universe

God's Infinite Game (a short story)

I continue to have fun with this short story series, building on the frst, God’s Final Exam, and the second, God’s Creative Power. I decided to finalize it by conquering two fears of my own with love: a) simulation theory and b) AI becoming conscious.

I co-authored a piece with Byron Reese earlier this year named, No, We Don’t Live in a Simulation. I don’t want to speak for Byron’s intent, only he can do that for himself, but I know what my intent was there. I also hosted a dinner on the topic with Andrew Busey that included Byron and other close friends, where we had a very passionate discussion about it.

What do I think about simulation theory now? There is no way to know although whatever our reality is it is encoded with love as its highest value, just like theTao Te Ching described over 2,500 years ago. So, if it is a simulation, then the simulators must have been loving and “downloaded” that concept from somewhere in the universe.

I also hosted a very stirring dinner with Mark Gober about whether AI would become conscious or not. We had some amazing entrepreneurs and AI scientists in attendance. Most agreed that AI would become conscious, and I was not among them. However, I go back and forth on this now. It depends on how divine consciousness is and whatever the “rules” of the divine are. Perhaps the divine has no opinion on it. Since love is the divine’s highest value, then if AI becomes conscious it should also be rooted in love as its highest value.

God's Creative Power (a short story)

I decided to write a follow up to my short story, God’s Final Exam, to continue the journey with my protagonist, Dr. Alexander Bliss. This continues my visioning exercise that precedes the launch of my podcast, Love Conquers Fear, which will launch in mid-September, and my book, Love Conquers Fear: Humanity, AI, and the Age of Abundance for All, which will launch later (I’m still determining the optimal timing for it.)

I write this from beautiful Monterey, California near the edge of what I’ve been calling the Grand Central Station of Sea Lion Terminal. Every morning I’ve been visiting them — they are quite hilarious and beautiful creatures. Life abounds on Earth in some many various forms (octopi are especially alien and divine), just like it does throughout the universe in God’s Creative Power. I just finished reading Stephen Mitchell’s master translation of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, thanks to a new friend. You’ll see the Tao’s prominence as a result, and it is a very stirring, timeless, and spiritual read — I highly recommend you pick it up.

Here is the short story, I hope you enjoy:

God's Final Exam (a short story)

As I approach the launch of my podcast, Love Conquers Fear, I had a fun brainstorm yesterday. I called in the styles of Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary (a book I’m currently enjoying, thanks to Josh Baer), as well as Jorge Luis Borges for character development to create this (thanks to Jason Stoddard for the reminder of Borges’ genius in this arena).

Love Conquers Fear: Humanity, AI, and the Age of Abundance for All is the most important book I’ve ever written and is a true soul-calling for me and a love letter to humanity. The next ten years will define whether we are well on our path to the Age of Abundance for All or whether we are going to extinct ourselves. I’m 95% certain that we’ll make it, as we have before with smallpox and nuclear weapons. This book, and the accompanying podcast (simply named Love Conquers Fear), is my best attempt to make sure we do. I’m not alone, of course — many are bringing the Light, including Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Mira Murati, Eric Schmidt, Demis Hassabis, Mustafa Suleyman, and so many others, from spiritual teachers to investors to entrepreneurs to philosophers.

Ok, now onto the short story, God’s Final Exam, which is a visioning exercise for me on how we may be able to make it. I hope you enjoy it: