[extropy-chat] EVENT: Vernor Vinge Challenges the Singularity 2/15

[nvitamore at austin.rr.com]

Note: Vinge's talk is this THURSDAY evening, Feb. 15, not the usual Friday. 

Science fiction writer Vernor Vinge invented the concept that 
dominates thinking about technology these days. He called it "the 
Singularity"--- the idea that technology (computer tech, biotech, 
nanotech) is now accelerating so exponentially that it will lead to a 
massive, irreversible, and profoundly unpredictable transformation of 
humanity by mid-century. 

This Thursday evening Vinge will challenge his own idea for the first 
time: "I have some plausible, non-singularity scenarios that get us 
into a human-scale world with long time horizons. I'll describe the 
near-term peculiarities I see for such scenarios and then discuss 
what such a world might be like across ten or twenty thousand years. 
Finally, I'd like to talk about dangers and defenses related to these 
scenarios." 

"What If the Singularity Does NOT Happen?" Vernor Vinge, Cowell 
Theater, Fort Mason, San Francisco, 7pm, Thursday, February 15. The 
lecture starts promptly at 7:30pm. Admission is free (a $10 donation 
is always welcome, not required). This may be a particularly popular 
lecture, so I advise coming early to be sure of a seat. 

Vernor Vinge (pronounced "VIN-jee") is author of the 
cyberspace-anticipating 1981 novella "True Names"; ACROSS REALTIME 
(1987, built around the Singularity idea); the Hugo Award-winning A 
FIRE UPON THE DEEP (1992) and A DEEPNESS IN THE SKY (1999); and his 
new novel of the near future, RAINBOWS END, which will be available 
at the talk. 

This is one of a monthly series of Seminars About Long-term Thinking 
organized by The Long Now Foundation. All previous talks are 
available for download from the final link in this note. If you 
would like to be notified by email of forthcoming talks, please 
contact Simone Davalos--- simone at longnow.org, 415-561-6582--- or go 
<http://list.longnow.org/mailman/listinfo/SALT >here to sign up online. 

Talks coming up: 

Mar. 9 - Brian Fagan, "We Are Not the First to Suffer Through Climate
Change" 
Apr. 27 - Frans Lanting, "Life's Journey Through Time" 
May 11 - Steven Johnson, "The Long Zoom" 
June 8 - Paul Hawken, "The New Great Transformation" 
June 29 - Francis Fukuyama, "'The End of History' Revisited" 
Sep. 14 - Niall Ferguson & Peter Schwartz, "Historian vs. Futurist on 
Human Progress" 
Oct. 12 - Juan Enriquez, "Mapping the Frontier of Knowledge" 
Nov. 9 - Rosabeth Moss Kanter, "Enduring Principles for Changing Times" 
Dec. 14 - Jon Ippolito & Joline Blais, "The Edge of Art" 

(You are welcome to forward this note to anyone you think might be
interested. --Stewart Brand) 



--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web.com – Enhanced email for the mobile individual based on Microsoft®
Exchange - http://link.mail2web.com/Personal/EnhancedEmail