From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Wed Sep 19 2001 - 11:17:44 MDT
From: "John Clark" <jonkc@worldnet.att.net>
> There is almost no way
> to stop the singularity
As an ardent proponent of the singularity (which I like to call the
evolutionary phase transition), the idea that it is close to inevitable
appeals to me. Nevertheless, over-confidence may not serve us well.
At present, only a tiny fraction of the world's population know anything about
the singularity. Don't you think opposition to the singularity from religious
fanatics (and the terrorism they engender), will build as news of it spreads?
When even a technophile such as Bill Joy recommends relinquishing scientific
research, what will happen when most of the people on this Earth (who are
infected by some form of religion) get wind of it? As Richard Dawkins has
pointed out, the religious opposition to science is based not on reason, but
on a cognitive dysfunction called faith (and the faithful are not stupid,
they're just crazy).
Efforts to protect the hardware of the singularity (and the financial world
that supports it) may be more successful than measures that were in place to
protect (the former) WTC. See, for example:
http://www.thebunker.net/net_230998.htm
Protecting the singularity from neo-Luddite (and cryo-Luddite for that matter)
terrorist attack may require dedication equal to or greater than that
practiced by its near-future opponents.
--- --- --- --- ---
Useless hypotheses, etc.:
consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, Cyc, Eliza, cryonics, individual
uniqueness, ego, human values, scientific relinquishment
We won't move into a better future until we debunk religiosity, the most
regressive force now operating in society.
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