RE: Predictions by Kurzweil

From: Joseph Sterlynne (vxs@mailandnews.com)
Date: Wed Feb 16 2000 - 10:24:41 MST


>> Todd Huffman
> ZDTV interview

>>Ray Kurzweil was interviewed this week on ZDTV. Made a number of
>>transhumanesqe predictions. I would move his timeline up a couple years.

>The man has serious credentials. Far from a loopy fortuneteller with
>Tarot cards and a crystal ball, Kurzweil has built and sold four
>successful companies during the past 25 years, and won numerous accolades
>for creating technology to aid the disabled.

Strange. This is apparently a series on "High-tech Thinkers" by a
computer industry news service and the journalist feels a need to clarify
that her subject is not a fortune-teller. Do they have to offer this
disclaimer every time they ask their visionary guests to offer a few
predictions? Or just when the subject mentions nanotech and advanced AI
(and not, say, vitamin-dispensing miniskirts of the year 3000)?

>His omens may seem startling, but Kurzweil sees them as conservative.

This use of "omen" does not correspond to any available. How about
"prediction".

>By the year 2099
> - There is no longer any distinction between humans and computers.

By the year 2000
 - There is no longer any distinction between journalism and mush.

This prediction of mine could certainly have been moved up by a few years.



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