[extropy-chat] fermi's paradox: m/d approach

[Robert J. Bradbury]

On Sat, 3 Jan 2004, Dirk Bruere wrote:

> > > Lets face it, what else could be the motivation to build
> > > an MBrain ?
> >
> > Figuring out how to survive?
>
> Surviving other MBrains most likely.

Probably not.  I was thinking in terms of individuals wanting
to build a large enough distributed intelligence that it
would be impossible for natural hazards to destroy their mind.

If MBrains have disputes they probably have to be settled
by hurling black holes across interstellar distances at
great expense -- one isn't going to bother with that unless
one is really convinced that another MBrain's survival in
some way seriously threatens your own survival.  If you are
both faced with the ultimate threat of the decay of all the
protons in the universe it might be better to pool resources
and determine whether there is a way out.  If there isn't
a way out -- well being at the top of the heap as it all
goes "poof" isn't very satisfying.

Robert