The most famous physicist in the world, Stephen Hawking, has proposed three important views about the destiny of human, which has aroused strong reactions around the world. But his three views are several years later than my published works and articles on these views. Therefore, I say that Hawking has proposed three views same as mine. It is not that I follow his views.
The first view: In April 2010, Hawking pointed out that hundreds of billions of galaxies exist in the universe and every galaxy has quite a number of billions of stars, so aliens almost certainly exist in the universe. We should avoid the contact with aliens. Otherwise, it would possibly lead to the ruin of human. Because aliens must have more advanced technology than human and we can not fight against them since they can reach the earth across the distance between stars. Hawking's reasoning and examples are exactly consistent with mine, but three years later than mine.
The second view: In December 2014, Hawking pointed out that artificial intelligence would finally own its self-consciousness and take place of human, because the speed of developing technology is faster than that of creature’s evolution. When artificial intelligence is developed more perfectly, it may lead to the extinction of human. Hawking’s reasoning and examples are basically consistent with mine, but seven years later than mine.
The third view: Not long ago, that is, in March 2017, Hawking was interviewed by London Times and pointed out that if artificial intelligence was not controlled well, it would lead to the extinction of human. He also advocated that we should recognize this kind of threat at faster speed and take measures before the situation out of control. To achieve the goal, a world government in a certain form need be built. Hawking's reasoning and examples are basically consistent with mine, but ten years later than mine.
First, it is impossible that I propose the views on the base of Hawking's views. He may possibly draw the views from mine to propose his views, because my views are earlier than his. Moreover, my articles and book drafts have been sent to many leaders of countries and institutes in two languages of Chinese and English. My articles and books are also published in many websites, including not only Chinese websites, but also English websites, such as scientific, social and political websites.
The saying of Hawking's three views same as mine is not to show off my achievements. I am just to say that the views of the top world scientists are coming nearer to my core views that are concerned with the living and death of human. The dream in my life is to make the world accept my views and take corresponding action. My intention is exactly to take advantage of Hawking's power to advocate my views. At the same time, I'd like to say that Hawking's views are not in depth, comprehensive or thorough.
In 1979, a strange idea hit upon me not long time after my university days. Science and technology was a double-edged sword. It could benefit human, and also could ruin human. Therefore, I was worried whether science and technology would lead to the human extinction or not if it develops in this way. If science and technology exterminated human, this would be a very important problem. Was there any possibility to resolve the problem? Soon I considered it as a worthy research topic. In one's life, it was not easy to accomplish a great cause worthy of doing. Soon afterward, I made up my mind to strive only for this. I gave up the job in a national institution to go into business also for this cause, because I could make my research and write with a peaceful mind after earning much money, and had the capital to promote my research achievements.
In fact, it is very difficult to rigorously demonstrate whether science and technology will exterminate human and find the solution for the crisis. I spent almost 28 years in conducting my research, and finished my book Saving Human Beings in January 2007. When the book with 800,000 words was not published, I delivered it to 26 human leaders including PRC President, US President, UN Secretary-General and other human leaders. But there was no feedback except a call from Iran Embassy.
In July 2007, Saving Human Beings had two volumes and was published by Tong Xin Press. Unfortunately, the publication of my book was stopped for some reason only after one day.
Afterward, another book "The Biggest Problem" of mine was published, and other two books, "On Human Extinction" and "Saving Human Beings" (Selected Edition) were issued in Hong Kong. Also, I published many articles on my views. As a result, a website called "Hu Jiaqi Website" was built for that. To advocate my theory and advice, I afterward wrote some letters to human leaders of powers, UN Secretary-General, other human leaders and relevant organs, and delivered speeches in some universities.
I ever talked with many people about my views. But my core views were considered as groundless worry, and even some people directly said that my views were fallacies.
However, science and technology has been further developed again in the past 10 years. Some of my previous prophecies seem to be true today. Meanwhile, some of my views have been proposed by some famous scientists and scholars in the 10 years, which is a comfort for me. But it is a pity that some of my most important views have not been put forward by famous people yet. No famous people accept my views, either. This makes me torn with anxiety because the time left for human is really not much.
