[extropy-chat] My Dilemma

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jul 5, 2006, at 3:58 PM, BillK wrote:

> On 7/5/06, Robert Bradbury wrote:
>> .. For example I can make a very good case that the war in Iraq  
>> will in
>> retrospect end up having cost millions, perhaps tens of millions  
>> of lives
>> (due to the fact that that money that will be unavailable for  
>> nanomedical
>> related developments that would significantly extend the lifespan of
>> millions of people).
>>
>
> You could also make a case that the war in Iraq will save millions of
> lives by driving the Singularity technology forward. Research on
> robotic vehicles, robot bomb investigators, robots to go into tunnels,
> robot flying vehicles, new weaponry, new medical facilities, new
> bionic limbs, new armor technology, new radars, nano technology,
> computer systems, ..... the list goes on.

Largely fantastical I am afraid.  The troops don't have adequate old  
fashioned armor.  Their are some new pieces of military hardware and  
some robotics but arguably not as much as the same money invested in  
the civilian R&D world would bring and much more focus toward  
aggression and worrisome uses of technology than might otherwise be  
the case.  Plus we are increasing world volatility and the likely  
escalation of this so-called "war on terror" .  It is perverting our  
civil liberties and much of the domestic agenda.

> There is a vast amount being
> invested in pushing research on as fast as possible to support the war
> in Iraq.

That is certainly no justification for this pointless war.

- samantha