----- Original Message -----
From: "Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" <sentience@pobox.com>
> Spike Jones wrote:
> >
> > > From: "Spike Jones" <spike66@attglobal.net>
> > > > I propose a secret extropian password. Unfortunately, I will not
> > > > actually *reveal* to any of you the secret extropian password,
> > > > all the better to keep the secret. spike
> >
> > > Mark Walker wrote:
> >
> > > >In the interest of security I think we may need to think about
eliminating
> > > you in case you are captured by the enemy. I hope you understand....;)
> >
> > No need to do that Mark. I dont actually *know* the secret password.
> > I merely proposed the *existence* of one. That way, if I am captured
> > and tortured, there is no danger of my revealing the secret password.
> > All part of my clever plan, you understand. Security by ignorance.
spike
>
> Well, a secret password is one thing, but it has to be a secret
> *deterministic* password, preferably with a publicly knowable algorithm
> for testing a claim to possess the secret password. Otherwise I'm not
> sure in what sense it could be said to be a "password"
<Snip>
> However, just for fun, I'll offer a bounty of $10, payable via Paypal, to
> the first person who can give me the secret Extropian password created by
> Spike.
This is precisely what I was afraid of. It seems that Spike's loose lips may
yet sink the Extropian ship. I think Spike should have proposed the possible
existence of a password, thus leaving its ontological status open. After
all, the set of things that exist is so puny compared to the set of things
that could possibly exist. Way to go Spike.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat May 11 2002 - 17:44:17 MDT