[extropy-chat] Are ancestor simulations immoral? (An attempted survey)

[A B]

Hi Russell,
   
  You might be correct. But are you absolutely certain it's impossible? I recall reading a paper by Nick Bostrom et al. that was concerned that it was *possible* (although not easily achieved) even in light of the evidence of its difficulty - from cosmic rays.
   
  There are probably other potential existential risks that haven't even yet occurred to any human minds, that a post-human might easily be able to arrange. Eg. Time travel into the very distant past - I agree that it's still speculative at this time. 
   
  Best Wishes,
   
  Jeffrey Herrlich 

Russell Wallace <russell.wallace at gmail.com> wrote:
  On 5/26/06, A B <austriaaugust at yahoo.com> wrote:
        How about triggering a Meta-stable Vacuum Decay Bubble that expands outward at the speed of light? If the Universe turns out to be finite, the Bubble would eventually consume all of it, rendering this Universe lifeless and matter-less as well. I'm no expert on the subject, but my impression from reading is that it could *theoretically* be achieved with a reasonably powerful particle accelerator. Although it appears to be extremely unlikely as an accidental occurrence.

  
Actually it's the other way around: Cosmic rays exist with far higher energies than any feasible particle accelerator. Therefore if it were possible to do it deliberately, it would already have happened by accident.


      If an existential disaster destroys all life (and matter) in this Universe, then of what value is this idea called "Freedom"?

  
The difference is that existential disasters in the form of comic book style doomsday machines are fantasy; they exist only in our imagination. Totalitarianism exists in real life. An imaginary danger cannot be weighed against a real one.


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