Here I just talk about my three core views with actual significance. Hawking's views same as my first two views are just the branches of my views. The third one is my core view with actual significance, that is, only through a world government can science and technology be controlled and managed. This view is not stated again here. Other two core views are greatly important in my opinion.
My first core view is that the continuous development of science and technology will definitely exterminate human in two or three hundred years at the most, or within this century at the earliest. And I think the latter will possibly come true.
In fact, someone has put forward the views almost the same as mine. In May 2013, a research team of the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University in the same city with Hawking said that human beings will be exterminated in the next century at the earliest, and the science and technology is the culprit. The conclusion is drawn by the special research team which consists of a great number of mathematicians, philosophers and scientists. The conclusion and examples are consistent with mine, but six years later than mine.
Nick Bostrom, the director of the institute was interviewed and he said, "There is a great race on between human technological powers and our wisdom to use these powers well. But I am worried that the former will pull too far ahead." Bostrom further states that planet hitting the earth, super volcanos, nuclear explosion and other harms can not be threats for the existence of human. The biggest threat comes from the uncertain factors produced from technology innovation, for example, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and other scientific results which do not appear now.
When I knew the research team at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University made the conclusion same as mine, I was overjoyed to write a letter "To Nick Bostrom, the professor and director of the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University" and wrote an article "Finally I've got a bosom friend". The two parts were translated into English, sent to Bostrom and displayed on the website, but there was no reply to me.
In the early days of 2016, the robot developed by Google, AlphaGo, beat the go champion of the Republic of Korea, which shocked the world. It fully proved that a robot had the ability to further study, and the ability to further consider was terrible. Hawking, Musk, Bill Gates and other top world scientists are very worried about this. Bill Gates points out, "Artificial intelligence will be so powerful that human begins to worry about it in a few decades of years…I don't know why some people are completely indifferent about it." It urges me to consider that our company should speed up to do some researches about artificial intelligence, because if I don't do it, many people have been doing. If I do the research, I can notice the tendency; if the doomsday of human comes, perhaps I can offer some help at that time.
My second view has not been accepted by famous people. It is that we must begin to strictly restrict the development of science and technology from now on to avoid the extinction of human.
Science and technology has the uncertainty. The more advanced the technology is, the harder the certainty can be mastered. Now science and technology is highly developed, and if we continue rashly to develop the science and technology, the risks cannot be predicted. If we spread the safe and mature scientific achievements around the world and make reasonable management, it can ensure that human in the world will have ample food and clothing. If we get too many things from science and technology without restriction, the extinction of human beings will come near. Hawking thinks that managing artificial intelligence will resolve the problem. If we can control artificial intelligence for some time, can we control it forever? If we control one scientific result, can we control all the results? Only through the world political power, can we strictly screen the safe and mature scientific results, then spread and utilize them. At last, we should strictly and permanently seal other scientific results in the world until all of us forget them, and at the same time, we should curb the research of science and technology. This is the only way for human beings to create the sustainable future.
The above, I think, is what Hawking has not known profoundly and comprehensively. Maybe people think it is fallacy, but I still believe it is truth.
I must clarify that it is not that China should first curb the development of science and technology, but all the countries in the world should do it synchronously. If China is required to first curb the development of science and technology, I also certainly oppose it.
(Note: Hawking's views same as my three views, the first, second, and third ones are respectively referred to Section IV of Chapter III and Section II of Chapter VI in Volume I, and Section V of Chapter I in Volume II, in Saving Human Beings; also referred to Section IV of Chapter III, Section II of Chapter VI, Section IV of Chapter VIII in The Biggest Problem. Some relevant contents are also written in On Human Extinction and Saving Human Beings (Selected Edition). I have published some articles about the above views.
The author: Hu Jiaqi
Director-General of Save Human Action Organization/Anthropologist/ Entrepreneur
