From: Christian L. (n95lundc@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Jun 20 2001 - 11:07:13 MDT
Brian Atkins wrote:
>There has been a little bit of discussion, but this really isn't our area
>other than simply making sure of our own safety...
It might not be that simple...
>we try to support other organizations like ExI and now Pro-Act which was
>announced at Extro 5.
I ran a google on Pro-Act... only found a security company with that name.
Could be copyright problems...? Are they supporters of the Singularity or
more SL3 and transhumanistic stuff?
>As for the Singularity, I hold that it is inevitable except in the case
>where humanity wipes all life completely out.
<snip>
>Secondly, even if the luddites were to somehow take us back to the dark
>ages we would eventually work our way back up to this level again... it is
>the nature of intelligent beings to drive the Singularity. So in the long
>term sense, I do see it
>as the inevitable result of evolution and intelligence. But of course we
>want to get there sooner rather than later.
I agree with you, but as you say in the last line: the fact that the
singularity probably is a natural development for an intelligent species is
merely of philosophical interest. It will not help us if we spend our lives
rotting away in some "relinquishment camp" or get lynched by an angry mob.
That said, I think we have a fair chance of going Singular without much fuss
(from the luddites that is). The public outcry against new technologies seem
to slowly work its way up the SL-ladder: it currently seem to be at low-end
SL2: genetic engineering, stem cell research, cloning. I think that when
cloning has been performed and perfected, the debate will die down as it did
with test-tube babies. After that we have genetic engineering of humans,
which will cause major controversy (ClonAid say that they will pursue it). I
hardly think that AI-research will seem threatening in that respect: some
geeks sitting in a basement coding and drinking Jolt Cola can hardly compete
with gangly men in white coats and round spectacles, screaming with a slight
but unmistakable german accent: "It's Alive!! ALIVE!!!"
/Christian
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