Welcome to SL4!
The SL4 mailing list is a refuge for discussion of advanced topics in transhumanism and the Singularity, including but not limited to topics such as Friendly AI, strategies for handling the emergence of
ultra-powerful technologies, handling existential
risks (planetary risks), strategies to accelerate the Singularity or protect its integrity, avoiding the
military use of nanotechnology and grey goo accidents,
methods of human intelligence enhancement, self-improving Artificial
Intelligence, contemporary AI projects that are explicitly trying for genuine Artificial Intelligence or
even a Singularity, rapid Singularities versus slow Singularities,
Singularitarian activism, and more.
The SL4 list is moderated to maintain list quality (moderation takes place on a poster-by-poster basis, rather
than post-by-post). As SL4 is intended to cover new territory in advanced topics, new posters may wish to
browse the archives before making their first posts. We explicitly aim to avoid endlessly rehashing the
basics. We realize the importance of having forums where newcomers can ask basic questions, but SL4 is not
such a forum; some transhumanist lists that are more newcomer-friendly include wta-talk and
Extropians. However, all list readers are
welcome (you don't have to be familiar with the topics to subscribe - just to post).
The SL4 list maintains online archives, an IRC chat room, and a
Wiki.
The phrase SL4 stands for "Shock Level Four", referring to a set of categories for grouping technologies
and ideas according to the amount of future shock they generate. (See the original
essay on
levels of future shock.)
The list moderator is Eliezer
Yudkowsky. The SL4 list is owned and moderated by Eliezer Yudkowsky in his capacity as a
private individual, and no other person or organization should be held responsible for his actions in that
capacity.
People interested in subscribing to SL4 may also be interested in subscribing to wta-talk, Extropians, transhumantech, the Singularitarian list, or the Posthuman
Lounge. (This is especially true since some topics are more appropriate to these lists than
SL4. Political discussion is more appropriate to the
Extropians or
wta-talk lists; the
transhumantech list is more appropriate for
posting technology news articles; et cetera.)
The SL4 list currently has around 200 members. Usual volume is five to ten messages per day, with
occasional intervals of pleasant silence, and flurries of high activity.
For more information, including directions on how to subscribe, please continue to "An
Introduction to SL4".
Privacy & Terms (NEW 2015-04-09)