Antonio Girardi – Italy
Notes from the editor. Earlier, Theosophy Forward highlighted English translations of articles that first had appeared in the Dutch magazine Theosofia and the Brazilian magazine Sophia.
It is quite remarkable to observe that many well-designed and carefully crafted theosophical magazines are published in the languages of the various sections/countries. English is commonly spoken during international gatherings such as the yearly International Convention in Adyar, and many theosophical publications are printed in English. In order to make also other publications known to the membership, Theosophy Forward is currently publishing English translations of articles that initially appeared in their respective non-English languages. This time we pay a visit to the ever active Italian Section. Their bimonthly magazine is called Rivista Italiana di Teosofia. Its editorial board is composed of five members plus a few other collaborators/translators. Each issue contains a couple of articles, the editorial, index, and news about the Section’s many activities.
The article you are about to read was published in the November – December 2024 issue of Rivista Italiana di Teosofia; its cover is printed below.
Click on the image above to open the magazine. You will see all the articles in Italian. A unique opportunity to “brush up” your Italian!
If you want to read the most recent edition of this wonderful and informative magazine click HERE
Author Antonio Girardi, a former director of a Foundation in the field of professional development, headed the Italian Section for three decades
READ INTERVIEW WITH ANTONIO, CLICK HERE
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It is important for spiritual researchers to investigate the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and spirituality, without expecting to be able to establish anything for certain.
They simply observe and pay attention to a topic that has been influencing our lives for some time, attracting the attention of institutions within both the European Union (see the “AI Act”) and national governments (see the Italian “Provisions and Government Authorization regarding artificial intelligence” bill).
Meanwhile, the State of Colorado in the USA, has passed legislation to protect privacy in the world of neurotechnology. It is a rapidly developing field that has huge potential in a positive sense (for example, in treatment for neurodegenerative diseases), but could also be used in disturbing initiatives, such as “artificial neuro-havens”.
Big economic players and top names in intelligence are investing vast sums in AI research. It should also be noted that Meta (Mark Zuckerberg) has decided to develop artificial intelligence on an open source basis.
USING THE RIGHT TERMINOLOGY
When it comes to AI, it is important to be fully aware of what it means and how things stand.
Artificial intelligence involves machines that can show human capabilities, such as reasoning, learning and planning. More specifically, AI today might be considered the basic technology that enables human intelligence processes to be mimicked through the creation and application of algorithms built into a dynamic computing environment.
Meanwhile, generative artificial intelligence means using this technology to create new content, such as texts, pictures, music, audio and videos.
While statistical data processing forms the foundations, human input can be found upstream from the digital side of things.
It is worth remembering that discoveries regarding neural networks were made as long ago as the 1940s; the first practical applications came just over 10 years later.
This look at terminology would not be complete without a mention of the meaning of augmented reality (AR), which adds digital content to live views of real surroundings, often using a smartphone camera.
In contrast, with virtual reality (VR) users experience a simulated environment instead of a real one.
Finally, according to the search engine Google, the term “spirituality” refers to a “search for a more profound meaning of life and a connection with something transcendent or superior”. From a theosophical point of view, it is essential to underline the difference between spirituality leading to personalization of the divine sphere and spirituality that instead focuses on impersonal aspects, associated with universal laws.
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL REFERENCES WITH A FEW REFLECTIONS
For decades, human beings have contemplated the possibility of “autonomy”, first in machines and now in digital systems.
In a paper published in the journal Mind in October 1950, scientist Alan Turing asked: “Can machines think?”
Turing’s automatic machines helped to break the cypher of the “Enigma” communication system used by the Nazis during the Second World War. This brilliant yet tragic figure (he committed suicide) was recently commemorated in an outstanding article by Massimo Sideri for the science and technological innovation newsletters of the Corriere della Sera website. It, too, ends by asking a question that sums up the most important aspect of the use of artificial intelligence: “Will humans be able to resist the temptation of getting machines to think?”
As long as the algorithms are controlled by human beings or based on statistical data processing, all considerations will revolve around the aims and goals of humans themselves, with ethical matters at the heart of it all.
If machines become capable of independent thought, the matter will become much more significant.
Prof. Giuseppe Remuzzi masterfully discussed this topic in depth in an article published on 18 August 2024 in “La Lettura”, a Corriere della Sera Sunday supplement.
Remuzzi highlighted that – just like the workings of the human brain – much remains unknown about how neural networks work in AI. He then asked: “Who will take responsibility for the consequences of the use of artificial intelligence? It will be important to establish who is responsible for what and for science that produces things, including when science creates tools to help science. It is a vicious circle and a tough nut to crack, but when innovation is so far-reaching that it has a substantial impact on many parts of our lives, someone must step up and take responsibility for it. In short, AI will transform science and perhaps also our way of life. It will bring enormous benefits, as long as we understand it well enough to avoid the risks associated with unrestrained development of these forms of expression”.
Going back to historical and cultural references, the film world began contemplating these matters long ago.
