From: Bob Grahame (bgrahame@cix.compulink.co.uk)
Date: Mon Jul 07 1997 - 15:24:35 MDT
In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.19970705061455.00732558@shell6.ba.best.com>
"Michael M. Butler" <butler@comp*lib.org> said :-
> How do you implement a "slap drone" for a Jupiter-eater?
> For a galaxy-eater?
I don't think there is a solution in these cases. If the sociopath is
more powerful than the society, then the society just has to take it's
chances.
>Or for a suitably-subtle con man or atom rustler?
If they are suitably subtle, noone knows a 'crime' has been commited, so
noone cares anyway. Apart from the philosophers, of course. :-)
> How do you implement banishment if the Diaspora has
> already headed out at .99 c?
This could be a problem. It depends on the balance between the
acceleration and the reproduction. Until (or if) we approach the Omega
point then there is no real reason (that I can see) to stop and use
every atom (or solar system) we come across. If we find space is pretty
self-similar, it might pay us to expand out towards 'intersting' areas
(unusual pulsars etc) and ignore quite a proportion of intervening
space, just leaving a few monitoring drones to 'stake our claim', if we
want to. Much of America went unclaimed until the more economicaly
active regions were filled out, and in an expotentially expanding sphere
this may take a *long* time to happen. Of course, if 'we' choose to
reproduce faster than we accelerate, there would be no niches left only
a few points behind the leading edge.
Bob Grahame : London.
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