[extropy-chat] Futures Past

[Russell Wallace]

On 10/10/05, Daniel Assange <d.assange at ugrad.unimelb.edu.au> wrote:
>
> That depends upon how you are defining `incomprehensible' and
> `human'. There are many concepts, such as the fundamental nature of
> quantum mechanics and >3 spatial dimensions, which can only be explained
> with mathematical formulae and analogies; imagining such things as they
> `truly are' being impossible for the human mind.


It is possible to visualize simple objects in four dimensions, though not
easy (there's even a 4D Rubik Cube available - software only, of course -
though I haven't been masochistic enough to put in the practice it'd take to
be able to solve it, some people have).

> >From a navigation perspective, I think what matters is the event horizon:
> > the point at which we can no longer change the outcome, for good or bad;
> the
> > board has been played into either a winning or losing position. That is
> the
> > point which I estimate will come before 2100. (I won't be surprised if
> it
> > comes as early as 2050; I will be surprised if it comes much before
> that.)
>
> We may well have already passed that event horizon, and are merely not yet
> aware of it.
>

I don't think so - granted it's not something I _want_ to believe, but
compared to historical event horizons, the current era doesn't look close,
and several outcomes still look plausible. (If you think we are past it,
what do you think the outcome will be?)

- Russell
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