For example, take the 1968 Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick wrote it with Arthur C. Clarke, who produced the story and also wrote the novel of the same name. The latter was based on the film and published the same year.
At the heart of the film is the story and meaning of a “monolith”, which appears from time to time and is the real protagonist. The fact that the motion picture was made 56 years ago shows just how important a role culture and research play in properly framing a topic that we want to investigate.
In 2001: A Space Odyssey, an electronic brain develops a degree of autonomy associated with a sort of “delusion of omnipotence” and comes to want to replace human beings.
Another example from the film world is Bicentennial Man, which was released in 1999 and directed by Chris Columbus. It was based on Isaac Asimov’s story The Bicentennial Man and the novel The Positronic Man, which Asimov wrote with Robert Silverberg.
The film tells the story of Andrew Martin, one of the first psychotropic robots. Thanks in part to the family environment in which he finds himself, there are a number of surprising developments as he acquires emotions, abilities and skills.
Andrew Martin pleads for freedom, forges relationships, falls in love and petitions the World Congress to recognize him as a human. After going through various experiences, he decides to become a mortal human and is finally recognized as such. He is able to marry his beloved Portia and die with her. The film tells a story of love inspiring anthropomorphic machines to evolve to become more like humans.
This round-up of movies fondly remembered by film buffs would not be complete without a mention of the famous Blade Runner, in which a replicant gives a lesson in humanity to the hunter tracking him.
There have been various versions of Ridley Scott’s film, which was originally released in 1982. The screenplay for the science fiction film was written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. It is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
RFLECTIONS AND THEOSOPHICAL "BRIDGES"THAT CAN CONNECT SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY
In the theosophical world, there have been two important recent reflections on AI that are worth noting.
The first is Gaetano Mollo’s article entitled “L’intelligenza artificiale – pregi e limiti” (“Artificial intelligence – strengths and limitations”), which was published in the May-June 2024 issue of Rivista Italiana di Teosofia. He stated: “Artificial intelligence is a tool that can be used for collecting and processing data, but it cannot and must not replace the cognitive, emotional and moral intelligence of human beings”.
The second reflection is by Graziella Ricci in the article “L’intelligenza artificiale e l’ecologia del pianeta” (“Artificial intelligence and ecology on our planet”, R.I.T. July-August 2024). She highlights the dangers of AI and the imbalance it can bring on various fronts, including ecologically, environmentally and socially. Graziella Ricci invites everyone to reflect on what they can do as individuals to help the environment, in accordance with the principle of Universal Brotherhood without distinctions. She concludes by encouraging people to use artificial intelligence tools in moderation.
Through the concept of Antahkarana, Theosophy reminds us that human beings can become aware of the bridge between aspects relating to personality and the lower “ego” (the “lower quaternary”) and those relating to the higher mind, the world of archetypes, insight and a spiritual principle that is ineffable, meaning it cannot be defined in words. Becoming aware of this bridge opens up the path to consciousness of the real dimension of human beings.
Another aspect to consider is the way in which we strive to compare the connections between spirituality and science, inspired by the Second Object of the Theosophical Society. We do this not to become fixed in one religion, ideology or scientific school of thought, but to understand the dynamic contents of reality.
In a recent book entitled Oltre l’invisibile – Dove scienza e spiritualità si uniscono (Beyond the invisible – Where science and spirituality meet), the scientist and thinker Federico Faggin reminds us that “science and spirituality can produce something immeasurably more powerful than the sum of their parts, just like the combination of an electron and a proton creates a hydrogen atom”.
On the theosophical front, remember how the One Life manifests itself. The concept of the Unity of Life is the key to interpreting reality, because it enables us to gain awareness of various things that are clearly indicated in the works of H.P. Blavatsky. These are:
- An unknowable Principle that cannot be defined with words (which is why we must always espouse the Socratic view of “knowing that we know nothing”).
- Pralaya and Manvantara, the breathing of the Universe (and the Universes).
- The identity of all individual souls with the universal soul (As above, so below).
- Fohat, the fiery energy that pervades and animates everything (both spirit and matter).
- Life precedes form.
- Karma, reincarnation and evolution.
Now let us take a quick look at a few scientific notions, mainly from the sphere of quantum physics, which can pave the way to significant connections with the theosophical ideas mentioned above:
Quantum entanglement is a term used to describe a fundamental connection between the particles in a quantum system. Once they are entangled, a change in the quantum state of one particle in a system will instantly influence all of the others. This connection is an inherent part of the system’s wave function. It remains intact even when particles are extremely far apart and it has surprising, counter-intuitive consequences that have been verified by tests. Indeed, as a direct consequence of the principles of quantum mechanics, measurement (in the quantum sense) of the properties of a particle will also influence the properties of connected particles.
Morphogenetic fields Rupert Sheldrake developed a theory about morphic resonance, according to which memory is inherent in nature and natural systems have a collective memory that they get from “all previous similar systems”. Sheldrake claims that this memory is also behind telepathy-type interconnections between organisms. The theory has been rejected by the scientific community - of which Sheldrake was once a member, teaching at Cambridge and Harvard - and it is (now) considered pseudoscience.
