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Matthew Moore on Buddhism, Meditating Machines, & the Robopocalypse

tonygill — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 08:00:05 +0000

Can robots meditate? What are the benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), whole brain emulation (WBE), and other forms of “near-future technologies” (NFTs)? Should humans proceed towards “The Singularity”? And what enlightenment can Buddhism shed on these questions? In one of our most interesting and futuristic interviews ever on this podcast, Prof. Matthew Moore, an associate professor of political science at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo, returns our program and answers these provocative questions. It sounds like science fiction, but it is quickly becoming science fact, and Prof. Moore makes a strong case that philosophy and theology needs to be part of the conversation regarding technological advancement.

We begin the conversation with a review of “near-future technologies,” which may be near in the future, but then again they may not. Such technologies include self-replicating nanobots that can cure disease, “strong AI” (defined by having self-awareness as compared to Roombas), and WBE wherein human individuals upload their consciousness into a machine (as represented by Ray Kurzweil’s “singularity”). We review the benefits of such technology, including the ability to cure diseases, expand our knowledge, and perhaps preserve our species in the cosmos. Of course, there are downsides as well, and Tony starts to recall his time watching dystopian science fiction movies in the 1970s. The less-than-attractive elements of NFTs include our loss of control over these machines — what Prof. Moore refers to as the Robopocalypse — as well as issues of unemployment and inequality, as these technologies are likely to have disparate benefits for some humans but not others.

We turn then to what Buddhism can do to shed light on how we understand and manage NFTs, beginning with the probing question of whether robots can meditate (with the example of Robo-Tony used to illustrate). This discussion takes us down the path of what it means to be aware, as well as how we come to understand and deal with suffering. Prof. Moore talks about Nick Bostrom’s work on the topic and reveals an important deontological ethic that makes AI very different from us humans — whereas humans cannot reprogram their moral consciousness, robots can. Matt then asks three important questions from a Buddhist perspective as related to NFTs: 1) Why are we developing them?; 2) Can Buddhism help clarify what is at stake with these technologies?; and 3) What kind of relationship will we have with NFTs? The first question prompts a discussion of how Buddhist deal with suffering. Whereas most philosophies argue that one must either accept suffering or try to change the world in which it occurs, Buddhism provides a third option wherein one changes one’s mind as to the role of suffering. We talk about how NFTs can reduce certain types of suffering — such as diseases that have potential cures — but there other forms of suffering offer more difficult possibilities, such as “can we suffer by not knowing something that is knowable”? This helps inform the answers to the other questions that are posed. Fearing the downsides of a Robopocalypse, can humans be willing to endure the suffering of not realizing the upsides of NFTs left undeveloped? Matt covers a number of policy responses to NFTs that all of this thought provides: 1) We embrace NFTs and hope everything works out; 2) We emphasize the good aspects of NFTs and try to avoid the bad; or 3) We do not develop them even though they are within the realm of our technological possibility. Prof. Moore leaves off with some of his thoughts as to what he thinks we should do. Recorded: May 19, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Matthew Moore’s bio at the Department of Political Science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Buddhism and Political Theory, by Prof. Matthew Moore.

Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, by Nick Bostrom (mentioned in podcast).

Isaac Asimov’s Laws of Robotics (mentioned in podcast).

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Matthew Moore on Buddhism and Political Theory.

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Christian Novetzke on Kung Fu Fighting and Eastern Religions (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 08:00:52 +0000

While we take a break for the Easter holiday, what better way to celebrate than to talk about religion and martial arts. The following is an encore presentation of our discussion with Christian Novetzke from back in 2012.

Get into the octagon with Prof. Christian Novetzke, associate professor at the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies, as we spar intellectually about the relationship between the martial arts and Eastern religions. We walk through Prof. Novetzke’s syllabus for the class he recently offered at the UW entitled “Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Seminar on World Cultures through the Asian Martial Arts.” We start by discussing Christian’s name and his “accidental” discovery of karate. The first interesting challenge that arises in this interview is to define yoga as a martial art. Prof. Novetzke does this by relying upon the concept of “self-actualization,” which he contends is related to all of the martial arts and moves us into our discussion of how religion and philosophy form a fundamental underpinning of these physical activities. Whilst talking about yoga, we also discuss the recent criticism levelled on this form of martial art by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church. This sets up an intriguing discussion of what constitutes religion and the relationship between religions such as yoga and Christianity. We then also chat about Driscoll’s commentary regarding the connection between mixed martial arts (MMA) and Christianity, with Prof. Novetzke noting that a surprisingly high number of MMA fighters are also outwardly devout Christians. We then return to Eastern religions and other martial arts covering different aspects of Zen, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Throughout the conversation we also reflect upon educational pedagogy (i.e., how we teach our subjects of expertise) and what students pulled from this rather unique and interesting course. Recorded: March 12, 2012.

