Re: The Singularity

Dan Clemmensen (Dan@Clemmensen.ShireNet.com)
Fri, 17 Jul 1998 19:04:38 -0400

Bryan Moss wrote:
>
> 'gene wrote:
>
> > Assuming, 2098 is PostSingularity you can only
> > safely exclude anything not in accordance with
> > physical laws, but given what little we know
> > this set of constraints is not very stringent.
> > Of course if we run into saturation it might
> > turn out your predictions are accurate, after
> > all. Point is, we can't tell yet what actually
> > happens.
>
> If a post-Singularity entity is capable of
> anything within the laws of physics (damn
> bottlenecks) wouldn't it already have to be the
> most efficient information processor possible?
> Otherwise you could say that we are capable of
> anything within physical law (i.e. I can build a
> jupiter brain if I just evolve jupiter brain
> building swirly things out of the top of my head).
>

The difference is that the SI will plausibly be able to plan and execute the most efficient way to build whatever information processing it needs. It will already be in control of its own augmentation. We are not yet at that point, so you cannot plan or execute those neat swirly things. (please send me the schematics ;-) ). The point at which you have direct concious control of your own augmentation is the singularity.