Explicitly Coded Systems

I am coming more and more to oppose the use of anything but Explicitly Coded System (ECS) as opposed to trained systems like Neural Network AI in life threatening situations.

 With a trained system, you do not know what the parameters actually are.

Having ECS doesn't necessarily mean you know every ramification of every line of code.  You never do.  But it's possible to understand how and why things work in pretty great detail, as opposed to having a black box.

ECS includes 'knowledge based' AI systems as may be created with Lisp and Prolog.

Answers to some questions.

Are neural networks 'life'?  No!

Can neural networks produce art?  No, they produce patterns which are shaped and selected by human artists.

What are neural networks good for?  Pattern recognition and reproduction.  Not reasoning or selection.

Will AI solve our problems?  No, every new technology will only make our problems worse.*  Our problems stem from inconsistencies between the human spirit and its global apex predator role, hardened into human society and practices which necessitate explotiation and endless growth.  Only a revolution in spirit and society and practices can save us.  We must learn to live with less rather than endlessly try to create more.  Including especially less people and less occupation, decimation, and destruction of the habitats of other species (and most notably...the oceans).

(*A parallel to Brook's Law which says that 'adding manpower to a late project will only make it later.')

My belief is that advanced 'alien' forces are already 'here' (perhaps at some distance) and primarily to ensure we don't spread our defective spirit and practices further afield.  This is a prison, school, hospital, quarantine zone or something like that.  We are actively blocked from seeing them or other living forces in the universe so we cannot find this out ourselves and attempt to defeat it.  Given what we are, this would not be cruel or unwarranted.  I believe their aim is to save and then assimilate us into the pan galactic civilization, as they seek new experiences and knowledge, but they know it may take time and many catastrophic collapses for our species to be reformed sufficiently, and it might not happen at all.  Meanwhile, they continue to accumulate new experiences and knowledge in the process, making it a worthwhile endeavor in any case.