[ExI] FW: How fun could doom intelligent life to a blissful extinction

[Keith Henson]

On Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 12:58 PM BillK via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> On Thu, 20 Jul 2023 at 03:48, Keith Henson via extropy-chat
> <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

snip
>
> The problem is the changeover time.

Short.  Certainly less than a year, perhaps on the scale of a few weeks.

> We are not just talking about Fred and Wilma in Seattle.
>
> For countries with nanotech it could help to address the challenges
> such as resource depletion and environmental degradation.

One of the obvious uses of nanotech would be to build (grow) housing
out of diamond and nanotubes (the strongest material available.  This
would rapidly pull down the CO2 in the air, perhaps too much.

You might want to read Engines of Creation.  I think it is online.

Keith

> On the other
> hand, it could lead to a widening gap between rich and poor countries,
> as those with access to nanotech could reduce their populations while
> those without would continue to grow.

Nanotech replication time would be one-tenth of human replication time or less.

> The distribution of nanotech is also an issue. If it falls into the
> wrong hands, it could be used for harmful purposes, such as
> bioterrorism or the development of new weapons. It is therefore
> essential to develop effective mechanisms for controlling the
> distribution and use of nanotech safely to poorer countries that hate
> the developed world.
>
> If nanotech with virtually unlimited power is developed, then humanity
> will only survive with total control over how every member of the
> population uses nanotech. Perhaps an AGI which monitors and controls
> the behaviour of every human will be required.
> Humans are a very unruly mob to be given unlimited power.
>
> BillK
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