[extropy-chat] Transhumanism mentioned in "Skeptic" re: cryonics

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Patrick Wilken <Patrick.Wilken at Nat.Uni-Magdeburg.DE> wrote:

> 
> On 8 Dec 2004, at 16:33, Mike Lorrey wrote:
> > At this point in time, I would say with confidence that those who
> don't
> > believe there will be some sort of technological singularity are
> those
> > who are being the most pseudo-scientific or un-scientific in their
> > beliefs. The weight of evidence is just too signficant to think 
> > otherwise.
> 
> I think you miss the point. Belief for or against the singularity is 
> has nothing to do with the practice of science (at least the sort of 
> things scientists generally practice).

Quite true, but as I said, where I cited Moore's Law and scientific
estimates of the processing capacity of the human brain, it is rather
clear that at some point the average desktop computer will have the
same capacity as the human brain, while the next generation will be
twice as capable, etc. Denying this is what is truly unscientific, AND
as I said, to call such a prediction "pseudoscientific" is to also call
all economic, meteorological, vulcanological, seismological, etc. 
predictions "pseudoscientific".

Scientific predictions can turn out to be quite wrong while still being
scientifically arrived at. Thus, whoever wrote that definition is
clearly biased and must be corrected.

=====
Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism


		
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