Religion and Public Memory: A Cultural History of Saint Namdev in India, by Christian L. Novetzke.

Zen and the Martial Arts, by Joe Hymans.

Tao of Jeet Kune Do, by Bruce Lee.

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, edited by Paul Reps.

Yoga: Discipline of Freedom, by Barbara Miller.

Blood in the Cage, by L. Jon Wertheim.

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Andrea Molle on Spirituality and the Martial Arts.

Matthew Moore on Buddhism and Political Theory.

Clark Lombardi on Sharia Law

tonygill — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 08:00:08 +0000

What is sharia law? How can sharia law be accommodated into formal constitutions? These questions and more are the topic of discussion with Prof. Clark Lombardi, the Law Foundation Professor of Law at the University of Washington. Prof. Lombardi explains what sharia law is and how it compares with Western variants such as common law and canon law. We dig into the historical development of sharia law and how, given the decentralized nature of Islam, that there were numerous interpretations. Dealing with this diversity meant relying upon a number of scholar-jurists (fuqaha), who had organized themselves into guild-like organizations and schools, and having respect for different opinions when agreement could not be reached. We examine how the rise of a more bureaucratized state affected the use of sharia in society, covering some of the developments in the Ottoman Empire and then the changes occurring in the post-Ottoman and post-colonial era. With secular states coming to the rise in the post-WWII period, and then faltering in the 1970s, we begin to see the rise of more Islamist influence in government and a demand for “sharia guarantee clauses” (SGCs) written into formal constitutions, wherein secular rulers are obligated to follow the guidance of sharia. More than merely a “bill of rights,” these SGCs were implemented to ensure government officials did not make law that would force Muslims to sin, and also served as a check to get these same rulers to act on behalf of the welfare of the community. We discuss how such SGCs have been implemented in a number of countries. Clark lays out three general methods: 1) political constitutionalism wherein the passage of sharia law falls largely in the hands of executives and parliaments; 2) legal constitutionalism giving courts the ability to review the adherence of legislative and executive actions to sharia law; and 3) hybrid systems that combine a bit of both. Clark illustrates these systems by referring to various countries with special concentration in the recent Egyptian constitution. We finish off with some of Prof. Lombardi’s ruminations on events in Turkey and how his study of sharia has affected his understanding of the legal system in the United States. Recorded: August 11, 2016.

Clark Lombardi’s Social Science Research Network (SSRN) page.

State Law as Islamic Law in Modern Egypt, by Clark Lombardi.

Religion and Human Security, edited by James Wellman and Clark Lombardi.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Law, by Clark Lombardi.

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Matthew Moore on Buddhism and Political Theory

tonygill — Sun, 29 May 2016 08:00:52 +0000

Does Buddhism have a political theory embedded in it? And if so, how does it compare with Western notion of politics and citizenship. Prof. Matthew Moore, an associate professor of political science at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo, discusses his recent book Buddhism and Political Theory (Oxford University Press). Dr. Moore recounts how he fortuitously became interested in studying Buddhism via meditation, and how this prompted him to engage in one of the few works that explores the political philosophy contained in this Eastern religion. Matt notes that there are three key essential points that serve as the foundation for a Buddhist theory of politics: 1) there is no notion of “the self”; 2) normative beliefs provide practical guidance and not obligatory commands; and 3) politics is of limited importance in human life. We examine the first tenant, interestingly enough, in relation to the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, and then move on to explore the historical development of Buddhist thought on politics, with an eye towards how monarchs should rule properly. Matt notes that there is not a great deal of writing about politics within Buddhism. Our discussion then turns towards the issue of “limited citizenship,” a topic that many political science undergraduate students would find surprising given the emphasis Western democracies place on political engagement. Here, Prof. Moore points out four critical aspects of Buddhist thought that outline the role of average citizens in the polity: 1) politics is inevitable (and can be beneficial); 2) politics is sufficiently moral to require normative theories; 3) politics is relatively unimportant (in the grand scheme of things); and 4) politics has little power over people when it comes to the important things in life. Matt likens this philosophy to the thought of Henry David Thoreau, John Howard Yoder, and a number of Christian pacifists who argue that setting a permanent counter-example to the rough-and-tumble world of politics is the duty of the moral individual. We finish off with some thoughts on where Buddhist political thought is heading and, of all things, talk about whether or not robots would meditate. Recorded: May 13, 2016.

