Comments on: Indistinguishable from Magic and Just as Dangerous

By: Jacques Chester

Jacques Chester — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:00:59 +0000

Thanks Heath. Since I think that Ken, Chris and Nick have got economics and politics pretty well stitched up, I might be doing more posts along these lines - technology focused, trying to explain the ideas and their impact for a wider audience.

On the other hand I could just stay lazy and do it only when the mood strikes.

By: HeathG

HeathG — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:14:09 +0000

interesting post.

I think the level of risk is going to depend on where we permit nanotech to be deployed and how. I;’ve seen suggestions nanonbots could be used to trim our hair and perform other body maintenance. I’d be pretty reluctant to let a million little bots onto me if there was the risk they could be hacked and set to work injuring me.

On the other hand - I might be prepapred to use them for other tasks where the consuquence sof them going feral weren’t likely to be as injurious.

Still - once they are set free, how does one scoop up and collect the damn things?

Seems like we have a lot of questions left to answer before they become mainstream and widely used.

By: Jacques Chester

Jacques Chester — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 05:16:49 +0000

Paul;

You will find that the Lifeboat Institute are the leading thinkers in this direction.

Also of interest is the work of Eliezer Yudkowsky, who I intend to discuss a bit in the next essay.

By: Paul Frijters

Paul Frijters — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 05:01:45 +0000

Hi Jacques,
very interesting. I read the ‘Why the future doesnt need us’ link. Very depressing (and similar in scenario to this).
Like you, I dont foresee anyone being able to stop these developments and in that sense, its just like climate change: que sera, sera. Assuming that your fears are deserved, the interesting question is what happens the day after one of these potential disasters eventuates.