Submitted by s1L3nCe_wb t3_120l7bm in Futurology
During a recent sociopolitical discussion with a group of friends who held different viewpoints, I consciously took the following approach: rather than attempting to disprove their opinions, I chose to make an genuine effort to understand the rationale behind their beliefs, similarly to what Jordan Peterson proposes in this vídeo. I tried to ask thoughtful questions and provide feedback to encourage a respectful dialogue. In the end, our exchange proved to be both highly productive and enlightening, as we all became more conscious of our own cognitive biases and saw the validity of certain aspects of each viewpoint.
This exchange of ideas made me think how AI technology could potentially help alleviate the issue of ideological polarization that has become prevalent in many online platforms and media in general. An AI model designed for epistemological analysis could assist individuals in comprehending their own values, beliefs, and ideas, without imposing any external agenda. This would require the AI to remain impartial, akin to the approach taken by people like Peter Boghossian in his debates. Moreover, the AI should be capable of providing feedback and presenting alternate perspectives to foster a natural and meaningful exchange.
Just picture this possible application: AI bots could be integrated into social media platforms like Twitter, where they could question users' viewpoints in a manner that encourages introspection and open-mindedness. This could prove to be a significant step towards reducing the extreme polarization that has become pervasive in society today.
I envision a future where individuals can engage in real-time, voice-to-voice conversations with an AI designed to facilitate an epistemological analysis of their own beliefs. This would undoubtedly prove to be a valuable resource, as conversing with an AI can help individuals more thoroughly scrutinize their own thought processes, leading to greater self-awareness.
In conclusion, I believe that the development of AI technology, specifically designed for epistemological analysis, has the potential to alleviate the issue of ideological polarization by facilitating constructive and respectful conversations. I really hope that such technology becomes widely available and accessible, leading to a more informed and connected society.
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Edit: An interesting application of this might be in the context of education to help us improve our ability to fight our own cognitive biases, make insightful questions and create alternative viewpoints or solutions to problems. I'm saying this because I'm quite positive that the average AI model would be a thousand times better at helping us accomplishing this than the average human being. Making an AI model like this accessible to everyone would definitely be beneficial.
Unrelated Note: I find it really funny that some people just come here to criticise Jordan Peterson and insult me personally, as if that was relevant in this discussion. I don't know why those comments are deleted. It's really funny to see how they totally miss the point while at the same time they prove mine 😂 I'm also fascinated by the amount of downvoting that both the post and my comments have received. The fact that this post is flagged as "controversial" is priceless.
merien_nl t1_jdi1g05 wrote
No. This is the same thing we thought in the late '90s with the popularisation of the internet. If all the facts are available to everyone it will changes discussions, we will understand each other better, the world will be a better place. It wasn't to be.
Same here, polarization exists it serves a purpose for some. We have created a society where there have to be winners and losers. There is little room for both sides to have valid points. There is little room to agree to disagree.
It is not good for society, but I'm afraid AI is not going to help us here. As much as it could be a positive tool it can also be a negative tool. Generating very convincing arguments for whichever position you want to take.