Thanks, Russell, it was very educative. I learned about singularity probably before you were born, and that was not a 'mathematical' one. By 1956 I probably even forgot about it. The term - in its classical form - was almost interchangeable with nirvana. Probably the first model of a black hole could mimick it: nothing in, nothing out, no information either. Even measurements were missing since the 'ouside' size could project on the inside, so it was a (mathematical) point. I usually look up Google (incl. Wiki) when I suppose there is a 'newer' version to be known, I did not in this case, because I was happy with the old vesion. John M
On 5/1/10, russell standish <li...@hpcoders.com.au> wrote: > > Mathematically, a singularity is where something is divided by > zero. A matrix with zero determinant is singular - if you attempt to > solve the simultaneous linear equations described by the matrix, you > will end up dividing by zero - a singularity. > > In General Relativity, a singularity is where the space-time curvature > goes to infinity - eg in the heart of a black hole or at the Big > Bang. In science, this is what the term singularity usually means. > > When Vernor Vinge in 1982 was describing the way AIs will eventually be > able > to design themselves, and so accelerate technological evolution beyond > the exponential Moore's law, he compared it to the gravitational > singularity of General Relativity, and so named it the Singularity, > now called Technnological Singularity to avoid confusion with the GR > term. > > This is my potted history - Wikipedia has an even more nuanced version > if you're interested. Interestingly (I did not know this), Stan Ulam > described the concept with the term "singularity" in 1958! > > Cheers > > On Sat, May 01, 2010 at 04:03:55PM -0400, John Mikes wrote: > > Hi, Quentin, . > > Long time no exchange... and thanx. > > That is a good suggestion, I just cannot figure out how can a Singularity > be > > Technological? > > I may have too 'big' assumptions about the 'S'-concept, including it's * > > closedness* so even no information can slip out (= we don't even know > about > > its contents) while *technological* is a topical > restriction/identification > > - I find it contradictory. OR: requires ANOTHER description of > > 'singularity'...? (what scares me, making 'science' even more ambiguous > than > > it is already). > > > > John M > > > > > > On 4/30/10, Quentin Anciaux <allco...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > Maybe... Technological Singularity ? > > > > > > 2010/4/30 John Mikes <jami...@gmail.com> > > > > > >> Dear List, > > >> for some weeks many write about TS (no explanation, seemingly all you > > >> physicists on the list know exactly what they are talking about. I > don't.) > > >> So after 'enough is enough' I looked up Wiki. I found some 50 > different > > >> items 'TS' may stand for, in physical sciences only some 20. > > >> It did not make sense when I substituted in the posts "T.S.Elliott, > > >> besides in the texts there are no periods in between. Nor Tectonic > Slip. Or > > >> Teutonic Surrogates. Tyrannical Softness? I bet it does not stand on > the > > >> Trafalgar Square. (maybe in texting lingo: *t^2* as in Time Square?). > > >> Somebody have mercy on me! > > >> John M > > >> > > >> > > >> On 4/30/10, Sami Perttu <sami.per...@gmail.com> wrote: > > >>> > > >>> Hi, I've been thinking about the political implications of TS. The > > >>> conclusions I've so far reached are quite pessimistic, but perhaps > > >>> they're realistic. I'm trying to come up with a detailed scenario, > and > > >>> here are some starting points. All help is appreciated! > > >>> > > >>> I believe control is one of the paramount issues considering the > > >>> politics of TS, and the unfolding of TS. There are many factors that > > >>> point to the need for increased control, surveillance and > > >>> authoritarian forms of rule, and I still believe these will spill > over > > >>> to the digital domain. But I may be missing some important component. > > >>> > > >>> -Interpersonal economic polarization is increasing. A threat from > > >>> below implies less democracy. > > >>> -TS is the biggest strategic issue of the 21st century. It can be > seen > > >>> as the final race to global supremacy: if there are sufficient > > >>> computational resources available, then whoever will first achieve > > >>> brain digitization and emulation technologies will win the race, for > > >>> example by gaining a massive economic advantage, or by starting a > > >>> massive weapons research program. > > >>> -The huge potential for technological advance will fuel instability; > > >>> the major powers could attempt to resolve this by coming to an > > >>> agreement to create a global political organ to oversee all of > digital > > >>> humanity. Rogue nations will be brought in line by economic or > > >>> military means. On the other hand, conflicts will likely remain > > >>> regional in scope, as > > >>> globalized capital won't tolerate a global conflagration. > > >>> -Digital communities can't simply be let loose. Previously most power > > >>> rested in the hands of an elite of analog humans, and they won't be > > >>> willing to relinquish their position so easily. The Luddite movement > > >>> will be exploited politically to this end. This will lead to strong > > >>> digital surveillance, a digital police force, and possibly STASI > style > > >>> methods of enforcing control in the digital world. > > >>> -Such controls clearly impede productivity, which is another > incentive > > >>> to establish global control over TS technologies. Otherwise some > large > > >>> nation or power could hedge its bets, dispense with control and make > > >>> an alliance with a liberal digital community, achieving > > >>> a competitive advantage. > > >>> -Corporations will likely continue to increase their power. Strong > > >>> digital property rights will be established. Digital exploitation and > > >>> slavery will follow. > > >>> -Even more control is needed when most of analog humanity becomes > > >>> economically unviable: they will no longer be able to compete in > wages > > >>> with digital humans. I have no idea how this question will be > > >>> resolved. > > >>> > > >>> -- > > >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > >>> "Everything List" group. > > >>> To post to this group, send email to > everything-l...@googlegroups.com. > > >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > >>> everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > <everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%252bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > > > > >>> . > > >>> For more options, visit this group at > > >>> http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > > >>> > > >>> > > >> -- > > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > >> "Everything List" group. > > >> To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com > . > > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > >> everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > <everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%252bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > > > > >> . > > >> For more options, visit this group at > > >> http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. > > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > > "Everything List" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to everything-l...@googlegroups.com. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > <everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%252bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > > > > > . > > > For more options, visit this group at > > > http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > > > > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > > To post to this group, send email to everything-l...@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > . > > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > > > > -- > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) > Mathematics > UNSW SYDNEY 2052 hpco...@hpcoders.com.au > Australia http://www.hpcoders.com.au > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To post to this group, send email to everything-l...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<everything-list%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. 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