From: Stephen Reed (reed@cyc.com)
Date: Sat Sep 07 2002 - 12:49:35 MDT
On Fri, 6 Sep 2002, Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote:
> I trust that someone is thinking rationally about the Singularity, as
> opposed to rationalizing, when I see that they are willing to make major
> *new* life decisions explicitly on the basis of how it affects the
> Singularity.
It strikes me how few people actually get this point, and makes me feel a
bit odd having it. History is full of stories about visionaries and
activists who put great effort behind improbable ideas and made them work
- history does not much highlight the greater number of failures.
Nonetheless, at 50 years old I have a sense of urgency regarding the
seriousness of our business that makes me work at a level beyond most of
my younger peers. My day to day decisions are steered by how I can best
contribute to creating a Seed AGI. Not a day goes by that I don't dream
about the essential behavioral additions that will evolve Cyc from an
expressive ontology and knowledge base into Cognitive Cyc.
I see a historical analogy with the race to develop heavier-than-air
flying machines one hundred years ago. There were many different
approaches - most in hindsight ridiculous. Yet among the teams of
inventor-developers there was great faith and enthusiasm - and among the
general public ignorance/disbelief.
I expect that our numbers (activists and direct contributors) will remain
few until an obvious Seed AGI is developed.
-Steve
--
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Stephen L. Reed phone: 512.342.4036
Cycorp, Suite 100 fax: 512.342.4040
3721 Executive Center Drive email: reed@cyc.com
Austin, TX 78731 web: http://www.cyc.com
download OpenCyc at http://www.opencyc.org
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