[ExI] thinking about the unthinkable

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> 
Sent: Monday, 31 August, 2026 5:55 AM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Cc: spike at rainier66.com; Ben Zaiboc <benzaiboc at proton.me>
Subject: Re: [ExI] thinking about the unthinkable

 

On Mon, Aug 31, 2026 at 8:33 AM spike jones via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org <mailto:extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> > wrote:

 

> If we imagine a virus-engineering AI for instance, there are isolated groups of people who
will not catch it.

 

>…Not if it was a Mirror Life virus, all forms of life would catch it, even bacteria. It would be like the movie Andromeda Strain only worse. 

 

John K Clark

 

 

Ja of course, but this assumes mirror life is theoretically possible in the presence of extant chirality life.  Perhaps it could survive only if it evolved first, ahead of currently extant life.  This would be a good explanation for why it hasn’t destroyed life on this planet before now after evolving by the same mechanism current life came into being.  Viruses try everything, by their nature.  Some approaches just fail.

 

Regarding Andromeda Strain, that is the earliest movie I remember from my childhood.  It has an enormous impact on my thinking.  As I recall from 55 years ago, the virus could not survive rain.  I am suggesting mirror life could not survive in the presence of non-mirror life.    

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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