From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Tue Apr 15 2003 - 17:48:26 MDT
On Tue, Apr 15, 2003 at 01:41:48PM -0700, Robert J. Bradbury wrote:
>
> On Tue, 15 Apr 2003, Anders Sandberg wrote:
>
> > One can base a singularity on more than nanotechnology.
>
> Though I would agree with the statement -- one might well base
> a singularity on advanced biotechnology (which is really
> nanotechnology but not of the type normally thought about),
> or perhaps from Eliezer's perspective -- AI -- which we probably
> have the underlying technology to support already.
Yes. And there might be other ways which we do not currently
recognize - human-computer interaction tools enabling
EarthWebs, quantum computing and other entanglement stuff and
so on. Of course, singularities are likely not caused by one
technology. They are a sum of a whole economy accelerating, and
will likely be composed of a mix of advanced technologies.
Maybe one can formulate a question along these lines: given a
definition of singularity (like intelligence amplification
making cumulative change into a very tight feedback loop), what
physical laws and technologies can enable singularities? Can
there be worlds where technological intelligent life is
possible but singularities cannot occur?
> But I presume from the context of your message that you
> intend to mean that singularities based on "magic physics"
> are possible (I haven't read the story). Anders -- I'm just
> going to have to whack you in the side of the head the next
> time we meet. "No magic physics"! You have to stick to
> the conventional game plan until we are uploaded (even
> if we are currently running in a simulation). *After*
> we are uploaded, then you can invoke all the magic physics
> you want because everyone will know we are turning the
> dials at random to see what happens.
The universe in the story has one of the best thought out magic physics
I have ever seen; it has new fundamental forces (trinal paravection,
reticutriation, linovection), a trinary electric charge, a very complex
periodic system and some fun physical phenomena (dust is weightless,
large objects fall faster, the large scale distribution of matter is a
Sierpinsky gasket of flat triangular worlds, the air regularly
crystalises...). Dr. Alchemist has plenty of physics to explain
(http://www.unicornjelly.com/alt83.html)
This is the kind of universe creation I will spend my time on when I get
the chance. Just look at the wonderful biology:
http://www.unicornjelly.com/alt113.html
http://www.unicornjelly.com/alt135.html
Spoilers:
In the story the near-singularity was largely due to a single
superintelligent individual (caused by an inadvertent symbiosis
between a human and a crystaline creature) who began to use two
local sentient species as ready-made nanoassemblers and
morphing "AI". While the story did not lead to anything like a
Vingean singularity, it is notable that in the epilogue there
are both an enhanced character and a computer based on the
symbiosis. So in the story universe one could imagine a
singularity based on crystal-based intelligence amplification
and mind linkage through crystal-jelly interfaces (with some
hints of a atemporal communication a la "Exordium" in Alastair
Reynold's _Redemption Ark_).
What I like the most about the story is that it creates a very
non-static fantasy universe. There is technological progress,
and species do evolve.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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