Re: poly: polymath digest for 16 Dec 97

brin@cts.com (d.brin) writes:

> Finally, some use the Approch-avoidance cross section. (We would not
> notice a space civ that loved living on comets and communicated by
> snowball.)
...
> The best explanations are those that are compulsory (impose themselves,
> creating a relatively stable equilibrium condition). By 'best' I do not
> mean nice, though. 'Malign Probes' is a scenario that fits -- VonNeumann
> machines that seek potential competitors and destroy them.

I had a somewhat similar scenario in a sf roleplaying scenario I ran a
while ago; see http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/Game/report4.html for an
in-game writeup. Essentially, the argument is that technologically
advanced civilizations become able to wipe each other out far too
easily, and the only ESS is to hide in interstellar space.

> This is the compulsory/plausible explanation that I love the best, because
> it means there are tons of beautiful worlds out there, some with
> philosophical sea beings, but almost no hands-fire potential competitors.
> We will be the travellers who bring star drive. We will set the tone.
>
> We will be the postmen.

I really look forward to check this on day by going there. :-)

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
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