Dynamic optimism [Was: Re: Singularity: Just Say No!]

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At 01:50 AM 1/18/99 -0600, Eliezer wrote:
>
>Screw dynamic optimism. The future isn't a playground, it's a
>minefield. Okay, so it's a unique minefield in that blind panic will
>get you killed even faster than blind enthusiasm, but blind is blind.
>The fact is that shiny new technologies always get used for military
>purposes, and that technological advance decreases the amount of cash
>needed to wipe out human life. Forgive me, but I don't see any reason
>for raving optimism.

Eliezer, before you say "screw dynamic optimism" and equate it with "raving optimism", please make sure you know what it means. If you read the relevant principle (and it's now called "Practical Optimism"), you'll see that it doesn't imply that the future is a playground with no dangers, problems, or challenges.

Just trying to keep the record straight.

Max

http://www.maxmore.com
Philosophical issues of technology
President, Extropy Institute:
exi-info@extropy.org, http://www.extropy.org

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