Re: Goo prophylaxis (was: Hanson antiproliferation method?)

The Low Golden Willow (phoenix@ugcs.caltech.edu)
Tue, 26 Aug 1997 10:31:53 -0700 (PDT)


On Aug 26, 3:58pm, "Nicholas Bostrom" wrote:
} Hal Finney <hal@rain.org> wrote:
}
} I prefer to use the term grey goo to denote whatever nanites cause
} indiscriminate destruction. But anyway, nanites could be designed to
} be interested solely in destruction.

In that case you won't have very many of them. No replication, no
nanites.

} >gray goo must replicate in order to be effective. A single gray goo
} >disassembler will not cause much damage. And whatever mechanisms it
} >uses to replicate will be vulnerable to attack just as much as the
} >systems which it is trying to "eat".
}
} Yes. The goo might fight a downhill battle, though, towards a lower
} energy state? It would be interesting to think about this in more

Not if it's made of diamond. And I doubt that replacing one form of
life with another form of life yields much portential energy.

Merry part,
-xx- Damien R. Sullivan X-) <*> http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~phoenix

Beneath these hills great heroes lie
Of the Red Branch Knights and their ancient foe.
In still of night the immortals fight
But never the battle is won.