Forgive me, but that seems a bit silly. Why is it so important to you to verify that he is 19 years old? I've sat back and read this list for some time and it doesn't really seem to me that age should have any bearing on the discussions. The vast majority of what you discuss is not about life experience, but about hopeful visions of the future. Granted, some of the issues involve a sort of enlightenment that may or may not only come with age, but can you not simply read Eliezer's posts and decide for yourself whether he has any wisdom?
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert J. Bradbury [mailto:bradbury@www.aeiveos.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 11:53 AM To: extropians@extropy.com Subject: Re: Eliezer is only nineteen years-old!! (fwd)
> Subject: Re: Eliezer is only nineteen years-old!!
He wasn't at the Extro 4 conference to my knowledge and I haven't seen any letters from someone who hangs out with him personally (though one would suppose these could be forged by Eliezer himself posing as someone else).
I would argue that we need an independent verification, either by multiple authenticated agents who know him or by a real "netmeeting" with video (some kind of online Turing test that would be difficult for him to fake using current technology).
No offense intended towards anyone, just a case in point about the degree to which we are going to have to question our assumptions *and* beliefs.
Robert