What is your "Great Work"?

[DGuller]

But...but....I am literally just interested in powering things.  Providing sweet wattages to the electronic minds of our future AI masters.

Thing is, engineers design tools.  I even presented AI as a means to several ends.  That's like saying we shouldn't have drills because nobody should have taken the time to design it, as a drill (now) is just a means to an end product.

[DontSayBanana]

Thing is, engineers design tools.  I even presented AI as a means to several ends.  That's like saying we shouldn't have drills because nobody should have taken the time to design it, as a drill (now) is just a means to an end product.

Not included in the quoted bit, he said AI should be a means and never an end.  I'll edit that for clarification.

[grumbler]

But...but....I am literally just interested in powering things.  Providing sweet wattages to the electronic minds of our future AI masters.

Thing is, engineers design tools.  I even presented AI as a means to several ends.  That's like saying we shouldn't have drills because nobody should have taken the time to design it, as a drill (now) is just a means to an end product.

Marti has competition!

[Martinus]

Ok this thread has gone into a weird direction.

Btw, I am thinking of joining freemasons.

[DGuller]

But...but....I am literally just interested in powering things.  Providing sweet wattages to the electronic minds of our future AI masters.

Thing is, engineers design tools.  I even presented AI as a means to several ends.  That's like saying we shouldn't have drills because nobody should have taken the time to design it, as a drill (now) is just a means to an end product.

Marti has competition!

Everyone is ignoring my entry to that competition. 

[Barrister]

Btw, I am thinking of joining freemasons.

I've had a couple of uncles who were masons, plus I attended some masonic-affiliated youth camp for a week when I was a kid.

They're a final and noble organization who does a fair bit of community work (though I don't think that's their primary purpose - still more of a social club with a side of charity).  Their "belief structure" is complete rubbish of course, but I don't think you have to treat it all that seriously.

[Savonarola]

We should never have AIs.  Machines exist to serve humanity and relieve people and animals of tedious labor.  They are a means and should never be an ends.

I really don't think you're cut out to be an engineer, Valmy.   

But...but....I am literally just interested in powering things.  Providing sweet wattages to the electronic minds of our future AI masters.

Don't feel bad, you could always change your major to math, like this guy:



...your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.

[mongers]

Ok this thread has gone into a weird direction.

Btw, I am thinking of joining freemasons.

Do you have nice looking knees?

Local pub here called the 'Square and Compasses', has no masonic links/connotations, actually 'originated' because of the local quarries.

But another local boozer actually has a masonic hall built into it.

And still every Friday (I think), you can see little men dressed in dark suites, carrying small suitcases (implements?)  at around 5 pm individually making their way to the meeting. 
Odd they never seem to broadcast their affiliation or knowledge of each other by arriving in small groups.

[Jacob]

I like how this thread got hijacked into "parenting megathread". 

Valmy will create you some android children so you can have some of the joys of parenthood without most of the hassle.

I recommend including a mute button and a "go to sleep" feature.

[Barrister]

I like how this thread got hijacked into "parenting megathread". 

Valmy will create you some android children so you can have some of the joys of parenthood without most of the hassle.

I recommend including a mute button and a "go to sleep" feature.

Self-cleaning mode would be a big feature as well.

[Malthus]

To actually answer the OP (yes I know, strange concept  ): When I was young, my "Great Work" was going to be designing a work combining philosophy and art in such a way as to move humanity in a positive direction; as I get older, the focus has narrowed; I can already look forward to the day when my "Great Work" will consist of getting out of bed. 

[Malthus]

I like how this thread got hijacked into "parenting megathread". 

Valmy will create you some android children so you can have some of the joys of parenthood without most of the hassle.

I recommend including a mute button and a "go to sleep" feature.

Self-cleaning mode would be a big feature as well.

The biological ones eventually grow that feature ... 'cleaning up after themselves' is a bit more of a challenge. 

[Savonarola]

To actually answer the OP (yes I know, strange concept  ): When I was young, my "Great Work" was going to be designing a work combining philosophy and art in such a way as to move humanity in a positive direction; as I get older, the focus has narrowed; I can already look forward to the day when my "Great Work" will consist of getting out of bed. 

You might enjoy Henry James's The Madonna of the Future.  It's a monument to procrastinators everywhere.   

[Barrister]

I like how this thread got hijacked into "parenting megathread". 

Valmy will create you some android children so you can have some of the joys of parenthood without most of the hassle.

I recommend including a mute button and a "go to sleep" feature.

Self-cleaning mode would be a big feature as well.

The biological ones eventually grow that feature ... 'cleaning up after themselves' is a bit more of a challenge. 

Yesterday I was at home with the boys.  Timmy goes "Daddy! Daddy! some See!" and brings me into his room.

He and his brother had cleaned up all the toys - without me asking.

On the one hand I was - very proud.   

On the other hand I wish they'd do it every day, and not act like it was some major sacrifice on their part.

[Jacob]

Ok this thread has gone into a weird direction.

Maybe you can consider it your "great work"?