JGWeissman comments on Thoughts on the Singularity Institute (SI) - Less Wrong

256 Post author: HoldenKarnofsky 11 May 2012 04:31AM

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Comment author: JGWeissman 14 May 2012 05:05:12PM 3 points [-]

since even "finding prime numbers" fills the galaxy with an amazing, nanotech-capable spacefaring civilization

The goal "finding prime numbers" fills the galaxy with an amazing, nonotech-capable spacefaring network of computronium which finds prime numbers, not a civilization, and not interesting.

Comment author: JoshuaZ 14 May 2012 11:19:43PM 1 point [-]

Maybe we should taboo the term interesting? My immediate reaction was that that sounded really interesting. This suggests that the term may not be a good one.

Comment author: JGWeissman 14 May 2012 11:36:03PM 1 point [-]

Fair enough. By "not interesting", I meant it is not the sort of future that I want to achieve. Which is a somewhat ideosyncratic usage, but I think inline with the context.

Comment author: dlthomas 14 May 2012 11:50:32PM *  2 points [-]

What if we added a module that sat around and was really interested in everything going on?

Comment author: timtyler 14 May 2012 11:14:13PM 0 points [-]

Not just computronium - also sensors and actuators - a lot like any other cybernetic system. There would be mining, spacecraft caft, refuse collection, recycling, nanotechnology, nuclear power and advanced machine intelligence with planning, risk assessment, and so forth. You might not be interested - but lots of folk would be amazed and fascinated.