Re: poly: The singleton hypothesis

In a message dated 4/25/98 7:10:28 PM, bostrom@ndirect.co.uk wrote:

>As we get closer to nanotech and superintelligence (either will
>quickly lead to the other), a race will begin to get there first. The
>winner of this race, the "leading force" in Drexler's terms, will
>obtain total power, because a singularity-like pace of development
>means that even a lead of a mere year or so will mean the difference
>between all the capabilities nanotechnology cum superintelligence
>will give and the lack of these capabilities.

I doubt it. Either nanotech (if possible) or superintelligence will
probably be a monstously difficult design problem. The only chance
to compete in the race will be by intense cooperation with the other
racers. Those who don't share knowledge, experience, and resources
constantly with all racers as a whole will just get left behind.
Assuming the preceeding developments have economic significance, the
racers will in turn be economically linked to the entire developed
world, which will be using the products, training the participants,
owning the companies via mutual funds, etc. There would be a "power"
in a sense, but it would consist of virtually the entire population
of the developed world.
Received on Sun Apr 26 15:44:28 1998