The concept of a ‘resource overhang’ is crucial in dismissing Robin’s skepticism (which is based on historical human experience in economic growth—particularly in the accumulation of capital).
If civilisation(t+1) can access resources much better than civilisation(t), then that is just another way of saying things are going fast—one must beware of assuming what one is trying to demonstrate here.
The problem I see with this thinking is the idea that civilisation(t) is a bunch of humans while civilisation(t+1) is a superintelligent machine.
In practice, civilisation(t) is a man-machine symbiosis, while civilisation(t+1) is another man-machine symbiosis with a little bit less man, and a little bit more machine.
If civilisation(t+1) can access resources much better than civilisation(t), then that is just another way of saying things are going fast—one must beware of assuming what one is trying to demonstrate here.
The problem I see with this thinking is the idea that civilisation(t) is a bunch of humans while civilisation(t+1) is a superintelligent machine.
In practice, civilisation(t) is a man-machine symbiosis, while civilisation(t+1) is another man-machine symbiosis with a little bit less man, and a little bit more machine.