Uniting Stoic Virtue and Materialist Realism in Incremental Advancements

The podcast I was listening to recently featured a question from Jimmy Carr that struck a chord with me: "What should you do today that you tomorrow would be happy you did?" This question resonates deeply, offering a significant opportunity to breed life-changing habits. While many are eagerly anticipating groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), Carr's query prompts reflection on whether we're actively contributing to the future we envision or merely waiting for a miracle akin to waiting for Godot.

Too often, the beauty of technological innovation tempts us to passively await revolutionary developments, akin to waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett's enigmatic character who never arrives. However, as Carr's question suggests, meaningful progress requires proactive engagement and deliberate action. Rather than passively waiting for a miraculous leap forward in AI, we must actively pursue incremental advancements that pave the way for transformative change.

The progression of artificial intelligence mirrors the incremental nature of mathematical advances, where each discovery builds upon prior knowledge. It fascinates me how Stoic philosophy and philosophical materialism inform this incremental approach to AI development, emphasizing the significance of balancing immediate actions with long-term goals.

Stoicism underscores the importance of focusing on the present moment and aligning actions with virtue. If you look at hardcore AI developers, they apply this principle by dedicating themselves fully to the task at hand, whether it be refining algorithms or enhancing data processing techniques. By exercising self-control and emphasizing ethical considerations in their immediate actions, developers lay the groundwork for future advancements in AI technology. As always, "ethical considerations" is a very controversial term to agree on; therefore, I believe there are more philosophical arguments rather than technical ones.

Philosophical materialism emphasizes the role of material conditions in shaping progress. In AI development, this translates to understanding and leveraging existing technological capabilities to drive incremental advancements. Just as mathematicians build upon established theorems and concepts, AI developers utilize current algorithms and frameworks as the foundation for innovation, ensuring that goals remain grounded in reality.

Advances in AI, like mathematical discoveries, occur incrementally. Each new algorithm, optimization technique, or data processing method represents a small step towards broader goals such as achieving general artificial intelligence. By embracing this incremental approach, developers acknowledge the complexity of the task at hand while recognizing the potential for continuous improvement over time.

Setting micro targets aligns with both Stoic and materialist principles, offering a practical strategy for AI development. These short-term objectives provide developers with clear milestones to work towards, fostering a sense of progress and accomplishment. By breaking down larger goals into manageable tasks, developers can maintain focus and momentum, ensuring that each day's work contributes meaningfully to the overarching objective.

The incremental nature of AI development mirrors the progressive advancements observed in mathematics. By embracing Stoic virtues of present action and ethical consideration, alongside the materialist perspective on grounding goals in reality, developers navigate the complexities of AI development effectively. Setting and achieving micro targets serves as a practical strategy for driving incremental progress, ensuring that each day's work contributes to the broader goals of advancing AI technology.

In essence, Carr's question challenges us to break free from the inertia of passive waiting and embrace the proactive pursuit of our goals. It reminds us that meaningful change is not the result of miracles or chance occurrences but the culmination of deliberate, purposeful action. In the realm of AI, where the possibilities are boundless, it's up to us to seize the present moment and shape a future that we'll be proud to inherit.