[extropy-chat] Opinions on Singularity

[ben]

Anne-Marie Taylor <femmechakra at yahoo.ca> wrote:

> I'm hoping for opinions on:
>  What are the advantages to The Singularity occuring?

Here are some opinions on this:

POTENTIAL advantages (not saying that this is what i expect, understand)
are mainly allowing us (people in general) to lever ourselves out of the
shithole we find ourselves in at present. Allowing us to live as long as
we want, rid ourselves of diseases, poverty, oppression, allowing us a
much better chance of realising our potentials as thinking beings.
Maximising our chances of happiness. Giving us (thinking beings in
general) a fighting chance to survive into the future.

>  What do most people think the biggest risks are?

Biggest risk of course, is total annihilation. Lesser risks are
enslavement, many other possible ways of making our lives worse rather
than better. Perhaps worst of all, involuntarily changing us, changing
who we are, how we think. Some will think that's worse than death.

>  What is most important to you when it comes to technology?

That it's continuing development not be stifled.

In a sense, technology defines us, it's what we do. Without it, what are
we? Just another monkey. No, worse, a very poor monkey. Strip a human
being of all technology and set them free in a totally natural
environment, and prevent them from using any technology. How long will
they last? I reckon a few days. Some might manage a few weeks, but i
doubt if any human can live for long without technology.
So stifling technology is stifling us. Do that, and you kill us, sooner
or later.

It's no good saying "only so much technology, but no more", like the
Amish do. What could the Amish do about a smallpox epidemic? Just scale
that up. What could we, with our current technology, do about a big
asteroid strike? A massive solar flare? Nearby supernova? Interstellar
hydrogen cloud? etc. We need to keep going, or we die.

Actually, that sounds a bit grim, doesn't it? I think it's important to
make sure we have fun along the way, too!

ben