It's a good thing I like snippy-bright people too, else I
simply couldn't live with myself. So, can I take it you believe
in the Singularity, but are deeply dubious about the timeframe?
If you were contrary, I could understand that (there are plenty
of reasons against it- existential risks, the ecological
principle of growth contrained by the scarcest resource, possible
fallibility of the Strong AI postulate, viability of the world
economy etc.).
But I disagree on ditto allocation- you want a mix of serial
and parallel immortality- you need parallel to get a lot of
contemporary action done (although I question return on
investment- I find it unlikely that a lot of action exerted on
the world in a brief time period will be as if not more effective
as a little effort over a very long time period.) And serial
offers besides less duplication of effort in coordination,
communication, and learning especially (unless all your dittos
could merge again, but that would be mixing parallel and serial.)
As for 'Kiln Time'? Why precisely cannot a ditto be made with an
astronomical size brain? They are manufactured products right?
I think it would be cool if you could mix the brains of teh
pre-eminent scientists and thinkers, and possibly imprint it on a
large clay deposit. There's superintelligence for you!
Here's a pun- 'Its Killin' time!' , y'know, off 'Kiln Time'.
~Maru
Forgive my bombast! You may lambast me!
> From: David Brin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: Brin: Kiln people aside
Dang it's a good thing I like snippy-bright people.
> Most would have flushed your note, ignoring the
> underlying friendliness.
>
> In fact, KP kind of mocks "transcendance", as you well
> note. It acknowledges that it may happen, but (as in
> my other books) I also say the "life will go on".
>
> I just returned from a major Singularity conference,
> so I'm in there with that community, albeit as a
> grouch-contrarian. I do not expect them to save my
> life though I appreciate and cheer on the effort.
>
> Funny you ignore the singularity aspect of KP. SERIAL
> immortality is really rather churlish, stealing from
> our descendants. What busy people REALLY want and
> need is PARALLEL immortality. The power to get more
> done now.
>
> I'd assign a ditto to answering email....
>
>
> --- Maru <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > So Dr. Brin, I was reading Kiln People your new
> > novel.
> > Rather good, although towards the end seemed you'd
> > tossed too
> > many balls in the air. And what is it with you and
> > endings
> > involving some sort of Transcendance? That makes
> > ~three now (not
> > that I'm counting).
> > But my question really is that early into KP, the
> > narrator or
> > golem remarked in an aside and insulted the idea and
> > people who
> > accept the idea of the 'Singularity'. My question
> > is, did you do
> > that because you needed some reason your future was
> > eminently
> > comprehensible, or because you regard such
> > techno-optimism as
> > foolish moonshine?
> > Enquiring minds want to know!
> >
> > ~Maru
> > If anybody else knows, I'd appreciate that too.
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