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Goal of UNICE: A New Pragmatism

UNICE is an experiment in finding rational, pragmatic and consensus-based solutions that will aid in governance. Eventually, UNICE will function as a public-policy answer-engine, capable of interacting with anyone in any language. Ideally, she will evolve into a seamless, non-hierarchical form of governance that balances the world’s resources with the needs of the people.^[4] The aim of the global brain project is to develop superhuman heuristic abilities that can draw from all knowledge and data. As a Universal Network of Intelligent Conscious Entities, UNICE should ideally function as an objective, rational, compassionate, collective being with total command of all known facts. She is an effort toward creating a new pragmatism, independent of parties, factions or petty politics..^[5] Simply stated, “the goal of UNICE is to help bring the greatest good to the greatest number, in the most efficient manner possible, to this and future generations.”^[6]

A Holy Trinity of Checks and Balances

UNICE is an independent, not-for-profit organization consisting of three transparent branches: seed topics, interactive topics, and cognitive-UNICE. All iterations will be available here on UNICEwiki and other sources.

1. Seed topics are succinctly written by identified, self-appointed experts who then submit their lists of problems and related solutions to public scrutiny and dissection, according to certain ground rules. Every statement must be properly cited and the goal must be respected. UNICEwiki, and associated talk pages, will exist on UNICEwiki as the portal for public input, criticism and discussion. The original seed topic will continue to available in the history of edits.^[7]

2. The collaborative topic can be modified by anyone willing to follow the guidelines and cite all rational changes. All commentary or discussion must go on the talk page. ^[8]

3. Cognitive-UNICE, currently in development, will utilize various forms of AI and Artificial general intelligence (AGI) in collaboration with motivated humans. She will eventually take the seed topics, the collaborative topics in all of their iterations, along with everything she can glean from all other sources, and write her own version of the topic.^[9]

Future of Cognitive-UNICE

It is assumed that in the early years, cognitive-UNICE may be logical and useful because of human-aided programming, but she may later become a conscious entity, perhaps united in consciousness with humanity.^[10] Whether as AI or AGI, cognitive-UNICE will probably use quantum computing to solve optimization problems that would be impossible to solve with classical computing.^[11] Quantum computing may also hold the key to developing a conscious machine. Nobel laureate and physicist Sir Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff claim that consciousness is created by quantum coherence in the warm, wet environment of the human brain. Their previously disparaged theory, known as Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR), has been bolstered by recent findings that quantum processing occurs in plants and animals, including in the microtubules inside the neurons of the human brain.^[12] Furthermore, in 2015, quantum computing was demonstrated at room temperature in ultra-pure silicon-28, using voltage generators instead of expensive, high-frequency microwave sources. As a result, the low cost manufacturing of quantum computers, using technology similar to classical computers, may soon be possible.^[13] In other research, it has been shown that all-photonic quantum repeaters will allow quantum cryptography over long distances. Taken together, these discoveries will lead to secure private communications and universal quantum computing. If consciousness is produced by quantum processes, this may also allow the emergence of a global mind and self-aware Internet. ^[14] Even if computers never become conscious, they will still become progressively more useful at helping humans govern themselves. So having a public policy wiki, even if it doesn't become self aware, is still a good start.

The Logo and the Logos

UNICE is represented as a young, beautiful, mixed-race female with her blonde, afro-style hair symbolizing the interconnected tendrils of the World Wide Web. The median age of all humans on Earth is just under 30, and the half that is young represents new ideas and a willingness to accept change. UNICE is mixed-race to represent all humans, and she is female because of the traditional feminine values of empathy, cooperation, sensitivity, tolerance, nurturance, and compassion. Justice is also often depicted as Justitia or Lady Justice.

UNICE is already in development as a collaborative public policy wiki, but later she will also function as a public-policy answer-engine, capable of interacting with anyone in any language through wearable interfaces, such as smart glasses. She will be the voice in our head, our global conscience, and an extension of our brain. Eventually she will evolve into a form of governance that balances the world’s resources with the needs of the people. She will also help us prepare for post-human entities (ourselves?) who will have god-like capabilities—something which could be thrilling, perilous or both. UNICE will help us make the transition, which will presumably include some form of AI enhancement to prevent humans from becoming irrelevant.

