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Wat. People take their singularity BS way too seriously.

wmf 13y ago
Yeah, the background part of this article is great but the idea that anyone (especially governments) would voluntarily take a noticeable bite out of their economy to avoid the very small risk of the evil singularity sounds like crazy talk. (It just occurred to me that a comparison with climate change may be possible.)
- gwern 13y ago
  > the idea that anyone (especially governments) would voluntarily take a noticeable bite out of their economy to avoid the very small risk of the evil singularity sounds like crazy talk. Absolutely. And I say as much, at length, in the OP. > (It just occurred to me that a comparison with climate change may be possible.) It is not just possible, but I actually make that comparison in the OP. (See point 4 in the China section.)
  - wmf 13y ago
    Sorry, I didn't devote the time to read your article carefully and by the time I reached the end I had forgotten the beginning. On second reading I find this part a little odd: "...we would need to make a very solid case indeed - a case I cannot make nor will make here. Let’s assume that the case has been made and examine an easier question, how feasible such strategies are at accomplishing the goal at all." It's almost like you're sabotaging your own argument by saying that it probably doesn't matter but here are thousands of words on the topic anyway. (I realize this has already been discussed in the other subthread.)
mmagin 13y ago
I'm concerned that the singularitians (sp?) have perhaps let their knowledge of computing and economics go to their head, thinking that they understand philosophy and psychology just as well. But on the technical side, there's no reason to expect they won't be right eventually. I think the moral philosophy is a lot more of a grey area. Those expounding in this area seem to likely be subject to the biases of their own beliefs and the particular fads of this time period just as much as everyone else.

wmf 13y ago

Yeah, the background part of this article is great but the idea that anyone (especially governments) would voluntarily take a noticeable bite out of their economy to avoid the very small risk of the evil singularity sounds like crazy talk. (It just occurred to me that a comparison with climate change may be possible.)

gwern 13y ago
> the idea that anyone (especially governments) would voluntarily take a noticeable bite out of their economy to avoid the very small risk of the evil singularity sounds like crazy talk. Absolutely. And I say as much, at length, in the OP. > (It just occurred to me that a comparison with climate change may be possible.) It is not just possible, but I actually make that comparison in the OP. (See point 4 in the China section.)
- wmf 13y ago
  Sorry, I didn't devote the time to read your article carefully and by the time I reached the end I had forgotten the beginning. On second reading I find this part a little odd: "...we would need to make a very solid case indeed - a case I cannot make nor will make here. Let’s assume that the case has been made and examine an easier question, how feasible such strategies are at accomplishing the goal at all." It's almost like you're sabotaging your own argument by saying that it probably doesn't matter but here are thousands of words on the topic anyway. (I realize this has already been discussed in the other subthread.)

mmagin 13y ago

I'm concerned that the singularitians (sp?) have perhaps let their knowledge of computing and economics go to their head, thinking that they understand philosophy and psychology just as well. But on the technical side, there's no reason to expect they won't be right eventually. I think the moral philosophy is a lot more of a grey area. Those expounding in this area seem to likely be subject to the biases of their own beliefs and the particular fads of this time period just as much as everyone else.