From: Matt Mahoney (matmahoney@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Feb 23 2009 - 11:06:03 MST
--- On Mon, 2/23/09, Roko Mijic <rmijic@googlemail.com> wrote:
> So, you think that the end of the world is nigh? You think
> we'll all die?
Maybe and yes. At least the second question has been tested experimentally.
As for the first, evolution is a chaotic process. It has only one stable attractor, and that is a dead planet. We made it this far because of the anthropic principle.
When these things happen is the interesting question. As for evolution, we are developing the technology for non DNA based life forms that might reproduce and evolve much faster than us. I think the time for homo sapiens at the top of the food chain is short. Whether this is good or bad depends on whether you ask a human or ask whatever intelligence replaces us. Was the extinction of homo erectus bad?
As for the second question, some people will argue that death can be avoided by uploading. Well, that depends on whether you ask the original or the copy. Rationally, it shouldn't matter who you ask, but we aren't programmed rationally. We are programmed to have as many descendants as possible.
-- Matt Mahoney, matmahoney@yahoo.com
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