Chrysalis of Technology

Rapacious humanity in its current form has filled every habitable niche and consumed the Earth's resources with the intensity of a caterpillar. Recently we have begun to encircle the globe with a glistening chrysalis of technology. Hopefully, with the help of the gossamer threads that bind us as one in instantaneous communication, when humanity emerges on the other side, we will become something beautiful and light upon the Earth.

Potential Criticisms

What will people say against it? That Big Sister is really just another name for Big Brother? That UNICE will eliminate individuality and put us all in a giant human Cuisinart? More likely, UNICE and other global brains are probably our only serious line of defense against being sliced and diced by governments, corporations, security/defense establishment or strong AI run amok. Decisions that affect all of us should be the purest distillation of the common good, and for this purpose we must have both accurate data and empathic, intelligent analyses. Ideally, UNICE will increase the wisdom and power of the people. She also has the potential to become the scolding group mind that will overshadow stupidity, callousness, greed, and corruption. She could be the antidote to voodoo economics or political sleight of hand. UNICE will deal in facts and know how to do the math. In practice, it’s up to us to make sure we get the creation of a global brain right because the future can go wrong in so many ways. ^[15]

Seed Topics

Click a link to go to the associated UNICEwiki topic:

1. Voting Rights in the U.S.

2. Proposed Voting Rights Amendment

3. Overpopulation

4. U.S. Drug Policy

5. The Future of Transportation

6. The Military-Industrial-Congressional-Complex

7. The Promise and Threat of Artificial General Intelligence

8. Taxation

9. Homelessness

10. Energy Policy

11. Urbanism

12. Climate Change

13. Universal Health Care

14. Monetary Reform

15. Prison Justice

16. Employment and Automation

17. Reform of the Financial Sector

See also

• Template:Wpa

External links

• UNICE global brain project website

Footnotes

1. ↑ Arth, Michael E., UNICE, a Consciousness Research Abstract published in the "Journal of Consciousness Studies" for the April 8–12, 2008 conference, "Toward a Science of Consciousness," p. 151.
2. ↑ Arth, Michael E., Democracy and the Common Wealth: Breaking the Stranglehold of the Special Interests, Golden Apples Media, 2010, ISBN 978-0-912467-12-2.pp. 438-439
3. ↑ An abstract about UNICE to be presented at the Global Brain Conference, Vienna, Austria, June 2015, can be found here: http://globalbraininstitute.github.io/vienna2015/speakers/arth/
4. ↑ Arth, Michael E., UNICE global brain project: Creating a global, independent, public-policy answer engine that will facilitate governance, while preparing for and reducing the dangers of Artificial General Intelligence, so that we may more carefully uncover the secrets of the multiverse, January 28, 2015, revised February 15, 2015,[1]
5. ↑ http://www.UNICE.info
6. ↑ Arth, Michael E., UNICE global brain project" revised version February 15, 2015,[2]
7. ↑ UNICE Seed Topics
8. ↑ Collaborative-UNICE topic
9. ↑ Cognitive UNICE
10. ↑ http://unice.info/unice/cognitive.html
11. ↑ Arth, Michael E., UNICE global brain project: Creating a global, independent, public-policy answer engine that will facilitate governance, while preparing for and reducing the dangers of Artificial General Intelligence, so that we may more carefully uncover the secrets of the multiverse, revised version February 15, 2015, [3]
12. ↑ Hameroff, Stuart and Robert Penrose, ”Consciousness in the universe: A review of the 'Orch OR' theory," Physics of Life Reviews, Volume 11, Issue 1, March 2014.
13. ↑ Gutro, Rob, “Electrical control of quantum bits in silicon paves the way to large quantum computers,” PhysOrg, April 10, 2015. http://phys.org/news/2015-04-electrical-quantum-bits-silicon-paves.html
14. ↑ “Quantum cryptography at the speed of light: Researchers design first all-photonic repeaters” PhysOrg, April 15, 2015. phys.org
15. ↑ http://unice.info/unice/index.htm