On 9/24/06, Ben Goertzel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi,
I have been considering co-authoring some verbiage aimed at explaining
the Singularity notion to intelligent, educated non-nerds (together
with a writer I know who is more experienced and expert than me at
writing for a non-technical audience).
Having had some first hand experience with this myself (writing a book
length work on the Singualrity and it's implications, talking to
selected friend about the issue), my impression is that talking to
someone about the Singularity and its implication who is not already
technically inclined (i.e. non-nerd), has similarities to missionary
work. I finally got an appreciation on how the Mormons or Jehovah's
Witnesses must feel when trying to bring their concepts across to non
believers.
As Isaac Asimov has noted, the religion of science is distinguished by
one chief characteristic: "that it works." But aren't all missonaries
of this belief? That THEIRS is the only TRUE belief?
The Singualrity is in a pre-mainstream phase - just like the internet
was arround the late 80s/early 90s:
"Hey - have you heard about this great thing called 'The Internet'?
You can send your friends so called 'eMails' - you should try it some
times" "Huuh?"
Who on this list - who is 30+ - does not remember these conversations?
And suddenly in the 2nd half of the 90s all hell broke lose.
Or MMORPG in the late 90s:
"Hey - have you heard about this great thing called '<MMORPG>'? You
can play, like, online and own /virtual/ property - you should try it
some times" "Huuh?"
By now WoW has reached mass appeal.
Once we have the first AGI talkshow host one will be able to sensibly
talk to people about the next steps. But I doubt that even then the
majority will 'get' the Singularity.
Cheers ;-),
Stefan
--
Stefan Pernar
App. 1-6-I, Piao Home
No. 19 Jiang Tai Xi Lu
100016 Beijing
China
Mobil: +86 1391 009 1931
Skype: Stefan.Pernar
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