Discovering truth - relationships versus search engines (Part 2)
“…for Satan himself [the father of lies] masquerades as an angel of light.”
Last week, I argued that, generally speaking, followers of Jesus share their faith most effectively through “in person” encounters. For example, as a direct result of spending time with our team of Canadian leaders, hundreds of their counterparts in Medellin Colombia put Jesus in charge of their professional and personal lives!
This week and next, I will briefly explore problems associated with using search engines when seeking truth, particularly as it relates to the big questions of life. Full disclosure: I use Google a lot! I’ve already googled several questions this morning. In most cases, I was looking for factual information such as parking near my meeting this afternoon. I even used Google this morning to search for Bible verses relevant to this blog when my memory failed me and I was in too big a hurry to diligently search the Bible myself!
The risk associated with any search for truth is a function of the answers to three important questions concerning the information unearthed by the search. First, is it factually accurate? Second, to what degree is it biased by opinion? Third, and most important, what are the consequences to me or someone else if it is untrue?
Based upon these three questions, my two aforementioned searches were low risk. The first two questions are the subject of this blog and the third, the next.
With respect to concerns about factual accuracy, rapidly evolving technologies are enabling bad actors to manipulate data to invent things they want us to believe are true. Geoffrey Hinton, a British-Canadian cognitive psychologist, computer scientist and professor at the University of Toronto, is often referred to as the “Godfather of AI” (artificial intelligence). Hinton announced his departure this month from his position at Google over concerns about the risks of AI.
In an interview with The New York Times, Hinton sounded the alarm about the ability of AI to create false images, photos, and text to the point where the average person will “not be able to know what is true anymore.” He is the latest of many tech-savvy individuals to express such concerns, including the late Stephen Hawking and, more recently, Elon Musk.
However, even if the information obtained is factually accurate, will it satisfy the search for truth? Not necessarily! It could, in fact, be opinion masquerading as fact (see Paul’s admonition above). Indeed, content is often written, edited or chosen for publication or presentation by someone with a bias or ideological ax to grind.
Of great relevance to those using search engines are the algorithms which determine the content that appears in response to questions. These algorithms can be written by or for individuals desiring to bias public opinion in one direction or another. This article was written by Robert Epstein, an American psychologist, former Harvard professor and author. It documents how big tech companies, particularly Google, are using their platforms to manipulate public opinion in many areas.
The moral: be very careful when making decisions based upon information obtained using search engines! However, if the accuracy or objectivity of the information sought is not particularly consequential to the seeker, negative answers to the first two questions might not matter much.
But what if the consequences of acting on the untrue information are life changing? Stay tuned for the next blog.
Photo by Edho Pratama on Unsplash
