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Singularity |
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Short Introductions – My attempts to introduce the Singularity concept to readers who may be unfamiliar with transhumanist ideas, in 1200 words or less. Evolution by Choice – It sounds like an incorrect answer given by a sassy teenager on a test, but evolution by natural selection is, in reality, just a bunch of stuff that happens. The Greatest Leap – Since the rise of civilization, we have seen no appreciable increase in our level of intelligence. Remarkable as our human intellect may be, it is still a flat line along which we have shuffled in pedestrian fashion for the last 50,000 years. But we need not confine ourselves to this dusty old road. We can fly. Investing in Immortality – Few would rush to accept an offer of immortality if each successive year were to bring an ever-increasing burden of broken hips, memory loss, and incontinence. What are the Odds? – With recent discussion of AI taking place in the context of a wager, debates have tended to focus on the difficulty of the problem rather than the implications – as though the arrival of true Artificial Intelligence would only mean the difference between a robot making your coffee and brewing it yourself. What are the stakes, really? Why should this wager matter to you personally? And what, exactly, are the odds? A Place to Stand – It is our ethical imperative as a global family to improve the human condition, but we owe it to ourselves – and especially to those who suffer most – to find the most effective and efficient means possible. The Rapids of Progress – There are few causes that would not benefit from an infusion of Friendly superintelligence. But, more importantly, if we do not safely navigate the rapids of progress, we will not be around to worry about disease, poverty, or global warming. Singularity Q & A – On my first blog, I began an ambitious look at the Singularity in a non-technical Question and Answer format. I didn't get all that far, but I think I covered some of the early ground pretty well. Links at left. [Q&A]
What is the Singularity? Analysis – Miscellaneous discussion of Singularity issues. The Sysop Scenario FAQ – For an idea with such simple premises, the Sysop Scenario has unusually far-reaching ramifications. This FAQ attempts to introduce this provocative subject while simultaneously putting to rest many of the understandable concerns that inevitably follow it. Simulations: A Primer – The simulations ahead could be so advanced that an individual would not even recognize being in a simulation without being informed. These simulations could be so versatile that they would become the preferred reality of mankind's future. Singularity Blog Entries – Posts to blogs on singularity issues not included in the Q&A section above. [SIAI]
Food for Thought |
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Technology & General Futurism |
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Technology Blog Entries – Blog posts on contemporary technology and run-of-the-mill issues in futurism. Links are to the left. Book reviews are below in the next section. [Blog]
Want a Manhattan Project? Take a Number Immortality Institute Chat of November 29, 2004 – Topic: Futurism in the Past and Present |
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Book Reviews |
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Futurism, Technology, Singularity Non-Fiction Reviews – From my blog. Links at left. [Blog]
'Tomorrow Now': A History of the 20th
Century [Blog]
'The Diamond Age' |
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Futurism