From: GBurch1@aol.com
Date: Sun Apr 02 2000 - 18:57:39 MDT
In a message dated 4/1/00 11:05:56 AM Central Standard Time,
bradbury@genebee.msu.su writes:
> So, if you have self-replicating programmable machines (even without
> *true* molecular nanoassembly!), then "exploration" of the solar
> system, as envisioned by many science fiction writers is a pipe dream.
> [Why explore it when you can build something useful out of it?]
> To argue in support of the goal of exploration over the goal of
> building sufficient computational capacity as rapidly as possible
> [to hold uploads and backup copies], is in my opinion unconscionable.
Robert, just out of curiosity (i.e. wanting to put off disassembling Mercury
and Venus until we've had a chance to really look them over) and a sense of
aesthetic nostalgia, do you think you could do your thing with some other
matter . . . at least for a while?
Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
ICQ # 61112550
"We never stop investigating. We are never satisfied that we know
enough to get by. Every question we answer leads on to another
question. This has become the greatest survival trick of our species."
-- Desmond Morris
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