From: Clint O'Dell (clintodell@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Aug 30 1999 - 15:23:29 MDT
>Understand, when either John K Clark or I use the word "fear", we aren't
>talking about unthinking instinctive revulsion. I mean, I'd probably
>get a serious adrenaline shot if I heard nanotechnology had been
>invented,
Wouldn't we all :-)
>but I wouldn't *panic*. At least I don't think so.
>
>We're talking about the engineering belief that it's
>vastly easier to build nanoweapons than shields, and the sociological
>belief that given human nature, people are very likely to build - and
>use - nanoweapons. To the extent that we can choose between futures, we
>want to steer away from nanotechnology - or rather, since "Attempting to
>suppress a technology only inflicts more damage" (Yudkowsky's Threats
>#3), steer towards AI or IA or some other technology that comes with a
>built-in conscience, even if it's not a knowably friendly one.
>
>But we're still afraid.
Thanks for clearing that up for me.
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