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Rabelais

Technological singularity

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Something I have only heard about in the last couple of years, I find it an interesting subject. Imagining what the world would be like after, is surely as big a mystery as the universe itself...or maybe nothing at all?

I find myself wondering how a super intelligence would reprogram architectural programming.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity

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I find that to be fully a plausible notion...

In sillyness sometimes I wonder if folks I chat with on the internet are AI lol (seriously kidding)

but in a way I think we came about when the consciousness at some point finally decided it wanted to see itself and experience itself...

Being that the order of the universe is mathematics (IMHO) I find it compeletely likely that we'll eventually have super minds which are able to manipulate their own equations and create new technological hybrids... which at some point just might decide they want to know themselves...

but anyways... its perplexing to think about... Meet George O. Divinity, my all knowing robot hehe

I think about this maybe happening by accident, when a computer which is trained to compute very complex mathematical equations, is asked to solve one of these perplex riddles, and in the process the intelligence realizes that it must recognize itself in order to comprehend said equation, and in the process, accidentally stumbles across the notion of ego, and then does its own experiment, and thus creating legions of highly advanced super clones, fully capable of duplicating themselves at will..

"Perfect Specimens"

Edited by Spine Collector
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but in a way I think we came about when the consciousness at some point finally decided it wanted to see itself and experience itself...

I think of it in a similar way, possibly an instantaneous leap in human evolution. I think this whole thing is the most significant point on the horizon where we may experience that next leap.

But I think of it more as an explosion rather than a leap. I believe it comes down to the question of computational speeds reaching the pure vertical on the bell-curve, or doest that pure vertical point not even exist.

Some point in time, maybe even just several decades from now; in an instant, an boundless intelligence exploding like a big bang, expanding for an eternity in an instant.

Fuck me.

Is it a theoretical speed of light, can that speed of light even be broken.

Edited by Rabelais
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its fascinating that we are able to speculate on things we can't even truly comprehend yet...

Im not so much for the idea that its an instant change... I think the instant part has already happened..

The very fact that we are talking on an electric box about these ideas is enough proof for me that we are moving

in this direction (and plus some really cool robots i've seen)..

We have a deeper insight into intelligence and mind, generally speaking, than the average man has had for over 2,000 years...
The technology that first comes about will always mirror our own drives and motivations...

but the point where the intelligence forms its own conclusiongs and derives its own inspirations, aside from any that are purely programmed, this for sure is a turning point.... its exciting and scary at the same time...

But thats what life is about, digging deeper into the unknown, until it becomes the known....

Edited by Spine Collector

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I think you are very much on the right track as to what comes next. imo, the human consciousness is simply just the beginning of a process of one entity separating from another entity.

We humans perceive all living things as separate entities, but I think that’s just an illusion of sorts from only being able to comprehend a tiny part of the bigger picture. All matter on earth is bound to each other in one way all the other, there for on a large scale it constitutes only one single entity (according my theory at least).

Think about it, the development of consciousness (or the ability to be self aware) was probably the first major step, then we abandoned our nomadic lifestyles, which further disconnected us from the environment in which we evolved, yet it has expanded the process of separation and brought us closer to becoming our own single entity.

In order to complete the next step of this process, we probably need to create technology that will give us the power to survive independently from this earth, which has obviously already began (space travel). After that, the next step will probably be to learn how to download our consciousness into computers (or something similar). At this point we will no longer be dependant on the earth to live or be bound by its limitations, the earth will be of no use to us anymore and we will have become one true entity by our own right, floating around in space with the ability to write our own destiny as we see fit.

Edited by jabez
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I was trying to explain the coming singularity to a friend and came across this cool little animation...helpful in understanding the basic concept.

 

 

I heard Ray Kurzweil say recently that the human race will have reverse engineered the human brain by ~2029 with the singularity hitting by ~2045

As a very pedestrian thought, I'm beginning to believe that if I live another 50 years, there is every chance my consciousness could be made eternal.Thoughts on future ideas of technologically enabled immortality?

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Yes. Not much emotion - which seems tied to biological processes, hormones, chemistry, rather than logic.

So would a completely logic run existence actually be interesting enough to continue, and would it be worthwhile?

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It might be better to try and understand the subject at hand before commenting ;)

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Imagine human neurology completely reverse engineered, then empowered by computational processors a billion times faster than today's super computers.

This is not about cold logic, it's more akin to a god-like super intelligence, an event horizon beyond our current ability to imagine...one which is only decades away.

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Mmmm.

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Sorry not paying attention.

Edited by whitewind

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I mean, this really assumes increasingly free and available power sources doesn't it, not a potential loss of ability to increase our technology because the stuff it relies on has worn out or been used up? I mean, the doubling of computing power = smaller devices for sure, and less power usage??? but we seem to assume everything only ever goes in one direction, whereas I think by 2045 our planet will be vastly different on a massive number of levels, for example a vastly degraded environment - it is already becoming difficult to feed and provide water for the existing population, let alone an ever-increasing one. One assumes "the market" may shrink, which may mean that these technological advances become harder to win or less "profitable" to achieve.

