Chapter 1: The Human Experience

What does it mean to be an individual on this planet? What role do various organisms, including weevils, play in our ecosystem? How does the Earth's climate influence our lives? Understanding the molecular makeup of our soil, water, and air is crucial for the sustenance of agriculture and the advancement of civilization.

Living harmoniously within oneself, one's family, local community, and broader society is a complex endeavor. There are no definitive answers to these inquiries; rather, they serve as prompts for reflection as we navigate our existence.

Take a moment to relax and observe the world around you as it exists for you today.

I am an elderly woman, born in 1956 to parents in the US Air Force, in a post-war Britain. I represent the tail end of the Baby Boomer generation, often criticized by younger individuals who feel burdened by the responsibilities left by their predecessors.

This is the essence of being human on Earth.

I express thoughts in a manner characteristic of my generation, while contemporary younger voices resonate throughout digital platforms and various sectors of life, such as social media, e-commerce, sports, and healthcare.

Younger generations tend to favor personal narratives over authoritative declarations—a contrast to the style often embraced by older generations.

Here is a glimpse into my personal journey.

As my life nears its conclusion, I find myself transitioning from a state of dignity and independence to one marked by illness and reliance on others—especially on the younger ones, whom I am reluctant to burden. I intend to share my experiences during this stage of life until I feel that I have lost my dignity and autonomy to an unacceptable extent. Yes, I have prearranged my funeral, and these discussions have been ongoing with my family and friends.

In the meantime, as has been customary in past generations, I aim to engage with the younger individuals in hopes of facilitating their journey toward survival and success. A vital lesson I urge everyone to embrace is the awareness that today's youth will eventually become the older generation. It’s essential to plan for this inevitability and to engineer solutions accordingly.

Furthermore, I encourage young people to view our various mental constructs—individuals (each of us is a unique mindset), family, local community, professional spheres (including scientific, creative, and physical endeavors), religious affiliations, and other cognitive activities—as sets. Applying mathematical principles from set theory to analyze social, economic, political, and religious datasets can yield valuable insights for social and bioengineering purposes. For example, science encompasses a broad field that necessitates creativity, akin to the work of artists, who also employ logical reasoning in their creative processes, revealing an overlap between these two domains.

In all cases, whether considering older or younger individuals, how do these groups intersect at specific moments in time, across different eras, and throughout the entirety of human history, in relation to all the sets I have mentioned and what you can document and envision?

If this appears overwhelming and reminiscent of a fantastical puzzle, it indeed is.

This is where the role of AI becomes crucial—not as a ruler, but as a tool to help us comprehend the vast array of information accessible to all human minds, enabling us to identify patterns that could facilitate our survival and flourishing in these challenging times of pandemics, environmental crises, and social discord.

Happy Valentine's Day, February 14, 2021.

Dr. Teresa Hawkes

Chapter 2: Interconnectedness and AI