From: The Low Willow (phoenix@ugcs.caltech.edu)
Date: Thu Jan 30 1997 - 12:54:25 MST
On Jan 30, 2:40pm, Anders Sandberg wrote:
} and you will end up with "Who watches the watchmen?". Another possibility
} would be an automated "immune system" against nanotech, but even if it
} would work well, there are always other dangers.
} Most likely the only stable way of preventing widespread disaster is
} dispersion.
For defense against bio and nano immune systems probably are the best
way to go. Best would be mutable systems that could be changed to small
or large degrees. It would be unlikely that anyone could be certain
they were protected against everything, but you wouldn't worry about
plagues, because there woouldn't be a common system to infect. The
ultimate case for diversity: if all your neighbors are alien freaks then
you're unlikely to ever get ill, because nothing that infects them will
infect you. Security in the High Beyond is largely cryptology and
immunology, especially combined.
I don't have any bright ideas for defense against Really Big Explosions.
(Nukes, asteroids, solar flares, etc.)
Merry part,
-xx- Damien R. Sullivan X-) <*> http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~phoenix
Be not a beauty proud or vain,
For mortal maid it will be your bane.
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