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Space is far, far larger than the mind can easily conceive. To "von Neuman probes should be here" is to fail to comprehend just how improbable it would be for a
by cratermoon 3y ago
Space is far, far larger than the mind can easily conceive. To "von Neuman probes should be here" is to fail to comprehend just how improbable it would be for a spacecraft to be aimed at Earth.
- ericb 3y agoYou don't aim a von Neuman probe anywhere. You use unbounded exponential math to send them everywhere as they are free. It seems like you might find the idea interesting if you look into the concept a bit closer.
- cratermoon 3y agoYes, but space is still vast. The chance of one hitting earth is infinitesimal. Also, "they are free" isn't strictly true. Where do they get the resources to reproduce? Using unbounded exponential math implies a sort of paperclip maximizer that would eat up everything in its path.
- Teever 3y agoBut the point of sending out Von Nuemann probes is to send them to every star in a galaxy, so that you can watch the goings on of all those stars. That means that any Von Neumann plan in the Milky Way will involve Earth. > Where do they get the resources to reproduce? From the the star systems that they reach. Stars provide the energy and whatever detritus in the form of an asteroid belt that orbits the star will provide the material to build new probes.