Ever more highly-paid researchers “improve” upon life’s complex cycles while farmers disappear and technocrats flourish, the latter peering down at the former through drone-mounted cameras or satellites.
I was talking with a farmer friend last night about how we confuse what we can measure and quantify with what exists in the totality of God’s creation. Because we have developed a microscope, we can see that level of God’s creation, ditto for chemicals, and ditto for individual atoms. But the beauty of his bounty is that at every level that we can measure there are interdependent relationships that when we take the proper perspective of humility, we understand that we cannot understand the staggering complexity and richness of his creation. This is my fundamental fear with AI, that it will take an incomplete view (it is only capable of understanding data points given to it) but we will confuse this manufactured incompleteness for the real thing. In the fervor of our technological orgy we will confuse the map for the territory. And of course there will be consequences. Just like confusing biological processes with mere NPK, or thinking of soil as a “growing medium”. In our effort to make sense of the staggering and awe inspiring God created complexity that surrounds us we seek to reduce and simplify to allow our mortal minds to digest all of that splendor, when what we should do is step back and look, and feel and listen. “Be still and know that I am God”. A farmer has no greater tool.
"when we take the proper perspective of humility, we understand that we cannot understand the staggering complexity and richness of his creation." Yes! But in hubris we believe humans are evolved and can conquer the world. Only now are we understanding the gut mocrobiome and that PFAS are forever chemicals -- our technologies consistently take us one step forward and two steps back. Then we say "Oh, technology will fix that" -- and go further off the cliff. It is demonic, and godless. It is techno-mysticism, worshipping at the font of self-destruction.
This one is great. 👍 Your editor, in this instance was wrong. Side note- Farming Full Time and Raw Milk Momma, found on SubStack are having live conversations. Adam is a row crop farmer from Minnesota and Liz is Grower from Maryland with a holistic bent. If anyone would lend your opinion on the establishment of a AG category on SubStack in would be much appreciated.
As usual John, you hit it out of the park.
Ever more highly-paid researchers “improve” upon life’s complex cycles while farmers disappear and technocrats flourish, the latter peering down at the former through drone-mounted cameras or satellites.
I was talking with a farmer friend last night about how we confuse what we can measure and quantify with what exists in the totality of God’s creation. Because we have developed a microscope, we can see that level of God’s creation, ditto for chemicals, and ditto for individual atoms. But the beauty of his bounty is that at every level that we can measure there are interdependent relationships that when we take the proper perspective of humility, we understand that we cannot understand the staggering complexity and richness of his creation. This is my fundamental fear with AI, that it will take an incomplete view (it is only capable of understanding data points given to it) but we will confuse this manufactured incompleteness for the real thing. In the fervor of our technological orgy we will confuse the map for the territory. And of course there will be consequences. Just like confusing biological processes with mere NPK, or thinking of soil as a “growing medium”. In our effort to make sense of the staggering and awe inspiring God created complexity that surrounds us we seek to reduce and simplify to allow our mortal minds to digest all of that splendor, when what we should do is step back and look, and feel and listen. “Be still and know that I am God”. A farmer has no greater tool.
"when we take the proper perspective of humility, we understand that we cannot understand the staggering complexity and richness of his creation." Yes! But in hubris we believe humans are evolved and can conquer the world. Only now are we understanding the gut mocrobiome and that PFAS are forever chemicals -- our technologies consistently take us one step forward and two steps back. Then we say "Oh, technology will fix that" -- and go further off the cliff. It is demonic, and godless. It is techno-mysticism, worshipping at the font of self-destruction.
"Only now are we (some of us) understanding that technology evolves but human nature stays the same." -- My version of your truism.
Take editors with a grain of salt; they are prone to the same hubris as everyone else. I'm glad you published your article here.
OH NO MR. POTATO HEAD IS ARTIFICIAL LOL
lol....
This one is great. 👍 Your editor, in this instance was wrong. Side note- Farming Full Time and Raw Milk Momma, found on SubStack are having live conversations. Adam is a row crop farmer from Minnesota and Liz is Grower from Maryland with a holistic bent. If anyone would lend your opinion on the establishment of a AG category on SubStack in would be much appreciated.
They have been in contact with SubStack and told no, from what I understand. I’m going to try to get ahold SubStack of them some how
Where would I voice that opinion?