Wright stands out as an intriguing and multifaceted individual. He has a classical liberal outlook, and his diverse interests and thoughtful approach make conversations with him both enjoyable and engaging. My first introduction to him occurred during my college years in the early 2000s when I stumbled upon his book "Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny" at an airport. This book perfectly fits the profile of a classic airport read—light-hearted, entertaining, and covering a broad range of topics. I delved into it while on a flight to France, where I was set to study the European Union, which was on the verge of launching its ambitious continent-wide single currency initiative. The themes of "Nonzero," particularly its optimistic view of evolving human society toward increased political unity and social collaboration, resonated well with the hopeful atmosphere of that time.
Wright identifies as a materialist and an agnostic, rejecting notions of intelligent design and any kind of vital force as proposed by Bergson. Nonetheless, he maintains a strong belief in the idea that evolution has a definitive direction and purpose. This belief significantly informs his perspective on the future of artificial intelligence. He outlines a grand narrative of life’s evolution—from single-celled organisms to the complex tapestry of life, culminating in humanity. Quoting the film "The Matrix," he describes a moment in the early 21st century when humanity celebrated a milestone in its collective journey: "we marveled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to AI.” He posits that human innovation has actually sped up the natural selection process, leading to the emergence of a new form of conscious reasoning.
While these ideas are captivating and often poetically expressed, there are significant flaws in them. The assumption that evolution follows a linear direction toward complexity or that it inherently favors higher consciousness or intelligence does not hold up to scrutiny. Such a view implies that simpler life forms still present today are merely relics of an earlier evolutionary phase, while more complex vertebrates dominate. However, various simple organisms like insects, crabs, and bacteria continue to thrive. Many simple creatures have emerged in more recent times, while more complex species have died out or evolved into entirely different forms. Moreover, the narrative overlooks significant non-animal life forms, such as plants. Additionally, humanity coexisted with several other upright hominin species in the past, some of which likely possessed tools and language capabilities, with Neanderthals potentially even creating art. Our perception of humanity as the pinnacle of evolutionary development is influenced by a form of recentness bias, leaving us questioning the remarkable minds that existed before us, whether they belonged to mollusks or ancient reptiles.
