Re: Singularitarian FAQ

From: Gordon Worley (redbird@rbisland.cx)
Date: Tue Oct 30 2001 - 17:34:30 MST


At 12:39 AM +1000 10/31/01, Skevos Mavros wrote:
>If life on the other side of the the singularity is unknowably different,
>how can we be sure that the singularity a good thing?
> - Could it be a bad thing?
> - What are the chances it could be a bad thing?
> - If the singularity goes bad, how bad could it get?
[...]

One thing I have to be careful of in writing this FAQ is not to jump
to conclusions for people and say 'The Singularity is Good! Through
yourself upon it!'. As such, I can't really answer the question 'Is
the Singularity good/bad?' but I can say 'The Singularity will mean X
and Y and will cause A, B, and C but also Z'.

>Either you people are creating some weird new genre of online science
>fiction, or you've got some *serious* plans for everybody's future. Why
>should the rest of us trust you?

This is actually a very important question to answer and I think is a
good reason for Eliezer to keep getting on people about
spelling/grammar/etc., even if it's just because he finds it annoying
(and, to be honest, I think even people with bad
spelling/grammar/etc. find the misuse of language annoying). Most
people don't base trust on content, but on appearances.

-- 
Gordon Worley                     `When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty
http://www.rbisland.cx/            said, `it means just what I choose
redbird@rbisland.cx                it to mean--neither more nor less.'
PGP:  0xBBD3B003                                  --Lewis Carroll


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