Incidentally, over the past few comments, I have noticed that you repeatedly refer to “the machine” where I might have written “machines” or “a machine”. Do you think that a singleton-dominated future is desirable? Inevitable? Likely?
I certainly wasn’t thinking about that issue consciously. Our brains may just handle examples a little differently.
It is challenging to answer directly because the premise that there is either one or many is questionable. There are degrees of domination—and we already have things like the United Nations.
Also, this seems to be an area where civilisation will probably get what it wants—so its down to us to some extent—which makes this a difficult area to make predictions in. However, I do think a mostly-united future—with few revolutions and little fighting—is more likely than not. An extremely tightly-united future also seems quite plausible to me. Material like this seems to be an unconvincing reason for doubt.
I certainly wasn’t thinking about that issue consciously. Our brains may just handle examples a little differently.
And your decision not to answer my questions … Did you think about that consciously?
Of course. I’m prioritising. I did already make five replies to your one comment—and the proposed shift of direction seemed to be quite a digression.
My existing material on the topic:
http://alife.co.uk/essays/one_big_organism/
http://alife.co.uk/essays/self_directed_evolution/
http://alife.co.uk/essays/the_second_superintelligence/
It is challenging to answer directly because the premise that there is either one or many is questionable. There are degrees of domination—and we already have things like the United Nations.
Also, this seems to be an area where civilisation will probably get what it wants—so its down to us to some extent—which makes this a difficult area to make predictions in. However, I do think a mostly-united future—with few revolutions and little fighting—is more likely than not. An extremely tightly-united future also seems quite plausible to me. Material like this seems to be an unconvincing reason for doubt.