From: Joshua Fox (joshua@joshuafox.com)
Date: Sun Aug 06 2006 - 03:29:05 MDT
I note that the great majority of SL4 members have computer software as
their primary profession. Why is this?
After all, comparing other philosophies which seek to improve the world
through some specific technical efforts, the professions of interested
people and supporters do not show such homogeneity or connection to the
implementation. For example, most AIDS activists, advocates for feeding the
world's hungry, people interested in stopping global warming, supporters of
third-world debt relief, and fans of space exploration do not specialize in
medicine, agriculture, meteorology, finance, or spacecraft engineering
respectively.
While one might argue that familiarity with software gives one an
understanding of AGI, in fact most software development is worlds away from
true Singularity expertise.
Anyone care to venture a guess as to why the great majority of
Singularitarians (or at least of the SL4 members) work in a certain field?
Why do we not see among Singularitarians more psychiatrists, psychologists,
anthropologists, historians, or biologists, all fields which are to some
extent relevant to the Singularity? For that matter, why do we not see more
doctors, non-high-tech business people, musicians, or practitioners of other
unrelated professions, as we do for other movements?
This situation seems less than ideal. Though technical work must be done by
experts, is not diversity of backgrounds valuable in non-specialist
discussions of any intellectual pursuit as broad as this?
Joshua
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