[ExI] invisible singularity and SU

BillK pharos at gmail.com
Fri Sep 17 14:22:21 UTC 2010


On 9/17/10, Keith Henson wrote:
>  Re Singularity Utopia, our big objection seems to be that she (female
>  47) is not rooted in physical reality.
>


Now, don't start believing the stuff you read on MySpace and Facebook!   :)
Remember that most of the dolly young blonds that have 'Friended' you
there are really FBI agents.  At least, that's the case in my
experience.  ;)

Her writing style did suggest female to me, so I'd believe that. But
if I was 47, I don't think I would get wildly exuberant about a
Singularity in 2045 - when I would be 82 - if I made it that far. I'd
guess that the 47 claim might be to avoid harassment from males.


>  Couple of weeks ago I went to the graduation of the Singularity University.
>
>  Oy Vey!  talk about disconnected from reality.
>  Not *one* of the presentations would have stood up to a physics based
>  reality check.
>
>  The one on food, for example, didn't even have a clue about the number
>  of square meters it takes to grow food for one person.  For a human
>  density like that found in cities it is *impossible* to grow enough
>  food for the people who live there.
>
>

Living Towers are already being designed.
<http://www.verticalfarm.com/>
Among the benefits claimed is:
  Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6
outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1
indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres)


Although I did read that the SU projects were more of a 'wish-list'
than actual well-thought out plans, Kurzweil is expecting exponential
improvements in all technologies, not just computers. So maybe
optimistic projects are allowed?

Besides if you can raise a few million venture capital from the
listening financiers to play with these concepts, it's worth
stretching the truth a bit. Something good might turn up from the
millions spent and you'd have a fun time as well.

(It's bad PR to keep pointing out the flaws - take the money and enjoy!).


BillK



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