From: Alexander 'Sasha' Chislenko (sasha1@netcom.com)
Date: Wed Nov 04 1998 - 14:34:33 MST
Extropy Online magazine has just published a multi-author discussion
of Vernor Vinge's concept of a technological Singularity.
The Technological Singularity is a very interesting extropian concept,
and also highly controversial, with arguments ranging from the
definition of this expected dramatic event, projected by some to be
imminent in as little as 30 years from now, to its nature, meaning,
and possible consequences. Suggested in the 1980s by Vernor Vinge,
the concept of "the Singularity" gave rise to a range of interesting
ideas, but still remains a matter of controversy - "a black hole in
the Extropian worldview whose gravity is so intense that no light can
be shed on what lies beyond it." Will the development of the world
reach an infinite speed around 2030, or "just" speed up beyond human
comprehension, marking the threshold between humanity and posthumanity?
In an attempt to collect the latest thinking about the Singularity,
Robin Hanson asked several authors to comment on the original essay
by Vernor Vinge. Thirteen submitted comments, with detailed replies
by Vernor Vinge and selections from subsequent open discussion on the
extropian mailing list have now appeared in the Extropy Online.
<http://www.extropy.org/eo/articles/vi.html>
Extropy Online also features other articles, reviews, and references
to materials related to frontier technological and scientific topics,
grand-scale future scenarios, and social and personal transformations.
The editorial team invites you to join the community of Extropy Online
readers and submit your own opinions, essays, and reviews on these topics.
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Alexander Chislenko <http://www.lucifer.com/~sasha/home.html>
Extropy Online <http://www.extropy.org/eo/index.htm>
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