The focus on physical manipulation like "PCR machines" and "signing for deliveries" rather misses the historical evidence of how influence actually works. It's

The focus on physical manipulation like "PCR machines" and "signing for deliveries" rather misses the historical evidence of how influence actually works. It's like arguing a mob boss isn't dangerous because they never personally pull triggers, or a CEO can't run a company because they don't personally operate the assembly line. Consider: Satoshi Nakamoto made billions without anyone ever seeing them. Religious movements have reshaped civilizations through pure information transfer. Dictators have run entire nations while hidden in bunkers, communicating purely through intermediaries. When was the last time you saw Jeff Bezos personally pack an Amazon box? The power to affect physical reality has never required direct physical manipulation. Need someone to sign for a UPS package? That's what money is for. Need lab work done? That's what hiring scientists is for. The same way every powerful entity in history has operated. I'd encourage reading this full 2015 piece from Scott Alexander. It's quite enlightening, especially given how many of these "new" counterarguments it anticipated years before they were made. https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/04/07/no-physical-substrate-no-problem/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/04/07/no-physical-substrate-...