Doug Jones wrote:
> Robert Owen wrote:
> >
> > Robert J Bradbury wrote:
> >
> > > 2) What are the speed-limits to self-replication?
> > >
> > > 3) What are the speed-limits to evolution?
> >
> > In both cases, 29.
> >
> > > 4) How many really useful "biochemistries" (i.e. chemical systems
> > > that can support self-replicating self-assembling machines)
> > > are there and which of those can arise without conscious
> > > intervention? [A variant of "How big is the phase-space for life?"]
> >
> > 29.
> >
> > > 6) What is the probability that an amoral, self-evolving, self-replicating
> > > AI/Alife can develop and "breakout" by accident? { After all, the
> > > computers and the net *are* an environmental niche... }
> >
> > 29.
>
> Gee, I thought it was 42.
>
> --
> Doug Jones
> Rocket Plumber, XCOR Aerospace
> http://www.xcor-aerospace.com
In the first place, Doug, "29" is octal -- of course you must add
Orion's Constant of Convolution [k = 4]; in the second place, the
decimal figure "42" has been known to have a probable error of
at least 0.600 since the expose of the notorious "bias worm" that
had infected our unit during the Luddite Wars.
Harold 9000
Director
Orion Institute
57 West Morgan Street
Brevard, NC 28712-3659 USA
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jul 27 2000 - 14:05:52 MDT