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Philosophy professor David Skrbina edited Ted “the Unabomber” Kaczynski’s book Technological Slavery which I finally got around to reading. Dr. Skrbina is also, along with 9/11 truth superstar David Ray Griffin, one of the world’s leading experts on panpsychism, which holds that everything in the universe has at least a degree of consciousness.
If things have consciousness, does that mean that when computers become vastly more intelligent than people, they will also have enough consciousness to decide to dispense with us? That is one of the many horrors of technology that Kaczynsky warns against. (For details on why this may be the single biggest threat to humanity and life on earth, see Bill Joy’s “Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us.”)
Ted Kaczynski advocates a revolution against technology. He thinks the ever-increasing downside of technological “progress” so grossly outweighs the benefits that we would be better off bringing the whole system down as quickly as possible—which would cause millions if not billions of deaths—rather than passively await the total destruction of humanity and, quite possibly, life on earth.
Even if Kaczynski’s right, which is not entirely implausible, how could such a revolutionary project possibly be “sold” to enough people to give it legs? It’s just too bleak, too pessimistic. Even 9/11 truth is far too dark for most folks to really sink their teeth into.
I think a conscious rejection of the technological system would require a mass spiritual awakening. Calling Jesus and the Mahdi! Come in, Jesus and Mahdi! It’s getting late!
There is strong indication in the Quran that All The Creation of Allah has some kind of consciousness :
Quran [017:44] : Surah Al-Isra, Verse 44:
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا
“The seven heavens extol His limitless glory, and the earth, and all that they contain; and there is not a single thing but extols His limitless glory and praise: but you [O men] fail to grasp the manner of their glorifying Him! Verily, He is forbearing, much-forgiving!” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)
Quran [036:065] : “On that Day We shall set a seal on their mouths but their hands will speak unto Us, and their feet will bear witness to whatever they have earned [in life].” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)
As for machines assembled by man, to satisfy his ugly hungry ego and to satisfy his urge to control and destroy, their consciousness will be manifest only if and when Allah Allows it (since they are made from the raw material that Allah Has Created). It is not because man is so smart and powerful that he created conscious machines. That is just the fantasies of those in love with sci-fi scenarios and in the business of unrestrained speculations and book-selling. Indeed, there is a very large market made of slaves addicted to servitude and addicted to looking the other way, in love with sci-fi and fantasy to distract themselves.
There is strong indication in the Quran that All The Creation of Allah has some kind of consciousness :
Quran [017:44] : Surah Al-Isra, Verse 44:
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا
“The seven heavens extol His limitless glory, and the earth, and all that they contain; and there is not a single thing but extols His limitless glory and praise: but you [O men] fail to grasp the manner of their glorifying Him! Verily, He is forbearing, much-forgiving!” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)
Quran [036:065] : “On that Day We shall set a seal on their mouths but their hands will speak unto Us, and their feet will bear witness to whatever they have earned [in life].” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)
As for machines assembled by man, to satisfy his ugly hungry ego and to satisfy his urge to control and destroy, their consciousness will be manifest only if and when Allah Allows it (since they are made from the raw material that Allah Has Created). It is not because man is so smart and powerful that he created conscious machines. That is just the fantasies of those in love with sci-fi scenarios and in the business of unrestrained speculations and book-selling. Indeed, there is a very large market made of slaves addicted to servitude and addicted to looking the other way, in love with sci-fi and fantasy to distract themselves.
There is strong indication in the Quran that All The Creation of Allah has some kind of consciousness :
Quran [017:44] : Surah Al-Isra, Verse 44:
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا
“The seven heavens extol His limitless glory, and the earth, and all that they contain; and there is not a single thing but extols His limitless glory and praise: but you [O men] fail to grasp the manner of their glorifying Him! Verily, He is forbearing, much-forgiving!” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)
Quran [036:065] : “On that Day We shall set a seal on their mouths but their hands will speak unto Us, and their feet will bear witness to whatever they have earned [in life].” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)
As for machines assembled by man, to satisfy his ugly hungry ego and to satisfy his urge to control and destroy, their consciousness will be manifest only if and when Allah Allows it (since they are made from the raw material that Allah Has Created). It is not because man is so smart and powerful that he created conscious machines. That is just the fantasies of those in love with sci-fi scenarios and in the business of unrestrained speculations and book-selling. Indeed, there is a very large market made of slaves addicted to servitude and addicted to looking the other way, in love with sci-fi and fantasy to distract themselves.
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Another verse of The Quran, relating to The Consciousness of Allah’s Creation. A Consciousness that will become manifest only if and when Allah Orders it :
Quran [041:21] :
وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدتُّمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُوا أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
“And they will ask their skins, “Why did you bear witness against us?” – [and] these will reply: “God, who gives speech to all things, has given speech to us [as well]: for He [it is who] has created you in the first instance – and unto Him you are [now] brought back.” (as translated by ‘Mohammad Asad’)