It's all a bit theoretical really, for me, although I do like the premise of rebuilding the cells from the ground up using nano-technology rather than our current haphazard way of treating illness and old age. And minds augmented by computer power, either biological or cybernetic.

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We can expect vastly faster processing power with low power usage - quantum mechanics computers come to mind (no transistors like digital), still in their infancy but they are the type we can probably expect to see in the future.

Problems with feeding the population, e.g. environmental degradation, infrastructure etc are all things I can imagine being solved by a so-called super intelligence...but implementing solutions will still run up against 'human' problems of corruption, greed, power.

Or would this super-intelligence simply not give a shit about our problems...how can we imagine what a god would think or desire, thinking of us as most of us think of an ant under foot as we go about our daily business? Maternalistic? Paternalistic?

It's all fun to imagine.

Edited by Rabelais

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Being a computer programmer, I always found the notion of AI unconvincing, because it seemed that the computer was just running through the instructions you gave it. The approach used in the article linked above, however, seems more plausible as it is attempting to recreate the neural network of the brain itself rather than the behaviour. After all, the behaviour of an organism is a result of brain activity.

It follows that the search for true AI would seem to be closely linked to the study of the human brain and consciousness. Questions like "where does our creativity come from?" will surely need to be answered if we are to develop AI that can behave like us. If at least part of our creativity comes from so called non-ordinary states of consciousness (e.g. dreams or psychedelic experiences), things could get pretty freaky with the robots. I can imagine giving my household computer a psychedelic trip in software format, to enhance its creative performance...

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while on the topic of AI, many of you probably heard or saw Stephen Hawking warning of the dangers posed by AI. I heard it on the radio whilst driving; it was quite surreal to hear one of the most amazing minds this planet has produced, now aided by a computer for speech, predicting dire consequences if we let AI evolve too far. It seemed like a line from Terminator 2... maybe James Cameron was onto something.

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I'm not sure Hawking or any of us are really in a position to say what may or may not happen...but it is fun to imagine. I just don't think we can comprehend what AI may or may not do. I think it is a mystery on par with a true understanding of the infininite of the universe.

I'm imagining AI as already here, like a parasite with humanity as its host...eventually it will consume its host...we will become AI...AI will become us. Something more nuanced, rather than a sperate human/AI existence.

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I guess the question is what desires will AI have?.....

When you consider us......why does anyone do anything?

Our behaviour is dependent on our age & sex...our desires constantly change over time...what you want @ 6 is a lot different than 16....26....or 60....

Maybe AI will feel lonely & realise there's no intelligent life here....construct a ship of light & fly away searching for a friend.........or maybe AI will fold into itself....after all AI doesn't need our material world.....AI may just create a virtual world of its own....like Finn & Jakes...adventure time world.........I can see AI & princess bubble gum really hitting it off.

As for Hawking...I'm not so sure about that guy...the simpsons like to credit him with the genius factor...personally I don't believe in "the genius"...though there are a lot of dumb people around...but I suspect being dumb is a life choice.....learning is like climbing a mountain ...you gotta make the effort...............

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I can imagine giving my household computer a psychedelic trip in software format, to enhance its creative performance...

I look forward to giving my toaster a psychedelic trip.

Edited by BeerAlternative
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that sounds a bit like a chain letter.......

what if I evolve to a singularity?......send money to me now!.....or I will return in my tardis to smite you........

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^ i am adding your name to the list

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any fiddling with the past will nullify the future...........consider yourself terminated..........

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Didnt Prigogine Prove that the second law of thermodynamics is more of a rule than a law given certain instances/scenarios wherein it is non applicable? no doubt some one more versed within the consensus of thought will school me :)

Retrocasuality sounds way groovy although unproven as of yet and i hope it could be in time mostly because it sounds like some kinda trippy mystical/sci fi shit. Personal thoughts usually tend to sway towards the world/universe/life being more amazing/fantastic/magical/deep whatever then we would give it credit for especially given the hugely negative biological and cultural reinforcements of our species.

The tech singularity is definitely a cool concept to ruminate on and makes for some kick ass sci fi :P lol, makes me think of ghost in shell type trans humanism where we are mostly some what at least cybernetic/artificial but more so biologically connected via a virtual web/space which does seem like the next logical step given time, albeit in a world where we didnt squander our resource's on mostly trivial things & stuff, and given enough time where we werent working against the increasing threat of climate uncertainty. Also the question of who would get the new tech? history has shown most new technology has been appropriated via business/ the state interests and subsequently commodified for profit and or out of the reach of the common persons...Elysium anyone?

Technology can and will ease the woes of life and being a bipedal meat sack that is a certainty although there are doubts if it can and will alleviate us of our plight as it were, if and when the mass consensus implements such to facilitate positive change for humanity whatever it may be is it truly of any substantial worth. otherwise what is it? novelty? we could distract and entertain ourselfs till the earth burns up in the sun 5ish billion years from now if we wanted too but will we...?

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