Buddhism and Political Theory, by Matthew Moore.

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Ron Mock on Pacifism, War, and Terrorism.

Davis Brown on Just War Theory.

Matthew Isaacs on Religion & Ethnic Rebellion

tonygill — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 08:00:20 +0000

When does religion play a role in ethnic rebellion and when does it remain irrelevant? Matthew Isaacs, a PhD candidate in political science at Brandeis University, adopts an economic model of religion to explain that when denominations are in competition with one another, and when they are facing declining resources, religious rhetoric will be used more frequently in mobilizing groups involved in ethnic turbulence.

Our conversation begins with a discussion of how he came upon his dissertation topic and the general literature in ethnic conflict. That topic has been of increasing interest to political scientists and Matt notes how he was able to plug in his interest in the “religious economies” perspective to help provide a further understanding of when religion becomes a salient dimension in such conflict. He notes that while it might seem obvious that religion and ethnic conflict would always be linked, and some studies have noticed a connection, there are plenty of instances — often in the same conflict — where religious rhetoric is not used to mobilize combatants and other forms of support. Matt notes that since much of the recent literature on ethnic struggles is rooted in a more rationalist perspective, the use of this theoretical perspective was pretty intuitive.

We then discuss his broad-based analysis of ethnic conflict from 1970 – 2014, a period chosen primarily for data availability. Without getting thick into the statistical details, he briefly mentions how he measured his different variables and how the analysis he ran demonstrated a very strong relationship between religious competition and use of religious rhetoric in conflict, as well as the importance of having a relatively more open political opportunity structure (i.e., a place where rebellious rhetoric is more free to express itself). Attention then turns to his qualitative analysis of two seemingly disparate cases — Northern Ireland during “The Troubles” and the recent Sri Lankan civil war. While seemingly very different cases, both involved religious rhetoric being used on one side of the conflict, but not on the other.

Matthew walks us through both of his case studies beginning with Northern Ireland. Here the story drives us back to the post-WWII era where a bombed out Belfast sent populations scrambling to rebuild in suburbs and leaving churches bereft of resources stranded in the city. Competition to head out to the suburbs intensified quickly among Protestants and created a very dynamic religious market. Catholics didn’t exit their faith as much thus that particular niche market did not face much competition. Interestingly, and in conformance with Matt’s thesis, religious rhetoric was more commonly used to rally Protestants to the Unionist cause (the group that favored union with Great Britain, which ironically meant separation from Ireland). Matt similarly traces the religious roots of ethnic conflict back prior to the actual fighting in the Sri Lankan civil war. Colonialism played a large role in Sri Lankan history and when the British left the island in 1948 a number of grievances about funding Buddhist temples arose that created competition amongst various monks. Over time, this translated into a factionalization in the faith that had a number of monks and political actors vying for support by tying themselves to the ethnic conflict with the Tamils. He traces this type of competition to a number of electoral cycles in the 1950s and 1970s and how it eventually manifested itself in violent hostilities in the 1980s.

Matt finished off with some self-reflection about the things he has learned in his current research. Note that because Matt was using a cell phone there are a few spots in the recording that sound a bit off due to the audio compression. The problems are mostly in the first 15 minutes of the interview. Recorded: May 26, 2015.

Matthew Isaacs on Twitter.

Institute for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Society (IRES) at Chapman University. (Info on the IRES graduate student workshop.)

