesses long-distance viewing, having grown up in North Pyongan Province, attending the same elementary school as Kim il-sung, North Korea’s founder. He ate breakfast at the future founder’s home after liberation from Japanese colonial rule but left the North in 1947. He is emeritus professor of philosophy at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea. He continues a writing career which includes giving lectures.

Ginness World Records deemed Kim hyung-seuk the world’s oldest male author after he published 100 Years of Wisdom at age 103. When his publisher alerted him that 30-year-old individuals found the book useful, Kim wrote his next book to “make sure there were things young people might find meaningful!” At age 105 he published Kim hyung-seuk, A Century’s Legacy. His abiding advice, good for every age, is “…[to] stay young at heart, to hold a sound faith and to live without despair.”

I find his advice on AI compelling. Kim believes that AI is helpful in natural sciences or engineering where a question has one correct answer. In social sciences he sees AI as a tool with considerations that a question can have several answers. However in arts and humanities, Kim affirms that there is never a single right answer. Furthermore, Kim advocates that humanity must preserve truth from falsehood and be capable of discerning good from evil through one’s conscience. He emphasizes that humans are the masters of AI. Kim supports ethical technology. My question is who monitors AI to ensure that such values are upheld?

As for longevity, Kim recalls his frail childhood when his mother questioned if he would even live to his 20’s. He attributes his good fortune in a long-distance life to his mindset. I view him as a noble example of someone with a growth mindset rather than possessing a fixed mindset where change is not welcomed. AI is about change. After experiencing many kinds of changed societies, Kim concludes that societies embracing freedom have longevity.

Kim offers the wisdom that reading and working help maintain youthfulness. Say yes to embracing lifelong learning! Kim’s belief is that a person “grows old” only when they start thinking that they are “old.” It reminds me of how often I hear someone say, “I’m old,” as if that statement might excuse some behavior. Kim refers to 7 people he knows who are 100+ like him. He reports that they have 2 things in common: they do not speak ill of others and they do not lose their temper. They live as peacefully as possible.

We circle back to values and ethical guideposts. If AI rolls out misinformation (deepfakes) or even half-truths, we must make the whole mountain of an issue transparent.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

462. What are your 2 ingredients for longevity?

463. How do you view using AI personally?  

Beauty in Character

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, although every month needs to have perennial awareness of bodymind health. The ancient words attributed to Chinese philosopher Confucius or K’ung Fu-tzu (551 BCE-479 BCE) reflect how important mentally healthy families are to a peaceful planet: “If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nations. When there is order in the nations, there will be peace in the world.” 

While we do not have any accurate accounting of the childhood or family life of Confucius, there is undisputed history about China being in a time of ideological crisis then. The Zhou Empire had held ruling power for a 500-year span, but feuding hereditary families began eroding a sense of Chinese traditions. Some elite regional rulers lost track of a concept of beauty in the greater good. They became competitive with their dynasty ruler for  wealth and women.

Diminished moral principles were the impetus for Confucius’ ideas. He spoke with a systemic view of his beloved country’s leadership. Confucius taught that a leader must lead by positive example – teaching virtue, living with integrity, exercising self-discipline, remaining humble, and treating people with compassion. Confucius believed that mutual moral obligations were a country’s unifying force. His teachings promoted learning virtue so that a leader’s subjects would follow lawful living. This plan-ahead approach is as true for effective parenting as for wise politics.    

While Confucius died believing that his philosophy had not reached people in any significant way, his teachings prevailed, becoming the recognized official philosophy of China for a time. He had attracted a motley crew of disciples — aristocrats, merchants, farmers, artisans, and criminals. Some Chinese still follow Confucianism, as well as some folks in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Confucianism is not an organized religion, but rather a guiding discipline for “beauty” in one’s character (ethical behavior). Treating others well is a mainstay in mental wellness. Confucius and his followers promoted love for humanity, ancestor worship, respect for elders (seasoned citizens in my words), self-discipline and compassion. Loving others while possessing self-discipline (ren) is summarized by his rendition of the “Golden Rule” — “What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.” (Lunyu or The Analects of Confucius, 12.2, 6.30).

This familiar teaching is part of every world religion. It is repeated multiple times in the Analects. The beauty-in-character message does not imply easy solutions. Another impact saying attributed to Confucius involves how to teach (or parent) another: A teacher only “...points out one corner of a square;” their mentee must “…come back with the other three.” (Analects, 7.8).

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

393. What are the 3 top virtues that you choose to live by?

394. How do you believe we might reinforce beauty-in-character lessons for today’s children?