Re: Singularitarian FAQ

From: Skevos Mavros (sl4@mavart.com)
Date: Tue Oct 30 2001 - 07:39:37 MST


Hi,

I've been lurking for about six months. I've had no time to send a proper
join message, or even to render and submit my ideas for a new SIAI logo,
alas. But here are some of the questions and sub-questions I found myself
asking when I *first* started thinking about the singularity, not including
those you already listed (of the ones you already have, the WHEN question
was easily the one I was most interested in initially, same with nanotech).

Some of my questions are similar to those already posted, though some of
the ones already posted seem to assume that some of mine have already been
answered. Some of mine might not be suitable for a public FAQ, but these
are the questions I asked myself. I hope some are useful.

--------

If life on the other side of the the singularity is unknowably different,
how can we be sure that the singularity a good thing?
 - Could it be a bad thing?
 - What are the chances it could be a bad thing?
 - If the singularity goes bad, how bad could it get?

Can the arrival of the singularity be stopped?
 - If it can't be stopped, can it be delayed?
 - If it can be delayed, what kinds of things could delay it?
 - Is delaying the singularity a good thing?

Can the arrival of the singularity be accelerated?
 - if it can be accelerated, what kinds of things would accelerate it?
 - Is accelerating the singularity a good thing?

Can the nature of the singularity be determined/influenced pre-singularity?
 - If it can be determined/influenced, what are people trying to achieve?
 - what makes one singularity outcome better than another?

Either you people are creating some weird new genre of online science
fiction, or you've got some *serious* plans for everybody's future. Why
should the rest of us trust you?

--------

Skevos Mavros
MavArt Productions
email: mavart@mavart.com
home page: http://www.mavart.com



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