Toots for jannem@fosstodon.org account

Written by Janne Moren on 2025-02-01 at 02:00

Finally, intelligence is not magic. You can't wish a solution into existence by thinking hard enough. No amount of thinking will let you break the laws of nature. An ancient Greek genius - or machine intelligence - couldn't have discovered relativity. The data, knowledge and tools didn't exist.

A superintelligence looking at climate change may conclude that there is no technical solution; our best bet is to quickly reduce emissions, decrease our energy use and share resources more equitably.

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-02-01 at 02:00

Third, we have direct observational evidence that high intelligence doesn't confer power or influence, good or bad.

Take a look around: all the most powerful people today and in the past are by and large very average. A few are pretty smart, a few are dumb as rocks. Most are mid. None became powerful due to their vast intellect.

They do tend to have high social skills (and inherited wealth). The ability to manipulate/motivate people does give you power. Intelligence does not.

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-02-01 at 01:59

Second, we don't know that intelligence is unbounded even in principle. We don't even agree on what intelligence is, but most would say something like the ability to discern patterns, or finding hidden connections. But you can't expose patterns that don't exist, or unearth connections that aren't there.

Get too good at finding patterns and collections, and you start hallucinating patterns and connections that were never there; falling into pareidolia, conspiracy theories and nonsense.

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-02-01 at 01:58

So I have a few problems with a certain kind of #AI fanboy claiming "AI will become hyperintelligent and solve all our problems!".

I have the same problems with AI doomsday preppers warning "AI will become hyperintelligent and kill us all!"

First, we're training #LLM s on, basically, all of human output. You're training it to mimic the reasoning patterns and strategies of the average internet user. There's no reason to believe that can create hyperintelligence.

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-27 at 12:14

Shinsaibashi subway station, Osaka.

[#]osaka #japan #photography #subway

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-26 at 12:47

A couple of #Osaka pictures from #Umeda . The "clock square" in JR Umeda station at dusk; and Umeda Sky building from the new park area.

[#]photography #japan

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-25 at 07:26

I sometimes forget our university looks pretty cool.

[#]oist #Okinawa #photography

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-19 at 04:57

If you follow me, I will click on your bio. And if you have "vaccines kill people", I will block you.

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-18 at 02:34

急におにぎり食べたくなる。

[#]伊丹空港

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-17 at 03:29

The problem with going running when it's cold is not running in the cold - it feels great. It's deciding to go out running in the cold in the first place.

[#]osaka #Nakanoshima #photography

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-15 at 14:00

TFW I try to apply online for an Aeon supermarket card; but the name field has space for only 5 characters...

[#]japan #aeon #aeonbank

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-15 at 08:38

A cup of natural anaerobic processed #coffee (forgot the name) and a slice of Basque cheesecake at Söt Coffee in #osaka . A flower bomb, as expected, but very nice.

You also get a beaker of coffee and a glass with ice; you can have a second hot cup, or try it as ice coffee. It's a good idea; we're most sensitive to flavours around body temperature, so pouring some over ice lets you experience more of the flavour notes.

https://www.sotcoffee.com/

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-14 at 11:00

I'm a little confused about #pixelfed . I've looked at a couple of instances, and apparently you're only allowed 5-20 pictures in total? So your older pictures get deleted as you post new ones?

Also, the feed - at least to me - looks very much like when you post pictures here on Mastodon.

What's the selling point of creating a new pixelfed account over posting pictures here on Mastodon?

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-13 at 10:21

@kenshirriff Discusses the history and reality of "cargo cults" and why we really shouldn't use them as a metaphor. Or, perhaps, use the term at all:

https://www.righto.com/2025/01/its-time-to-abandon-cargo-cult-metaphor.html?m=1

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-10 at 07:34

Are there any recommendations for a Linux friendly laptop with a screen in the 8"-11" range? Something that's not hugely expensive, but has enough resources to be a decent second computer away from home?

Would a Chromebook be a reasonable choice?

Edit: most laptops are 14". Great overall size, but too large for me right now. Chunky is fine, but big is not. The smallest Let's Note model would be ok, but wayy too expensive.

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Written by Janne Moren on 2025-01-10 at 04:21

My #Kobo Aura One — an e-reader from 2016 — just got another feature update.

Let that sink in: an 8-year old inexpensive consumer device still gets updated with bug-fixes and feature improvements.

Mine is a bit ratty by now, after almost a decade of bouncing around in bags and backpacks. I don't know what e-reader will replace it once it dies. I do know it will say "Kobo" on the back.

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