On 6/28/07, Jey Kottalam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On 6/28/07, Alan Grimes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> I want to find people who are as entheuseastic as I am about such a >> future, people who are willing to spend hours each day trying to learn >> the skills required to develop a superhuman AI instead of wasting all >> that mental energy on the question of how many angels can dance on the >> head of a pin. >> >> > > I fully agree. I'm personally mostly interested in researching, studying and > discussing AGI-related topics,
I hate to say it... I hate to say it.... But it's probably me. So, a bit late, here is my join post. ===== Rick Schwall's Mission Statement ======== I am up to something in the world, a project I call Humanity's Triumph over Evolution (HToE). Humanity NEEDS HELP! We've created problems (such as massive nuclear arsenals that could destroy the biosphere, Global Warming, world poverty and hunger) that seem to be beyond us. "We have met the enemy and he is us." (http://www.igopogo.com/final_authority.htm) Our human intelligence is limited not only in quantity, but it has a very specific quality. We are a product of 4 billion years of evolution. It is only recently that we got language, writing, and the beginning of an exponential rise in human capabilities. We are hardwired for personal survival, the survival of our young, and the survival of our local clan. We are hardwired to compete for dominance within the clan; this scales up to a hunger for political power. "Intelligence" is layered on top of that. This is why we have so much trouble sticking to our morals, our promises, and our New Years' resolutions! Consider that it is the reason the world news looks the way it does. We will soon be able to create "Artificial Intelligence" (a problem solving machine, optimization engine), that is "smarter" than us (faster, better & bigger memory, more rigorous). Eventually we will make one that is self-improving or capable creating the next generation AI; this is called "Seed AI" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_AI). It is critical that we engineer that seed AI to be inherently designed on a mission to serve humanity. Any sloppiness in this is all too likely to lead to drift of the purpose, then the extinction of humanity. This is the crisis (turning point) we are at RIGHT NOW. There are very small teams laying down the groundwork for a Friendly Artificial Intelligence ( see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_ai, Also see Singularity Institute (http://www.singinst.org)). That is My Mission: to provide humanity with an incredibly powerful "intelligence" (problem solver) that MAY be able find answers to problems that stump us (e.g. how to put and end to war FOR REAL, before war leads us to actually USE those huge nuclear arsenals; how to get the nations MOVING on Global Climate Management, etc). That engine will not include the baggage of 4 billion years of evolution. It will be Humanity's Triumph over Evolution. That is who I am, that is what you can count on. -------------------------------------- Biography: I'm training myself to be a Friendly AI theoretician. I could use a mentor (Eliezer has declined.) There are some signs I could use a keeper. I'm rounding up people to hold me accountable for milestones so my lazy / procrastination nature doesn't rule all. I was born in 1949 and grew up in Northbrook Illinois. Education: B.S. Caltech M.S. & Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, Northwestern University Various short courses in DEC VMS, Oracle, Sun Solaris, document imaging, and various forgotten stuff. I'm a retired computer system administrator and data base administrator. Phone: 805-498-2514 (California) new to SL4.org/wiki as of 4/8/2007 new to climateprediction.net as of 5/21/2007 new to [EMAIL PROTECTED] as of 06/6/2007 new to singularity@v2.listbox.com as of 6/7/2007 new to [EMAIL PROTECTED] as of 6/7/2007 With my best wishes, Rick Schwall ---------------------------------------------- Very few people are aware that Humanity is in a crisis (a crucial or decisive point or situation), that could lead to the extinction of the human race, or a glorious new future beyond anyone's imagining. Learn more at http://www.singinst.org/ The number of heroes is small, so one person (it could be you) can make a real difference. ----------------------------------- I have an e-mail list, where I occasionally send messages on making a difference in the world. To subscribe: send a blank e-mail to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------------------------- Are you troubled by someone's drinking? Al-Anon can help. http://www.alanonventura.org http://www.al-anon.org 1-888-4AL-ANON ---------------------------------------------- Whatever "problem" is currently there, God can handle it in God's way, and I am welcome to my opinion on the matter. ------------------------------------------------ Open a whole new world of possibility. Ask me about http://www.landmarkeducation.com ------------------------------------------------ The foundation of love is accepting them just as they are, and just as they're not. Another person's "bad" behavior is NOT the block to love, my refusal to accept it is the block to love. ----- This list is sponsored by AGIRI: http://www.agiri.org/email To unsubscribe or change your options, please go to: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=4007604&id_secret=17485421-e6b274
