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

Hara Ra (harara@shamanics.com)
Sat, 04 Oct 1997 14:06:06 -0700


Prof. Jose Gomes Filho wrote:
> >Mitchell Porter asks
> >: Imagine a machine with superintelligence
> >: and maximal abilities to construct physical
> >: systems (whether that be nanotech or something
> >: more advanced, such as the creation of designer
> >: universes), but no volition to speak of.
> >: What should one ask of such a machine?

> Great answer !
> Like in Alladin's story, where the lamp genius could transform wishes in
> reallity...
> The first wish: That all my next wishes become real !!!

Well, and make a backup of my current state, and detect and abort
pathological results, and observe the 3 laws of robotics, and...

I've played with the "magic wand" notion for over 20 years, and have a
long list of things I have thought of. It's been instructive in terms of
the tendencies of my creative thinking.... A few for your consideration:

1. Enhancement of various physical attributes of my body,
or experiences physiologically impossible. Example:
Ejaculation of gallons of semen. (I have other examples
which to say the least are socially objectionable.)

2. Pills, suitably color coded, to cure any disease or provide
well defined visionary experiences. Examples: HIV cure,
Sex with the partner of your dreams.

3. Teleport booths, transfer gates - standard science fiction
stuff.

4. Viewer of any point in space, and maybe time.

5. Force-o - Object the size of a quarter, provides 1 kg/milliampere
force in direction of current, resistance 1 ohm.

6. Doorways to same point, but to an earth in which humans didn't
develop.

7. Stasis box. (see Larry Niven)

8. Additional rooms to my house, a door sized poster, which when put up
and activated, provide extra space in some other dimension without
using more space in my place. Design of room up to my imagination.

9. Infinite CPU - once loaded, press 'run' and result appears in no
time...

Enjoy...

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| Hara Ra <harara@shamanics.com> |
| Box 8334 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 |
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