I believe it's been shown that intelligence does correlate positively with height. Is it possible that it correlates with symmetry or other physical traits that make people attractive? I have no doubt that a bias is at work here, but is it possible that bias has some foundation in fact?
One of the things I found interesting in Eliezer's chapter on biases from his site was the repeated cautions about always being aware that these biases can affect us as well, even when we're aware of them. I certainly wouldn't trust the judgement of someone who chalks them up to the belief "most people are almost unbelievably stupid."
That chapter was a great read, btw.
Excellent post. I am a little confused on the notion of transhumanism. Once immortality is achieved, where does everyone fit? Do we quit breeding? Do only a chosen few make the immortality cut? Do we upload on to a matrix? And as to AI, if it is to be our descendant, why does it have a moral obligation to keep us around? What purpose would homo erectus serve in our world?
It's curious to me that you would malign Superman, yet strive to be him, laud the hero who accepts his mortal fate, and pity him for it.
I tip my hat to you. Were I laying money in a futures market, I'd bet on you over some cloistered monk to change the world. But I'd cut you both about the same odds for life everlasting.