Translated from English by Elena Belskytė, publishing house – “Kitos knogos”.
The book examines the ways in which societies from the Stone Age and the canonization of the Bible to the rise of Nazism, Stalinism, and modern populists use information—narratives or statistics—to achieve their goals. Information is not only the raw material of truth and not only a tool of power. Humanity’s ability to control it will determine whether the new unpredictable information networks, with the participation of non-human intelligence, will work together with our civilization.
Israeli historian YN Harari rejects the established view that more information is always better and that quantity of information correlates with truth. After all, the Internet didn’t stop totalitarianism, but it did to measure racism objectively.
However, the author also opposes the populist view that objective truth does not exist and that information should be used as a weapon. Ironically, the historian notes, the concept of truth as an illusion, which has been embraced by right-wing politicians in modern times, originated with left-wing thinkers such as Marx and Foucault.
Publishers photo/Yuval Noah Harari book Nexus
In a narrative that spans the ages from the Stone Age to the era of artificial intelligence (AI), YNHarari aims to “better understand what information is, how it helps build human networks, and what its connections are to truth and power.” History, he says, can help address today’s big information challenges, chief among them the political impact of AI and the risks to democracy posed by disinformation.
YNHarari redefines information itself. Most of the information, according to him, does not reflect anything and has no essential connection with the truth. The defining feature of information is not representation, but relation; it is not a way of capturing reality, but a way of connecting and bringing together ideas and, most importantly, people. This is “social connection” (Latin nexus – connection). Early information technologies such as word of mouth, clay tablets or religious texts, and later newspapers and radio, are ways of organizing the social order.
The historian builds on the idea developed in his previous books, Sapiens and Homo Deus, that humans rose above other species because of their ability to cooperate, and through the sharing of stories and myths, they were able to bring many people together. Laws, gods, currencies, and nationalities are intangibles that emerge through shared narratives. These stories do not have to be completely accurate; the advantage of fiction is that it can be simplistic and can ignore inconvenient or painful truths.
The opposite of an engaging but perhaps inaccurate myth is a statistic that tediously attempts to capture reality and empowers bureaucracy. Society needs both mythology and bureaucracy to maintain order. YNHarari sees the creation and interpretation of sacred texts and the emergence of the scientific method as contrasting approaches to questions of trust and fallibility, the maintenance of order, and the discovery of truth.
Nexus. The history of information networks from the Stone Age to the era of artificial intelligence,
Yuval Noah Harari
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He applies this framing to politics as well, treating democracy and totalitarianism as “contrasting types of information networks.” Since the 19th century, the media have helped build democracy at the national level, but have also “opened the door to large-scale totalitarian regimes”. In a democracy, information flows are decentralized and those in power are seen as fallible; under totalitarianism it is the other way around. And now, digital media is having a political impact in many forms. New information technologies are a catalyst for major historical changes.
As in her previous books, YNHarari writes with confidence, ambition and humor. He draws on history, religion, epidemiology, mythology, literature, evolutionary biology, and his own family biography, often leaping back and forth across millennia within a few paragraphs.
One might wonder why, in a book about information that promises new perspectives on AI, the author spends so much time on the history of religion, especially the Bible. The reason is that both holy books and artificial intelligence are attempts to create “infallible superhuman authority”. Decisions made in the fourth century AD about what texts to include in the Bible had far-reaching consequences centuries later, just as YN Harari argues that decisions made today about AI will determine the future of humanity.
YNHarari worries that AI could become “a new kind of god.” Unlike literature, stories or newspapers, AI can be an active actor in information networks – just like humans. He fears that AI will exacerbate existing computer-related dangers such as algorithmic bias, online radicalization, cyber-attacks and incessant surveillance. The historian worries that AI is creating new dangerous myths, cults, political movements, and new financial products that are disrupting the economy.
YNHarari’s story is engaging and his ideas are strikingly original. As he himself admits, he is an outsider in the field of computing and artificial intelligence, but it is precisely this that gives him a new perspective. Technology enthusiasts will read the book for the unexpected aspects of the story, while history buffs may gain a better understanding of the AI debate.
“Nexus is a feat of a historian who perfectly captures the spirit of modernity, whose arguments span millennia,” writes the British magazine “The Economist” in a review of the book.
