RE: Contributing to Society [was Re: Premature deaths [was: extro pians-digest V7 #4]]

From: Smigrodzki, Rafal (SmigrodzkiR@msx.upmc.edu)
Date: Mon Jan 07 2002 - 15:23:40 MST


Kai Becker [mailto:kmb@kai-m-becker.de] wrote:

A new project like that could give this planet a real boost, but I have no
idea what it could be. In our present situation, the first questions are
always "what personal profit do I get from it?", "how much does it cost?
(what do I have to sacrifice for it)" and "is it safe?".

 
### The questions you mention are, and should be, the main issues when
deciding on a course of action, at least among rational persons interested
in their own survival. Building a Friendly AI is a project which, if
successfull, will provide enormous benefits to all humans, with hardly any
sacrifices, and sparing us the horror of an Un-Friendly AI. The Moon project
was IMO just another war-inspired government tax-and-spend money pit.

It's a testament to the irrationality of our society that reaching the
barren wastelands of the Moon inspired such great public interest, while the
AI effort is so much off the radar screen.

Rafal



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