From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@www.aeiveos.com)
Date: Sun Aug 29 1999 - 06:04:36 MDT
Eliezer wrote:
>
> *I* think that nanotech is scary. *I* don't want to be on the same
> planet when it's developed.
Too late. Its heeere! You have 40 trillion self-replicating nanites
crawling around inside you right now.... And they are much worse
than the systems suggested by Drexler et. al. because they can't
even copy their operating program correctly!
> If people are frightened to death I say "GOOD!" because that's less
> insane than the mind-boggling naivete exhibited by most researchers.
>
Seriously Eliezer, could you explain a bit more what it is you are
afraid of --
(a) self-replicating machines;
(b) our ability to program such machines;
(c) the advanced materials properties allowed by hard-nanotech;
(d) every [sane] person being able to do (b) on (a) constructed from (c);
(e) the dangers that result from (d) including not-quite-so-sane people;
(f) the risks posed by allowing nanomachinery to "evolve";
(g) something I've missed?
If it is (b) on (a), I think in the biotech industry will achieve it
in the next 3-5 years. [I may even start the company to do it... :-)]
Robert
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