[ExI] Second Law of Thermodynamics

[Kevin Freels]

I see your point, but one must also remember that gold is only valuable 
in t he first place because it is rare. Once you have converted all the 
lead into gold, what value does it really have?


Mike Dougherty wrote:
> On Dec 14, 2007 8:10 AM,  <x at extropica.org> wrote:
>   
>> On 12/14/07, citta437 at aol.com <citta437 at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> Your fridge works because of the electric current which converts the
>>> hot air from outside into cold air via that catalytic converter or
>>> whatever you call that machinery. I wish I were an electric engineer to
>>> be able to do that.
>>>
>>> Better yet to be able to convert AI into perfect humans with a
>>> well-balanced attitude without using too much energy.
>>>
>>> To reach the goal of extropian countries, we have yet to educate the
>>> majority that are still in ignorance...
>>>       
>> Terry, you don't know how right you are.
>>     
>
> ..perhaps about a program education of education for the ignorant, but
> not about refrigeration.  It takes 3 seconds to Google something like
> that.
>
> Converting ignorant humans/subhuman AI into "perfect humans" is not
> far from the alchemical lead to gold idea.  In the same way we're
> trying to apply physical laws (thermodynamics) to memes, the lead to
> gold analogy is an allegory for the base metal (unwashed
> masses/ignorance) to be changed to a rare prize (enlightened,
> well-balanced humans) through some 'magical' process.  We're using a
> different set of symbols to represent our intentions, but it's the
> same discussion.
>
> now I'd really have something if I could fill a Klein bottle with phlogiston...
> _______________________________________________
> extropy-chat mailing list
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat
>
>
>   
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/attachments/20071214/df2c15fe/attachment.html>