From: Mark Walker (mdwalker@quickclic.net)
Date: Thu Jun 20 2002 - 05:50:59 MDT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" <sentience@pobox.com>
This is not about the merits of any one course
> of research, but a question of how we are to fulfill those moral
obligations
> that devolve upon us when we become aware of the Singularity. I think
that
> first we have to resolve the moral issue of "Can we speed up the
> Singularity? Do we have a moral obligation to try?" before considering
the
> pros and cons of particular approaches.
I agree with the sentiment but I am not sure the first question is the one
that I would ask. Rather, I think the question is can we effect or at least
raise the probability of a positive type of singularity? Other things being
equal, yes speed is important. I think that there might be good reasons in
some circumstances to trade off speed against attempting to promote a
certain type of outcome.
My own opinion, for what it is worth, is that individuals can decisively
influence events. If you'll forgive the homely analogy, history is like a
rudderless supertanker and individuals are like little tugboats: one has to
push long and hard to make course corrections but it can be done.
Mark
Dr. Mark Walker
Research Associate (Philosophy), Trinity College, University of Toronto
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Evolution and Technology,
(www.transhumanist.com)
Editor-in-Chief, Transhumanity, (www.transhumanism.com)
Home page: http://www.markalanwalker.com
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