From: "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury@aeiveos.wa.com>
>Zubrin has clearly done his homework and clearly makes a valid
>case for Mars being perhaps the first place we should go on a long
>term "occupation" basis.
>However(!), he seems unaware of (or avoids) two key areas: AI and
>Nanotech.
>He mentions nanotechnology once in the book, classifying it with
>other "wishful" technologies such as Faster-than-Light travel
>(Oooppps...). AI is also avoided, so it isn't clear whether or not
>he has thought very seriously about Moore's Law. Since he
>discusses terraforming Mars over 100-1000 years, he doesn't seem
>to have much awareness of the singularity. Biotech is mentioned
>only in passing. Thats the bad news.
Zubrin is aware of both AI and Nanotechnology, but he is a "get out
the wrenches and build it now" kind of pragmatist, in other words,
an engineer.
>His treatment of rocket fuel synthesis, chemical engineering, and
>orbital dynamics are first rate however. His philosophy is
>clearly libertarian and growth oriented but he seems to limit his
>concept of humanity to the standard issue human bodies. Many of
>his economic arguments for colonizing Mars disappear if we even
>get minimal AI for human worker equivalence. He mentions using
>space based solar collectors as a key requirement for accelerating
>terraforming (but doesn't take it the next level that I do
>for using their exponetial growth to dissassemble the planet
>entirely.)
>So, if Zubrin's perspective is typical of the average case for
>Mars individual, we have fertile ground for the Extropian
>philosophy, they just need to have their vision expanded a little.
He has this Extropian bending his ear at every opportunity.
So suppose we send a crew on to Mars, and during their journey the
singularity occurs.
Just for fun we zot a nanoprobe ahead of them to Mars, and instead
of arriving at a cold dead world, thay arrive to explore a lush
blue/green world instead.....
What fun!
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
Adler Planetarium www.adlerplanetarium.org
Life Extension Foundation, www.lef.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
Mars Society, www.marssociety.org
Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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