The Singularity Is Near

http://singularity.com ^ | September 22, 2005 | Ray Kurzweil

[Momaw Nadon]

And I'm sure you've racked your brain thinking of things that could be done, and after exhaustively thinking about the options for such a long time, you finally concluded that there's no way.

Well, if someone were against the increasingly rapid advance of technology, he might be interested in sending mail bombs to prominent scientists. (Where have I heard that before?)

In the book, Kurzweil asserts that the only thing that could stop the Singularity is a worldwide totalitarian dictatorship. And I am most certainly against dictatorship.

[Thinkin' Gal]

the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity. In this new world, there will be no clear distinction between human and machine, real reality and virtual reality. We will be able to assume different bodies and take on a range of personae at will.

Nobody needs to be responsible for the results of their, um, creativity because "the machine made me do it" and "is" is relative. This looks like the Clinton persona (narcissism) packaged for resale.

[Dan Cooper]

You notice the borg never took on any lardasses.
Every one of them is in pretty good physical shape. Are the rotund borgs busy watching TV and not able to take part in the assimilation of everything?

The fat borg were probably all rendered down for their constituent compounds and minerals. All for the good of the collective!

[Fitzcarraldo]

They are trying to develop "friendly AI".

I propose Christian AI.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Christian AI ping

[jennyp]

As long as we have contingency plans to deal with those monsters from the Id!

[Momaw Nadon]

How do you define "playing God"?

Redefining "the very nature of what it means to be human", as per your introductory comments.

First, I must say that humans or sentient robots will never be God. God is infinite perfection. The most we can do is advance ourselves to previously unimaginable heights. We can never be infinitely perfect.

Is it wrong to want to rid the world of disease and hunger?

Is it wrong to want to put an end to human suffering?

Is it wrong to want to live forever (or as long as we want to?

[Fitzcarraldo]

Maybe this universe is not all there is. Maybe this universe is just a pimple in an infinite-dimensional superspace. Living here for eternity might be compared to setting up eternal room service in a train station restroom.

[Vinomori]

People used those same arguments whenever something new was invented. For example, people would say to the Wright Brothers "If God intended for us to fly, he would have given us wings."

. . . . .GOOD POINT! ! ! ! Liberals especially, such as those who call nuclear power "poison," are frightened by the brain, desiring instead to live on emotions and the hobby of revising the past rather than creating the future.

[inquest]

Well, if someone were against the increasingly rapid advance of technology, he might be interested in sending mail bombs to prominent scientists. (Where have I heard that before?)

I think it was around 1995, when Clinton used the OKC bombing as a way of slandering his conservative critics. You learn from him well.

In the book, Kurzweil asserts that the only thing that could stop the Singularity is a worldwide totalitarian dictatorship.

So? His specialty is computer science, not political or social science. His opinions in those areas carry no more weight of authority than anyone else's.

[tallhappy]

Crackpot stuff -- high class, nice name dropping crackpot stuff, but crackpot none the less.

Yes he did do serious practical things early on, but this is all showbiz. All sizzle, no steak.

I was glad to see Tom Bethell comment on Kurzweil's charlatanism in the recent American Spectator.

[Momaw Nadon]

I propose Christian AI.

I agree. Future humans, cyborgs, AIs, etc. should not only be extremely powerful. They should be extremely good as well.

[inquest]

First, I must say that humans or sentient robots will never be God.

Which is why they shouldn't try to play the part.

Is it wrong to want to rid the world of disease and hunger? Is it wrong to want to put an end to human suffering? Is it wrong to want to live forever (or as long as we want to?

There's nothing wrong with wanting any of these things. Playing God in order to achieve them, on the other hand, is another matter.

[Fitzcarraldo]

[tallhappy]

Yeah. He's apparently become some sort of silly huckster now.

[inquest]

No thanks. I wouldn't want to spoil your party.

[Fitzcarraldo]

was glad to see Tom Bethell comment on Kurzweil's charlatanism in the recent American Spectator.

Thanks for the reference.

[PaxMacian]

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Eternal life in the body will be
combined with the raising of the dead,
our past lifes remembered with
the accompanying judgement.
Time comes to an end when interstellar
flight and thereby time travel becomes
part of our reality connecting us with
the heavens.

[Momaw Nadon]

Well, if someone were against the increasingly rapid advance of technology, he might be interested in sending mail bombs to prominent scientists. (Where have I heard that before?)

I think it was around 1995, when Clinton used the OKC bombing as a way of slandering his conservative critics. You learn from him well.

I wasn't referring to Clinton.

I was referring to the unabomber.

[RobFromGa]

I'd recomment "The First Immortals" by Halperin as a good read for anyone interested in the idea of science providing answers to physical death in the near term future. It is a novel, but well researched.

I'd also recommend "The Truth Machine" by the same author as a future history where we have been able to 100% detect when someone is lying, and what that would mean to society.