Vernor Vinge on the Singularity - part 1 of 2

[AncientAtheist]

"Riding the curve" of the Singularity. Yes. I think that is exactly what we are doing right now. We talk about the "coming of the Singularity" but I'd maintain we are in the midst of it. It's just kind of hard to see, because it hasn't hit the "hard" point and we are still able to deal with phenomenal changes that have never occurred, at the present rate, in human history. Look at the changes since 1810 and compare to any 200 year period. We have no template for comparison.

[Darkonia]

Vedic scholars are also big on this singularity event talk, however they not only speak of an artificial abomination, but also an event/moment in time when everything could be possible, as well as highly unpredictable and chaotic. However they don't seem that fearful of machine overlords since they figure Lord Indra and the rest of the demigods will deal with them swiftly if things get out of hand.

[SIXSCENT]

Um, anyone see the 'UFO' in the very beginning?

[mccoya2]

@SIXSCENT yeah what the hell is that @8s?? something strange flying through the air. well spotted!

[nilbud]

Chang trips have been around for months already.

[riotgrrrrrl2001]

@nilbud clearly an advance robot drone from the future, coming back in time to see my Vinge speak.

[eyhexs]

i for one will welcome our new artificial overlords

[ehswan]

Oh, vile creature, can you not see in the stuttering responses of this so called "Vernor Vinge", (such a name) the confusion and chaos implicit in the SINGULARITY! And yet you "welcome our new artificial overlords"?! AUUGH, I fear that you work for them!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ssrrrere]

@eyhexs lol like the simpsons ref

[riotgrrrrrl2001]

@eyhexs let me state for the record, to our new machine overlords, that I am more than comfortable being one of their pets.

[eyhexs]

aaah, so few people not into this stuff; feels good not being a sheeple ;D

[3tangle3]

2009 - first colony of near- immortalised non cancerous skin stem cells observed through telomerant treatment ....here we go.....

wheres theres hope, theres life

[SpunkMaster3000]

mouse: SINGULARITY?

can it get me piece of cheese?

if not i'm not interested

[PhillipH903]

It will.

I plan on spending most in my time in harem simulations.

[jfnovotny]

yikes! next time pick better spot for an interview, too much background noise.

[floodwatch11108]

>///////initiating protocol 1///////

>contact

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[MrGoodfella123]

I agree. The four possibilities for the emergence of the Sungularity are plausible and well before their time. He wrote the essay about 16 years ago and even now people are wary of the scenarios he puts forth.

Him and Kurzweil are the two great minds in this field

[davidorban]

Too many people dismiss all of the scenarios, as if they were keen to put the whole thing out of their mind, rather than think about it at all. What is more disturbing is that sometimes they get even upset for others to do so, as if it damaged them...

[Seksivince]

yea I'm reading Kurzeil's book atm, it's pretty good.

[MrGoodfella123]

When you're done with that, you should try Joel Garreau's 'Radical Evolution'. It's awash with ideas.

From the perspective of AI though, I don't think an abrupt emergence will occur, mainly because of Searle's reasoning and Hawkins' idea that you'd first have to define intelligence. Mind you the whole point of the Singularity is that the other side is almost unknowable, so it may happen. Minsky thinks that it's possible with a fragmented approach, but we'd probably be old timers by then.

[Seksivince]

Searle makes the presupposition that syntax is a sufficient but not necessary condition for semantics. I think they're bioconditional equivalents to one another. That is, Syntax is a sufficient and necessary condition for semantics. Thus, if computers are capable of syntactical manipulation then they are well on their way, although not at the moment, to bridging this capability with semantics. Humans are capable of both, but we too need a syntactical precondition even before considering syntax.

[MrGoodfella123]

Our semantics are influenced by the formal/syntactical systems that we live in. But, as you said, they're bioconditional. That is, only living creatures have the natural capacity for semantic and pragmatic analysis. To produce machines that are capable of syntactical manipulation, one would first have to program some semblence of cognition. Then, I agree, that it's possible that machines could one day survey the axioms that guide them, much in the same way that humans exercise reason.

[Seksivince]

I agree, I got my triggers mixed up earlier though, "syntax is insufficient for semantics" as articulated in the Chinese Room argument.

[foxxrider250r]

wow yall are fuckin smart,...just blew my dam mind

[nilbud]

@MrGoodfella123 Kurtzweil is a bit of a douchebag though and he rattles he eats so many pills.

[CalumnMcAulay]

@nilbud a douche bag who has 19 honorary doctorates 25 patents has created many life changing inventions and now spearheads what will soon come to be one of the biggest movements the human civilisation has ever seen!

[nilbud]

@CalumnMcAulay Yeah that's the guy.

[Dirtfire]

A true visionary.