Re: What should you ask a wish machine to do for you?

Hal Finney (hal@rain.org)
Wed, 1 Oct 1997 18:07:42 -0700


I'm surprised nobody has pointed out:

> > > > (1) "Make me think a million times as fast."

In the hands of a malicious genii, or even an objective one, this could
easily lead to a hellish situation. Your brain, thinking a million times
faster, is trapped in a body able to move only at normal speeds. It will
take twelve subjective days for one second of normal time to go by,
during which your sensory inputs are limited to whatever you happened to
be looking at at the time. This will effectively produce sensory
deprivation, without regard to what months of paralysis will do to your
psyche. You'd probably be unable to talk or move with any coordination.
Your first act will be to fall over, if you were standing. Luckily you
will have weeks to get ready before you hit the floor.

All in all, not a very smart wish as worded... And you know how those
geniis are...

Hal