[ExI] 25th anniversary of engines of creation

[Richard Loosemore]

spike wrote:
> Isn't it amazing that we are coming up on the 25th anniversary of Drexler's
> Engines of Creation?  For many of us, that was the book that launched a
> thousand memeships.  Charlie is one who posted back a long time ago when we
> used to debate something that now seems settled: which comes first, strong
> AI or strong nanotech (replicating assembler)?  The argument at the time
> (early to mid 90s) was that AI enables nanotech (by providing the designs),
> but nanotech enables AI (by providing super-capable computers.)
> 
> Is there anyone here for whom that argument is not completely settled?  Do
> explain please.

I'm a little confused about which way you are implying that it was settled?

Strong AI will, of course, come first, because:

(a) We already have the computing power to do it (all that is lacking is 
the understanding of how to use that computing power), and

(b) Without strong AI, designing safe nanotech is going to be very 
difficult indeed.



Richard Loosemore