[extropy-chat] Singularity heat waste

[Lee Corbin]

Anders writes

> George Dvorsky wrote:
> > Dear Anders,
> >
> > It would appear you have some explaining to do:
> >
> > Robert Bradbury wrote:
> >> When he shows you the *designs* for how one would achieve this, tells
> >> you precisely *how* he intends to manufacture them and *where* he
> 
> Actually turning my above calculation into something more practical would
> require a lot of engineering analysis. My guess is that a start would be
> to take my Uranos semi-Matrioshka model and combine with Robert's analysis
> ...
> But while fun, I think the exercise is a bit like late 19th
> century physicists calculating maximum speeds for steam-powered racing
> cars: they would have had good reasons to believe there would be better
> energy sources and engineering solutions in the future, but they could
> only do rigorous calculations and design for the steam cars.
> 
> Why do we care about singularity energy demands?

That's a key question!   In fact, why the hell do we want to discuss
things that may not happen at all for millions of years? (I like the
19th century engineer analogy.)

Well, all of us who do it undoubtedly have different reasons. I
discuss futurism primarily as a tool the way SF writers do. It
really helps me straighten out just exactly what it is that I
want, or indeed, what many of us do or should want.

Ultimately, the reflections are on our values, and that means
our values NOW.

Lee

P.S.  Sorry for not changing the subject line, but I don't think
that any'll follow this line anyhow. I just wanted to put in my
2 cents.