Re: unicorn jelly complete and done; worth a read

From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Tue Apr 15 2003 - 17:48:26 MDT

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    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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