Re: MAD and recent history...

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• [ Next ][ Previous ] Maybe in reply to: Darin Sunley

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_12c57420_396ad7fb$106cc7d0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_e1e4250_396ad7fb$106cc7d0"

------=_NextPart_001_e1e4250_396ad7fb$106cc7d0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Thanks, Darin, for this insightful comment.

But how 'bout a NEW *MAD*, y'all: *M*utally *A*ssured *D*EFENSE. Or *MAS*---*M*utually *A*ssured *S*URVIVAL. If we can focus the nanotechnological (and beyond) memes and meta-memes in the direction of thoroughly effective DEFENSE (ideally, in the sense of ultimate immunity [imperviousness] to aggression/attack), then perhaps we can have a STABLE game-theoretic (n-person) equilibrium concentrated around defense instead of aggression/offence.

Although, if I understand Emlyn's original point, this itself will motivate any "Dr. Evils" (as it were) out there to specifically concentrate on some sort of "ultimate" (i.e., indefensible-against) weapon(s). And this may well be the case. Is this, however, INHERENT/INTRINSIC to "competitive" evolution as such?! Or is there a threshold beyond which this sort of inherently dynamic escalation just sort of falls by the (evolutionary) wayside. I would appreciate everyone's thoughts on this.

Perhaps eternal vigilance, along with a good ultra-active ultra-shield, will indeed turn out to be the price of (meta)cosmic liberty and extropian expansion.

Kurzweil, by the way, in his new book, *The Age of Spiritual Machines*, seems to think, if I read and understand him correctly, that, for the most part, the aggression/defense dynamic alluded to above, will sort of fade away, as we upload/merge with Ultra-Intelligent machine entities. And good ol' Hans Moravec has seemed at times to vaguely argue in this vein. Still, the basic (meta)meme behind *active shields* would seem necessary for the forseeable future....

Very best regards to all!

MCP

BEYOND EUTOPIA--TOWARD (META)COSMIC HORIZONS!!

------=_NextPart_001_e1e4250_396ad7fb$106cc7d0 Content-type: text/html

Thanks, Darin, for this insightful comment. But how 'bout a NEW *MAD*, y'all: *M*utally *A*ssured *D*EFENSE.  Or *MAS*---*M*utually *A*ssured *S*URVIVAL.  If we can focus the nanotechnological (and beyond) memes and meta-memes in the direction of thoroughly effective DEFENSE (ideally, in the sense of ultimate immunity [imperviousness] to aggression/attack), then perhaps we can have a STABLE game-theoretic (n-person) equilibrium concentrated around defense instead of aggression/offence. Although, if I understand Emlyn's original point, this itself will motivate any "Dr. Evils" (as it were) out there to specifically concentrate on some sort of "ultimate" (i.e., indefensible-against) weapon(s).  And this may well be the case.  Is this, however, INHERENT/INTRINSIC to "competitive" evolution as such?!  Or is there a threshold beyond which this sort of inherently dynamic escalation just sort of falls by the (evolutionary) wayside.  I would appreciate everyone's thoughts on this. Perhaps eternal vigilance, along with a good ultra-active ultra-shield, will indeed turn out to be the price of (meta)cosmic liberty and extropian expansion. Kurzweil, by the way, in his new book, *The Age of Spiritual Machines*, seems to think, if I read and understand him correctly, that, for the most part, the aggression/defense dynamic alluded to above, will sort of fade away, as we upload/merge with Ultra-Intelligent machine entities.  And good ol' Hans Moravec has seemed at times to vaguely argue in this vein.  Still, the basic (meta)meme behind *active shields* would seem necessary for the forseeable future.... Very best regards to all! MCP           BEYOND EUTOPIA--TOWARD (META)COSMIC HORIZONS!!