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#book #Nexus #historian #Hararis #examines #era #artificial #intelligence #Culture
2024-09-14 22:35:22
– How does Yuval Noah Harari redefine the relationship between information, truth, and power in “Nexus”?
Table of Contents
The Power of Information: Understanding the Nexus of Human Networks and Truth
In his latest book, “Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI,” Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari delves into the complex world of information and its role in shaping human societies [[2]]. The book is a thought-provoking exploration of how information has been used to achieve power and control throughout human history, from the Stone Age to the era of artificial intelligence.
Rethinking the Concept of Information
Harari challenges the traditional view that more information is always better and that quantity of information correlates with truth. Instead, he argues that information is not just a raw material of truth, but also a tool of power. The historian notes that the Internet, despite its vast potential, did not stop totalitarianism, but it did enable the measurement of racism objectively [[3]].
The Dangers of Populism and Illusion of Truth
Harari also rejects the populist view that objective truth does not exist and that information should be used as a weapon. Ironically, the concept of truth as an illusion, which has been embraced by right-wing politicians in modern times, originated with left-wing thinkers such as Marx and Foucault.
The Social Connection of Information
According to Harari, most information does not reflect reality and has no essential connection with truth. The defining feature of information is not representation, but relation; it is not a way of capturing reality, but a way of connecting and bringing together ideas and, most importantly, people. This is what he calls “social connection” (Latin nexus – connection). Early information technologies such as word of mouth, clay tablets, or religious texts, and later newspapers and radio, are ways of organizing the social order.
The Importance of Stories and Myths
Harari builds on the idea developed in his previous books, “Sapiens” and “Homo Deus”, that humans rose above other species because of their ability to cooperate, and through the sharing of stories and myths, they were able to bring many people together [[1]]. Laws, gods, currencies, and nationalities are intangibles that emerge through shared narratives. These stories do not have to be completely accurate; the advantage of fiction is that it can be simplistic and can ignore inconvenient or painful truths.
The Balance Between Mythology and Bureaucracy
The opposite of an engaging but perhaps inaccurate myth is a statistic that tediously attempts to capture reality and empowers bureaucracy. Society needs both mythology and bureaucracy to maintain order. Harari sees the creation and interpretation of sacred texts and the emergence of the scientific method as contrasting approaches to questions of trust and fallibility, the maintenance of order, and the discovery of truth.
Conclusion
In “Nexus”, Harari provides a comprehensive and engaging narrative that spans the ages from the Stone Age to the era of artificial intelligence. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex and ever-changing landscape of information and its impact on human societies. As Harari notes, history can help address today’s big information challenges, chief among them the political impact of AI and the risks to democracy posed by disinformation.
By examining the ways in which information has been used and abused throughout history, “Nexus” provides a timely and thought-provoking exploration of the power of information and its role in shaping our world.
The importance of diverse perspectives to sustain an informed citizenry.
The Power of Information: Understanding the Nexus of Truth and Power
In his latest book, “Nexus: The History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari delves into the complex relationship between information, truth, and power. Translated by Elena Belskytė and published by “Kitos knygos,” this thought-provoking book examines how societies, from the Stone Age to modern times, have utilized information to achieve their goals.
Harari rejects the notion that more information necessarily leads to truth and instead argues that information is a tool of power that can be wielded to achieve specific objectives. The book is a sweeping narrative that spans the ages, from the earliest forms of human communication to the rise of artificial intelligence, and explores the ways in which information has been used to shape human networks and societies.
At its core, “Nexus” is about the social connection that information facilitates. Harari argues that most information does not reflect reality and has no essential connection to truth. Instead, information is a way of connecting and bringing together ideas and people, which is the very essence of human society. This concept is aptly captured in the Latin term “nexus,” which means connection.
Through a rich tapestry of historical examples, Harari illustrates how humans have used information to cooperate and build societies. From the earliest myths and stories to modern-day social media, humans have used information to create shared narratives that bring people together. These narratives, whether based on fact or fiction, have enabled humans to cooperate and build complex societies.
However, Harari also notes that information can be used to manipulate and control. Totalitarian regimes, for instance, have used information to maintain power and suppress dissent. In contrast, democracies rely on decentralized information flows and a recognition of
