> What of the possibility, Ben, of an Asimov-like reaction to the > possibility > of thinking machines that compete with humans? It's the kind of dumb, > Man-Was-Not-Meant-to-Go-There, scenario we see all the time on Sci-Fi > Channel productions, but it is plausible, especially in a world where so > many people still haven't accepted that technology has improved lives, > ignoring the evidence of much of their own environment. > > Hey, who hid all the torches? > > David N.
This is a possibility we've thought about a lot. However, it seems to me that biotech stuff arouses a heck of a lot more ire among the Luddites of the world. And, opposition of some folks to biotech research (human cloning, stem cells, etc.) has not stopped the huge flow of research $$ to that area, nor the associated commercial development. The reason biotech research isn't significantly squelched in spite of the discomfort of some, isn't that its scientifically or transhumanistically important, but rather that it's -- financially lucrative for many -- humanistically important: it helps cure diseases Who really wants to outlaw work that cures diseases and boosts the economy? As it develops, AGI is going to become critical to many aspects of our economy. Thru bioinformatics, it's going to become critical to saving, improving and extending human lives as well. I think these factors will effectively counterbalance the Luddite factor. And of course, when AGI gets smart enough, it's out of our control, and the Luddites are effectively irrelevant .. and we best hope it has a friendly personality ;) ben ------- To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your subscription, please go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/
