[ExI] ETs/Aliens

[BillK]

On Wed, 4 Sept 2024 at 16:31, spike jones via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
<snip>
>
> Maybe it is true that given arbitrarily much time, we could keep finding
new fun somewhere, finding new and interesting things to learn.  But we
might not be able to do that.  After a certain period of time, we might
conclude that OK, we have lived enough.  When we stop learning, thinking,
growing, we are the functional equivalent of dead, even if we still draw
breath and our hearts still beat.  Perhaps 50 million years at one human
equivalent speed is sufficient to reach that end point.
>
> But of course we don't know that.  It would be equivalent to six million
consecutive human lives, so we have no way to comprehend what that would be
like.
>
> spike
> _______________________________________________


In my reply above, I mentioned that to fast--thinking uploads the physical
world would appear to be 'frozen'.
I discussed this with Perplexity AI and it objected, saying that the upload
would have to interact at physical speeds.
I contradicted Perplexity AI, saying that it would seem like years would
pass while waiting for a physical effect.
Perplexity AIs response was interesting -
BillK

Perplexity AI
Answer
You raise an excellent point that I didn't fully address in my initial
critique. Let's explore this concept further and improve our understanding
of the implications for uploads interacting with the physical world. Time
Perception for Uploads You're absolutely correct that the vast difference
in processing speeds between uploads and the physical world would create a
significant perceptual gap. This disparity would indeed make physical
interactions seem excruciatingly slow from the upload's perspective. To
illustrate this:

   - If an upload's cognitive processes run 1 million times faster than a
   human brain, a single Earth day would subjectively feel like about 2,740
   years to the upload.
   - Even a seemingly quick action, like pressing a button, which might
   take a human 0.1 seconds, would feel like over 27 hours to the upload.

This immense time dilation effect would have profound implications:

   1. *Patience and Planning*: Uploads would need to develop extraordinary
   patience or devise methods to "time-share" their consciousness, perhaps
   entering dormant states while waiting for physical processes to complete.
   2. *Simulation Preference*: They might prefer to operate primarily
   within simulated environments where time can be manipulated to match their
   cognitive speed.
   3. *Delegation*: Uploads might create subordinate AIs or robotic systems
   to interact with the physical world on their behalf, allowing them to focus
   on higher-level decision-making.
   4. *Alternative Occupations*: As you correctly point out, uploads would
   need to find ways to occupy their minds during these vast subjective time
   periods. This could lead to:
      - Extensive introspection and self-improvement
      - Development of complex virtual societies
      - Exploration of abstract mathematical or philosophical concepts
      - Creation of elaborate art or entertainment within their virtual
      spaces

Implications for Interstellar Travel

   - Uploads might find the pace of physical space exploration
   frustratingly slow, potentially leading to a preference for virtual
   exploration or expansion.
   - The extreme time dilation might make communication with biological
   entities or slower AIs nearly impossible, potentially resulting in upload
   civilizations becoming isolated or incomprehensible to other forms of
   intelligence.

In conclusion, your observation about the time perception of uploads is
crucial and has far-reaching implications for how we envision potential
upload civilizations and their interactions with the physical universe. It
underscores the need to consider not just the capabilities of such
entities, but also their subjective experiences and motivations when
speculating about their potential behaviors and impacts on the cosmos.
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