Humboldt’s Visions of a Smart(er) World · on planet Earth (more than ever) Negative environmental impacts on climate, soil, water, ecosystems Requirements for sustainable development

Hochschule Offenburg University of Applied Sciences

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Humboldt’s Visions of a Smart(er) World

International Multi-Conference on Complexity, Informatics and Cybernetics

Orlando, 2018

Prof. Dr. Detlev Doherr

March, 2018 Doherr: Humboldt's Visions of a smart(er) World 1



I. Introduction-

Humboldt‘s Visions

The future: Prediction of a smarter world

Source: Humboldt Digital Library

University, Berlin NYC, Central Park

Alexander von Humboldt Monuments:


Limits: Humboldt showed, how nature can be considered holistically. He exceeded the limits of the known world. Interconnectedness: Since two hundred years H. is admired for his ability to see the natural world and human nature in the context of a complex network of relationships. He remarked that no single fact can be considered in isolation. Procedural thinking: Humboldt invented the web of life as we know it today. He detected natural processes and phenomena and the interconnectedness of the animated and unanimated world. Concept of scientific approach: Humboldt believed in the importance of accurate measurements and precise description of observations, which founded the Humboldtian Science.

Idea of nature: Humboldt stated that great parts of our response to the natural world is based on senses and emotions


I. Introduction-

Humboldt‘s Visions

Source: Painting by Friedrich Georg Weitsch (1810)



Technology is evolving dramatically Influence to our daily life is increasing every day Technical revolution: is characterized by explosion of data, global communication, global interconnection Artificial intelligence: Super computers are starting a life of their own Impacts can be expected to society, mankind, relationship to nature Future: Again, how is a smarter world looks like and who can predict the future?

II. Super Computing



III. Current Challenges-

Environmental Protection

Increasing population 7,6 * 1 000 000 000 individuals on planet Earth (more than ever) Negative environmental impacts on climate, soil, water, ecosystems Requirements for sustainable development to ensure quality of life

Urban Settlement leads to mega cities




Artificial Intelligence

Digitalization produces Big Data Algorithms are needed to analyze and concatenate Big Data Control of smart processes by automated decision makers Smart management reduces environmental impacts

Warning voices on dangers of advanced computers

Source: http://theconversation.com, McOwan

http://theconversation.com/






Autonomous Computers

Substitution of humans by supercomputers is unlikely, but it is naive and dangerous to ignore a technical development, which will be autonomous in the nearest future Stephan Hawking: “Computers can, in theory, emulate human intelligence — and exceed it” Threats: Artificial intelligence will not be programmed by humans line by line but automatically by the computer itself

Stephan Hawking: “Artificial intelligence will be either the best or the worst thing ever happen to humanity”

Source: https://www.energymanagertoday.com



IV. Historical Dimension-

Idea of Nature

What we can conclude from the historical vision of Humboldt?

Humboldt gave us an idea of nature Great parts of our response to the natural world is based on senses and emotions Artificial intelligence is based on algorithms on a logical level: no solution for artificial emotions

Source: http://www.bgr.in/news/ai-powered-devices-to-read-users-emotional-state-gartner


Sustainability of a computer controlled life

Extensive use of smart systems to improve

quality of life – Technical colonialism

Threats: Intelligent algorithms

Complexity of algorithms increases opacity

Self-learning processes of artificial intelligence lead to uncontrollable

learning outcomes

Ultimately, privacy, human dignity, and principles of fairness and

justice will yield to new arbitrariness


V. Technical Solutions

Source: https://www.icas.com/ca-today-news


The smarter world is served to us with a

dash of safety promise and

environmental awareness:

• we save energy with ‘smart grids’

• drive risk-free with ‘smart cars’

• live well-protected in ‘smart cities’.

Humboldt gave us an idea of nature itself, describing processes and interconnections

between animated and unanimated nature. But his vision of nature included not only

facts but also emotions.


Humboldt would call it technical colonialism, if high developed computer intelligence brings us a smarter world with machines which developed a will of their own in conflict with humanity.

https://vimark.deviantart.com/art/ Pandora-s-box-198137127

VI. Technical Colonialism

Source: https://www.istockphoto.com/de

https://vimark.deviantart.com/art/

https://vimark.deviantart.com/art/


Interface between Humans and Super Computers

Important questions for our notions of being human

Influences our concept of civil society and democracy

Research project „Partnership on AI to benefit people and society“ of

technology companies (Google, Amazon, Facebook)

Goals: fairness and transparency, security and privacy, values and

ethics, trustworthiness, reliability, safety, and robustness of the

technology

Who is responsible for the implementation and observance of ethical

and democratic principles?


VII. Digital Humanities


A replacement of humans by computers is unlikely,

because human thinking is characterized by cognitive

heuristics and emotions, which cannot simply be implemented in machines operating

with algorithms, procedural data processing or artificial intelligence.

In the age of digitization, big data and autonomous computer have already developed a

"life of their own" in a metaphorical sense, in order to make the world "smarter". This is

another word for "more controllable by computers".

We need smart solutions for environmental protection and for a higher quality of life on

our planet.

These developments are not a threat to humanity unless they are controlled by the

principles of ethics, democracy, transparency, security and privacy.


IIX. Conclusions

Source: http://galacticconnection.com/mark-cuban


Thank you for your attention!


Humboldt’s Visions of a Smart(er) World · on planet Earth (more than ever) Negative environmental impacts on climate, soil, water, ecosystems Requirements for sustainable development

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