In a commentary, German writer Thomas Brussig reflects on why logical arguments about humanity’s future may not be enough to make a prediction feel real. He draws on his childhood in East Germany, where children were taught that communism would eventually bring world peace and end exploitation and oppression.
Brussig says those arguments seemed persuasive, but he could not picture the circumstances in which communism would arrive. It did not, he notes, and the experience left him with a lasting lesson: a prophecy must not only sound logical; it must also spark a vivid mental picture.
That perspective frames his question about warnings that artificial intelligence could threaten humanity. Brussig says he can imagine such dangers—but in science-fiction series.
Sources: Süddeutsche Zeitung.