Synthetic Philosophy and Deductive Engineering
The SPaDE project is devised in the context of evolutionary arguments which claim to establish certain inevitable features of the long-term future of intelligence in the universe. It seeks to pave the ground for the future which those arguments claim is inevitable.
What is the point? Surely, the outcome will not depend on our efforts? Of course, I could be motivated by the expectation that anticipating that future will enable SPaDE to carve a space which is to my own advantage. But I’m OK, I don’t need that.
Playing into the far future is interesting, and trying to make a contribution to ensuring that it is a good one seems worthwhile.
The development of SPaDE as a synthetic philosophy and deductive engineering project involves not only technical and philosophical challenges, but also ethical and normative considerations.