Re: Ultimate Potential of SI versus HI/>HI

Jamie Taylor (jamietay@interchange.ubc.ca)
Mon, 14 Sep 1998 15:31:15 -0000


> From: Doug Bailey <Doug.Bailey@ey.com>
> To: extropians@extropy.com
> Subject: Ultimate Potential of SI versus HI/>HI
> Date: Monday, September 14, 1998 8:51 PM
>
> VIRTUAL SI
>
> Are we SIs? This question might seem silly but I'm serious. To answer
this
> question we need a definition of intelligence. Not being a cognitive
expert,
> I attempted to find this definition. Unfortunately, there seems to be a
lack
> of consensus. I'll struggle through this question anyway hoping the
cognition
> cogniscienti will supplement and revise my comments where necessary.
>
> Nick Bostrom defined superintelligence in his paper "How Long Before
> Superintelligence?" at http://www.hedweb.com/nickb/superintelligence.htm
> thusly:
>
> By a "superintelligence" we mean an intellect that is much smarter
> than the best human brains in practically every field, including
> scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills.

Quite possibly this 'superintelligence' will not be found on the individual level. To reach SI a comunity of HI or <HI will have to combine efforts and ideas; thus many humans come together to create a single Superintelligence - a society. This is what the present scientific community is working towards now... many individual efforts trying to reach similar
goals... working together. I believe the main differences between an optimal
society and our present one are:

  1. The individuals who make up the whole need to increase there own mental capacity in such areas as memory retention, open mindedness, learning efficiency.
  2. Communication between the individuals is what enables the society to become efficient. To maximise this there needs to be a better way to relay information. Not just from desktop to desktop, but from mind to mind. We need to devise a way to pass on our thoughts and ideas other then our 5 senses. Everyone percieves their own reality; not until it is possible to percieve someone elses reality will it be possible to

understand fully the thoughts and ideas of others. It is more then walking a mile in another's shoes. Possibly uploading is the answer.... I personally do not know.

I am sure there are more ways to become closer to Superintelligence - possibly in the form of a society - and I am sure there are some solutions to the
above differences between Super and Present Intelligence, so good luck and maybe
one day we will have all the answers - but that would be no fun.