From: YakWax@aol.com
Date: Sat Jul 12 1997 - 04:41:43 MDT
Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote:
> [snip] ...the phrase "Gaussian" has never been used in any science
> fiction novel (that I am aware of) to refer to a group of humans. It
> will therefore have only whatever connotations we choose to give it, and
> will initially evoke no prejudices.
>
> Do any of you deem this phrase insulting?
> Would it make you feel megalomaniacal if you used it to refer to others?
I was going to say 'what if all people are enhanced?' but then I realised
that if we increase the intelligence of everyone by 10%, Gaussian
distribution still remains as the 'norm' (which we could then consider
'Gaussian human') and those who are peaking would either become Gaussian, or
enhance themselves further.
I think the term is fits, and it isn't easily used as an insult.
"You're nothing but a Gaussian, now watch as I enslave your people and burn
your buildings, ha ha ha ha"
~Wax
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:44:34 MST