From: Cliff Stabbert (cps46@earthlink.net)
Date: Mon Sep 09 2002 - 14:18:49 MDT
Monday, September 9, 2002, 4:18:27 AM, Brian Phillips wrote:
BP> All,
BP> I would like to recommend dropping the thread.
BP> SL4 is a list about machine intelligence and
BP> while [...]
"Shock Level Four includes the Singularity (or the technological
creation of greater-than-human intelligence), ultraintelligence,
Powers, Jupiter Brains, posthumanity, Alpha-Point cosmologies,
Apotheosis, and so on. This list was created for discussion of the
Singularity or other SL4 topics, and chat among Singularitarians or
other aficionados of the future."
-- http://sysopmind.com/sing/SL4.html
In that some have argued (John Lilly, Timothy Leary, Aleister Crowley,
et al) that possible paths towards greater-than-ordinary human
intelligence might include the use of psychedelics, I disagree that
this subject is per definition excluded from the charter of this list.
If some forms of or combinations of neurological manipulation
(physically or through, e.g., pulsed magnetic fields), Yoga,
meditation, occult practices, psychedelics, etc. could for instance
"give access" to the same facilities some "idiot savants" have, I
would count that as a SL4-worthy topic. (E.g., if there is further
expansion on articles like
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,51421,00.html
I would consider this relevant, at least to the charter as written.)
I would also agree with Ben Goertzel that a sense of just *how vastly*
different awareness/consciousness can become -- whether under the
influence of meditation, Yoga, psychedelics, or what have you -- might
be of value to those trying to imagine post- or super-human
intelligence. Not to discount the dangers of experimentation in these
fields -- which are large -- and not to imply that any insights so
gleaned will give an at all accurate or even insightful picture -- but
in the sense of giving the participant, as it were, a Shock Level + 1
or 2 their current level in a very direct way. (Certain occult
rituals appear to be designed towards that same purpose.) As much as
words and thoughts can contribute to a sense of utter "other"ness,
they cannot IMO compare to the impact of an overwhelming *experience*.
-- Cliff
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