Re: evolved viruses

Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Tue, 16 Sep 1997 20:33:00 -0500

Hal wrote:
>
> If you're going to prevent people from having access to crack, what will
> you do when even more addictive activities are created? Will you forbid
> people to use VR more than the amount you prefer? Will you prevent people
> from modifying their biochemistry to be outside the limits you deem
> reasonable?

The most addictive substance known is DHMO, dihydrogen monoxide. I am not
targeting on the basis of addictiveness. And again, I am not preventing
*people* from having access to crack. Anyone who can find crack is welcome to
use it. This is not a police operation and involves no new laws; as stated,
drugs would be legalized to prevent the formation of additional drug ghettos.

pmeares@erols.com wrote:
>
> The number of drug deaths in the US in a typical year is as follows:
>
> Tobacco kills about 390,000.
> Alcohol kills about 80,000.
> Sidestream smoke from tobacco kills about 50,000.
I target--> Cocaine kills about 2,200.
> Heroin kills about 2,000.
> Aspirin kills about 2,000.
> Marijuana kills 0.

Obviously I'm not targeting based on death totals. Otherwise I'd be going
after the Fifth Horseman himself, Heart Disease.

-- 
         sentience@pobox.com      Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
          http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/singularity.html
           http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/algernon.html
Disclaimer:  Unless otherwise specified, I'm not telling you
everything I think I know.