[ExI] Hard Takeoff

[Samantha Atkins]

On Nov 14, 2010, at 6:55 PM, John Grigg wrote:

> I must admit that I yearn for a hard take-off singularity that
> includes the creation a nanny sysop who gets rid of poverty, disease,
> aging, etc., and looks after every human on the planet, but without
> establishing a tyranny.

By definition a nanny sysop is a functional tyrant in at least some ways.  

 What I want is to be reasonably sure humanity will survive this tecnological transition period.  I am pretty convinced that not that many evolved intelligent species do survive this particular developmental challenge.   The reason they do not is not because a UFAI eats them just before it self-destructs.   It has to do with the species needing to very quickly grow beyond its evolved psychology to deal with accelerating change and losing its species dominance.   It is a huge challenge.

I would love to see it through to the other side.  Who wants to die out here in "slow time"?  Certainly not I.   But my primary desire as a transhumanist is that I  do what I can to increase the odds of a successful transition.    That said, I  think a radically better future and within a mere few decades is quite possible.  And that is still exciting and exhilirating.  

- samantha