Re: Ultimate Potential of SI versus HI/>HI
Jamie Taylor (jamietay@interchange.ubc.ca)
Mon, 14 Sep 1998 15:31:15 -0000
> From: Doug Bailey <Doug.Bailey@ey.com>
> To: extropians@extropy.com
> Subject: Ultimate Potential of SI versus HI/>HI
> Date: Monday, September 14, 1998 8:51 PM
>
> VIRTUAL SI
>
> Are we SIs? This question might seem silly but I'm serious. To answer
this
> question we need a definition of intelligence. Not being a cognitive
expert,
> I attempted to find this definition. Unfortunately, there seems to be a
lack
> of consensus. I'll struggle through this question anyway hoping the
cognition
> cogniscienti will supplement and revise my comments where necessary.
>
> Nick Bostrom defined superintelligence in his paper "How Long Before
> Superintelligence?" at http://www.hedweb.com/nickb/superintelligence.htm
> thusly:
>
> By a "superintelligence" we mean an intellect that is much smarter
> than the best human brains in practically every field, including
> scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills.
Quite possibly this 'superintelligence' will not be found on the individual
level. To reach SI a comunity of HI or <HI will have to combine efforts and
ideas; thus many humans come together to create a single
Superintelligence - a society. This is what the present scientific
community is working towards now... many individual efforts trying to reach
similar
goals... working together. I believe the main differences between an
optimal
society and our present one are:
- The individuals who make up the whole need to increase there own
mental capacity in such areas as memory retention, open mindedness,
learning efficiency.
- Communication between the individuals is what enables the society to
become efficient. To maximise this there needs to be a better way to
relay information. Not just from desktop to desktop, but from mind to
mind. We need to devise a way to pass on our thoughts and ideas other
then our 5 senses. Everyone percieves their own reality; not until
it is possible to percieve someone elses reality will it be possible to
understand fully the thoughts and ideas of others. It is more then
walking a mile in another's shoes. Possibly uploading is the answer.... I
personally do not know.
I am sure there are more ways to become closer to Superintelligence -
possibly in the form of a society - and I am sure there are some solutions
to the
above differences between Super and Present Intelligence, so good luck and
maybe
one day we will have all the answers - but that would be no fun.