Without a theory of intelligence

The history of science — and of progress — is a series of benefits that are direct results of new tools. A large part of our current longevity is due to the invention of the microscope. This new way of seeing opened up the microscopic world, a teeming universe we had no idea about, and from that view quickly came germ theory, and soon after, new ways to avoid many common fatal diseases. Hundreds of other advances were also birthed by the microscope, including our understanding of DNA. Similarly, the telescope not only opened the heavens to our inspection, it had a direct role in helping us devise the laws of physics, which in turn permitted harnessing the atom, developing GPS, and making cheap computers. Oscilloscopes, volt meters, barometers, cyclotrons — these are more than measuring tools; they are portals that open up new territories to be explored. We are on the cusp of inventing a new cyclotron: artificial intelligence. Of course AI will usher in new ways to do stuff. We can…