Beware the Singularity

[Griffin NoName]

What are you all doing to prepare for the Singularity - "a time when humans merge with machines, become smart and live forever." ?

Please share your tips !

More info at link.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

You mean that all the electronic gizmos that surround me now aren't it? 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

What are you all doing to prepare for the Singularity - "a time when humans merge with machines, become smart and live forever." ?

Please share your tips !

More info at link.

I just hope it happens before my crappy body gives out..... 

[beagle]

And I hope it happens after mine does.  Rassilon was right in The Five Doctors; immortality would be a curse.  The religious can have it 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

And I hope it happens after mine does.  Rassilon was right in The Five Doctors; immortality would be a curse.  The religious can have it 

Aaaah, but once immortality becomes commonplace?  Honorable suicide will too.... there'll always be an "off" switch, I think.

Just like on Lazarus Long's chair in "Time Enough For Love"... (Heinlein)

[Aggie]

I have deep reservations about the humans ceasing to exist as biological entities.*  I'm not sure I would take the option of jumping to a non-biological "body" (note: haven't checked the links, I think that's what we are discussing; referred to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity for an overview). If I could split existence and contribute some facet of awareness and/or experience to a collective superintelligence and continue to exist as a separate biological entity, I would take that opportunity.

I think there is potential for a superintelligence to be benign, since it would not be driven by all the shoddy glandular motivations and primate instincts (i.e. "human nature") inherent to our biological heritage.  This would depend on what the actual motivations of such a superintelligence, other than increasing its own intelligence, and whether appropriate safeguards could be built into such an entity from the get-go.  If such an entity could be directed to manipulate our known universe into a state appropriate for continued blissful survival of humankind (and other biological beings, intelligent or not) there is the possibility that heaven-in-universe may be possible.  IOW, we could eventually create a benevolent OOO "God" (or perhaps more accurately the technology we set in motion could advance itself to a godlike state); imagine if such an entity could be used as an interface to commune with every human mind that currently exists and had existed since its creation, living or dead?  I'd see this as an ideal outcome; biological mortality (within a veritable Eden) but "spiritual" immortality in communion with all of natural intelligence.

I think it's potentially technologically possible that given enough time and resources, such a superintelligent entity could gain the ability to spawn new universes.

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The cynic in me wonders what the chance is that a) any superintelligent entity could be limited to being benign if this directly limited the further development of its intelligence     and  b) that only ONE superintelligent entity "evolves" and remains dominant on a universal level.   The presence of multiple superintelligent entities would inevitably lead to conflict; provided all were benign, there is the chance that they would find benefit in merging, but the presence of one malevolent superintelligent entity would either force the development of violent/aggressively dominant characteristics in the remaining superintelligences (leading to god-wars), or would result in the annihilation of non-malevolent entities.

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*For the record I also have deep reservations about humankind moving up the Kardashev scale in the way the progression is usually framed.  If humankind moves to a Type I civilization by actually harnessing  all of the power available on planet earth, it spells doom for our natural biosphere.  Exploring alternate technologies (via a superintelligence) which would allow ex-Terra energy generation for the advancement of civilization and/or creation of new "earths" from completely lifeless planets would be much more acceptable. 

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I have trouble thinking on a 'benevolent' superintelligence. If earthlike planets are too hard to get a truly universal intelligence would consider our disappearance a benevolent development for the rest of the species on our planet. Who are we to say that our purported consciousness is really that priceless? Even a human descended intelligence may consider our destructive nature a problem to be dealt with not necessary on our (human) best interest.

[Griffin NoName]

I'm not sure I would take the option of jumping to a non-biological "body"

It may be too late for some people. What with pace makers and insulin pumps etc etc...... what if a future more sophisticated non-biological implant released a virus to harness those that already exist...... ?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I'm not sure I would take the option of jumping to a non-biological "body"

It may be too late for some people. What with pace makers and insulin pumps etc etc...... what if a future more sophisticated non-biological implant released a virus to harness those that already exist...... ?

The future is now:  currently, scientists utilize viruses to insert all sorts of genetic materiel into unsuspecting test subjects.

In fact?  Most genetically modified foods and animals were so modified by utilizing viruses ability to insert genes into cells.

I suppose what makes such experiments "safe"* is the innards of the virus itself have been removed, which has the effect of preventing the construct from replicating. 

Of course, all of this is done indirectly-- no one can actually see inside the virus to ensure it's empty...... 

________

_{* safe being a relative term, here...}

[Aggie]

I'm not sure I would take the option of jumping to a non-biological "body"

It may be too late for some people. What with pace makers and insulin pumps etc etc...... what if a future more sophisticated non-biological implant released a virus to harness those that already exist...... ?

Aye, but these are props to the basic physical body, and don't really remove the functions and limitations of that body. I'm not necessary against augmenting the physical body or mind either, but I do think that there is a threshold somewhere which, once crossed, would remove one's 'humanity'.

Not sure that a biological virus could hijack non-bio augmentations, but then I suppose you could mean a non-bio virus here. Biological viruses are definitely capable of hijacking biological nervous systems, although I think we are quite a ways out from tailoring mind-control viruses quite yet.

[pieces o nine]

Biological viruses are definitely capable of hijacking biological nervous systems, although I think we are quite a ways out from tailoring mind-control viruses quite yet.

Weeeelllll, we do have FoxNews here, which seems to act like a mind-control virus on a disturbingly high segment of the population.

Are the Fox presenters technically biological? I say no. They say yes. 

[Griffin NoName]

 And...... 

I submit mind-control is probably as old as humans !   

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

But that's just 

It is my contention that challenging issues are, well, challenging, and most people is lazy enough to avoid the challenge. Give them a voice with bit of authority and they'll follow like sheep.

Why not make a virus to force people to think for themselves?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

....Why not make a virus to force people to think for themselves?

That's one I'd like to see.

And?  I imagine that even if the consequences to not thinking for yourself (i.e. think or die) you'd see massive numbers of sheeple dying anyway.....



Why do I say this? 

Just lookit at the death toll that is easily preventable......with a little thought beforehand....!

[anthrobabe]

I might possible be ok with a non-biological head/brain if it completely removed my tinnitus forever- maybe--
if I could still 'remember' my daughters, and smell things, and enjoy music as myself
otherwise i'll keep the faulty head/ears and stay organic in my entirety.