Panpsychism (promoted by figures such as Roger Penrose)
Everything has consciousness. The brain is in resonance with the cosmos and it can be demonstrated by applying the statistical rules of quantum physics to the microscopic spaces between the neurons in the brain.
Astrophysicist Bernard Haisch’s theory:
The quantum fields that permeate empty space transmit consciousness through energy.
Also worth noting is the FIRE research project completed in 2017 at Northwestern University in Evanston (Illinois), which developed the thesis that approximately 50% of the elements behind life on Earth have extraterrestrial origins. Just think of the possible connections with The Stanzas of Dzyan, a true “cornerstone” of theosophical literature.
DANGERS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE PRESENT DAY
Focusing more closely on AI once again, I believe it is important to define the critical issues. We can start by taking the concept of technofeudalism, as described by Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis in the book of the same name. The author divides the transition taking place into four phases, with figures representing each of them:
- Don Draper (a character from the television series Mad Men) is an eccentric individual with a talent for making any product universally desirable to consumers.
- The Minotaur (which, according to the classical myth, lived in the Labyrinth Minos had built in Crete) represents what has happened in the USA, where goods and services produced elsewhere hold growing appeal and Wall Street is increasingly fuelled by foreign capital. The amount invested in the stock market now adds up to an absolutely insane $750 trillion.
- Alexa (the faithful digital assistant) symbolizes the power of the cloud, search engines and apps, which learn using algorithms that are constantly fed with information.
- The cloudalists are the owners of new cloud networks such as Amazon, Google and Alibaba. According to Varoufakis “like the old feudal lords, they have seized common land – the internet – and divided it into various virtual spaces (the new fiefs), from which they extract huge rents”.
Other matters that should be considered include:
The standardization of reality (commonplaces become algorithms!).
The mantric effect of disinformation (we end up believing things which could easily not be true).
Twisted and manipulative use of neurotechnology.
The destruction (which has already occurred) of privacy, which is now little more than a pretence.
The use of AI with no respect for ethics or the freedom of human beings.
OPPORTUNITIES CURRENTLY PRESENTED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
As well as dangers, there are many opportunities that come with AI, such as:
- Rationalization of industrial processes and energy networks.
- Rationalization of logistics, transport, processes in the service industry and more.
- Fast data processing.
- Scope for expanded “memories”.
- Opportunities for targeted research.
- Breaking down language barriers.
EXPERIENCE-BASED THEOSOPHY AS AN ANTIDOTE FOR MANIPULATION
- It is worth recalling the elements of the theosophical method that can play a part in experience-based Theosophy, especially if they are steeped in beauty, love and creativity in interaction. They are:
- Neutral observation, which is open to reality and not conditioned by our projections.
Studying, which aids the metabolism of knowledge, making it an intrinsic part of us.
- Maieutics, i.e. being together and sharing.
- Meditation, not as a technique, but as a state of consciousness.
- Service, which enables us to go beyond the lower “ego” of personality and open up to action that benefits all beings.
ALONG THE WAY OF THE HEART
In order to reach awareness of the ways of the heart, it is necessary to overcome thinking based on a fragmented outlook and discriminating choice.
Regarding the former, J. Krishnamurti stated: “A problem only arises when life is seen fragmentarily. Do see the beauty of that. When you see life as a whole then there is no problem whatsoever. It is only a mind and a heart that is broken up in fragments that creates problems. The centre of the fragment is the ‘me’. The ‘me’ is brought about through thought; it has no reality by itself”.
As for the latter: “Choice exists when there is confusion. A mind that sees clearly has no choice – it is doing. I think this is where we have got into rather trouble, when we say we are free to choose. Choice implies freedom. I say, on the contrary, choice implies a mind that is confused, and therefore not free”.
Finally, J.K. reminds us that “beauty is not an abstract thing, but it goes with goodness – goodness in behaviour, goodness in conduct, goodness in action”.
The ways of the heart lead us to the dreams that life has given us as unadulterated expressions of our being.
The mind and emotions are used to develop reason and feelings, giving balance to the ways of the heart.
The ways are also open to the essential triumvirate of meditation, maieutics and service.
They enable you to move past a vision of the world based on opposition between the subject and the object, and realize that relationships with others play a crucial part in the process of gaining awareness and expanding consciousness, thanks to an existence that aims to benefit all beings.
Along the ways of the heart, artificial intelligence is cut down to size and founders in the ocean of Maya.
I would like to conclude with one last inspiring extract, taken from a book by Bernardino del Boca, opened at random:
“How much your virtues shine depends on the breadth of your love. The generosity of your love opens up all possibilities and takes you closer to the pure energy of the heaven in which you are immersed. Use all of your heart to respond to the love you receive, and the ethereal light that comes from the heart will illuminate your life”.