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Andrea Molle on Spirituality and the Martial Arts

tonygill — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 08:00:43 +0000

While Christians have often been told to turn the other cheek when conflict erupts, there is another tradition that seeks to prepare for conflict while simultaneously promoting inner peace and spiritual enlightment. That alternative tradition exists within the world of the Eastern martial arts, such as aikido, judo, karate and a number of other styles. Prof. Andrea Molle, an assistant professor of political science at Chapman University, discusses his insights into the world of martial arts. His perspective is unique as he not only maintains a scholarly interest in this topic, having published several articles on the topic of religion and the martial arts, but he also holds a second degree black belt in aikido and teaches this discipline to youth at a Southern Californian Christian church.

We begin our journey by looking into the background of Prof. Molle, discovering where he developed his interest in the martial arts. His personal story reveals a great deal about how a variety of non-spiritual reasons often lead people into the practice of martial arts, but then how it has a transformative impact on their lives. In addition to his personal experience, Andrea gives us some historical background about the connection between combat techniques that were used to train militaries and several Eastern religions, including Buddhism and Shintoism. This leads to an interesting discussion about how fear and anxiety are often motivators for people to learn to fight, but how people who continue in the martial arts rarely cite the need for self-defense as a reason for continuing their training. We also reflect upon the role of ritualistic combat and why that is important.

In connecting the martial arts to religion directly, we cover three potential pathways linking these two seemingly antithetical experiences. First, we look at whether the martial arts serve as a “gateway” to pre-established religion and address the concern that many Christian parents have that this physical activity will lead their kids away from their traditional faith. Andrea doesn’t think this is a common phenomenon, although the data to support this is rather sketchy. We then bring up the second link between the martial arts and religion, and that is through spiritual exercise. Andrea notes that what happens here is many people use martial arts to add to their “portfolio” of religious understandings, which then brings up the issue of “muscular Christianity.” The third path relates to the martial arts as becoming a “secular religion” or, as Andrea calls it now, a “quasi-religious” organization. He details what this mean by looking at the characteristics that many international martial organizations share. Here we note how people use the larger martial arts community to serve their communal needs.

Our conversation finishes with Andrea’s experience in teaching martial arts to youth. We examine why he became involved in this, how church members and Christian families view this, and what he teaches the kids. Andrea also reflects upon what he has learned about teaching and his own martial arts journey. Recorded: September 2, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

Andrea Molle’s biography at Chapman University.

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Christian Novetzke on Kung Fu Fighting and Eastern Religion.

Ron Mock on Pacificism, War, and Terrorism.

Christian Novetzke on Kung Fu Fighting & Eastern Religions

tonygill — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:00:50 +0000

Get into the octagon with Prof. Christian Novetzke, associate professor at the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies, as we spar intellectually about the relationship between the martial arts and Eastern religions. We walk through Prof. Novetzke’s syllabus for the class he recently offered at the UW entitled “Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Seminar on World Cultures throug the Asian Martial Arts.” We start by discussing Christian’s name and his “accidental” discovery of karate. The first interesting challenge that arises in this interview is to define yoga as a martial art. Prof. Novetzke does this by relying upon the concept of “self-actualization,” which he contends is related to all of the martial arts and moves us into our discussion of how religion and philosophy form a fundamental underpinning of these physical activities. Whilst talking about yoga, we also discuss the recent criticism levelled on this form of martial art by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church. This sets up an intriguing discussion of what constitutes religion and the relationship between religions such as yoga and Christianity. We then also chat about Driscoll’s commentary regarding the connection between mixed martial arts (MMA) and Christianity, with Prof. Novetzke noting that a surprisingly high number of MMA fighters are also outwardly devout Christians. We then return to Eastern religions and other martial arts covering different aspects of Zen, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Throughout the conversation we also reflect upon educational pedagogy (i.e., how we teach our subjects of expertise) and what students pulled from this rather unique and interesting course. Recorded: March 12, 2012.

Religion and Public Memory: A Cultural History of Saint Namdev in India, by Christian L. Novetzke.

Mark Driscoll’s post on mixed martial arts.

Zen and the Martial Arts, by Joe Hymans.

Tao of Jeet Kune Do, by Bruce Lee.

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, edited by Paul Reps.

Yoga: Discipline of Freedom, by Barbara Miller.

Blood in the Cage, by L. Jon Wertheim.