[extropy-chat] Uses to which Space Could Be Put (was Space: The Final Constraint)

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jun 14, 2006, at 3:15 AM, Eugen Leitl wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 14, 2006 at 05:22:35AM +0100, Russell Wallace wrote:
>
>> For example, some people on this list have expressed a fairly gung- 
>> ho desire
>> to ascend rapidly to superintelligence. I personally don't have an  
>> exact or
>
> I have inasmuch a problem with that as a very rapid ascent could
> result in mass extinction of lesser players. Because of this it
> would be a good idea to initially put a dampener on the kinetics,  
> until we
> figure out how to deal with the neo-Amish problem without breaking
> too much. I have no illusions that this is only postponing the
> problem, but this also limits the problem scope, if accompanied with
> incitements (more opportunities to hitch the ride). Ultimatively,
> even maintaining classical habitats might become economically
> nonsustainable. Ultimatively, computational substrate is also
> subject to evolutionary resource allocation.


I doubt that low tech VR space is going to be that non-sustainable.

Do you want a future where it is be competitive or die?  Is that all  
there is or ever can be?

>
> I don't think there is a real solution for this dilemma, but then,
> we're not nearly there yet.
>

Fortunately far brighter minds than ours currently are will have a go  
at it with a bit of luck.

>> final answer to that, but I'm feeling inclined to stick closer to  
>> the human
>> norm (albeit with uploading if and when that becomes available).
>
> Same thing here -- but consensus interaction rate will shift
> to the faster end, so bidirectional communication with anyone
> left behind will ultimatively cease.

What for?  Let a slow subroutine handle it as it were.

>
>> As for what argument to give people who want to turn the Earth  
>> into a nature
>> reserve once we no longer need it as a location for farms, mines and
>> factories: what I want is to not have to argue. The response I  
>> want to be
>> able to give is: "Cool, have fun with that. I'm off to the  
>> asteroid belt to
>> get some dead matter to turn into computronium. Bye."
>
> If this was a guaranteed reaction, and an irrreversible decision
> we wouldn't be talking about this right now.
>

To some extent we might be able to decide what direction to nudge  
things in.

- samantha