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Warrigal comments on Open Thread: February 2010, part 2 - Less Wrong
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I've been wondering what the existance of Gene Networks tells us about recursively self improving systems. Edit: Not that self-modifying gene networks are RSIS, but the question is "Why aren't they?" In the same way that failed attempts at flying machines tell us something, but not much, about what flying machines are not. End Edit
They are the equivalent of logic gates and have the potential for self-modification and reflection, what with DNAs ability to make enzymes that chop itself up and do so selectively.
So you can possibly use them as evidence that low-complexity, low-memory systems are unlikely to RSI. How complex they get and how much memory they have, I am not sure.
It seems like in gene networks, every logic gate has to evolve separately, and those restriction enzymes you mention barely do anything but destroy foreign DNA. That's less self-modification potential than the human brain.
The inability to create new logic gates is what I meant by the systems having low memory. In this case low memory to store programs.
Restriction enzymes also have a role in the insertion of plasmids into genes.
An interesting question is: If I told you about computer model of evolution with things like plasmids, controlled mutation; would you expect it to be potentially dangerous?
I'm asking this to try to improve our thinking about what is and isn't dangerous. To try and improve upon the kneejerk "everything we don't understand is dangerous" opinion that you have seen.
Well, I'm not familiar enough with controlled mutation to be able to say anything useful about it.