Origin > The Singularity > What is the Singularity?
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    What is the Singularity?
by   John Smart

This introduction to the Singularity includes a brief history of the idea and links to key Web resources.


Originally published February 27, 2001 at Singularity Watch. Published on KurzweilAI.net February 27, 2001.

Some 20 to 140 years from now--depending on which evolutionary or systems theorist, computer scientist, or futurist you happen to agree with--the rate of self-catalyzing, self-organizing technological change in our local environment will undergo a "singularity," becoming effectively instantaneous from the perspective of current biological humanity.

It has been proposed that events after this point must also be "future-incomprehensible" to existing humanity, though we disagree.

Some social theorists have proposed that the currently breathtaking rate of change or "information processing growth" in 21st century human civilization cannot continue to accelerate indefinitely. Apparent support for this position comes from the "sigmoidal nature" ("S curves") of biological growth, where resource limits lead to periodic "crash phases" in population size.

Also, physical limits affect information processing within any specific technology, such as the widely cited miniaturization limit in integrated circuits ("Moore's Law"), which will be reached circa 2010.

But such arguments are astonishingly irrelevant to the growth of information processing as an entity, because information arises out of and controls the continuous reorganization of matter-energy systems. In the known history of the Universe, information processing systems have always discovered ever-more-clever ways to rearrange themselves using less space, less energy, and less material resources during evolution, thus making them "matter-independent," or free of the limits to growth which affect any particular material substrate.

Consider our planet's history of accelerating creation of first pre-biological (atomic and molecular-based), then genetic (DNA and cell-based), then neurologic (neuron-based), then memetic (mental pattern-based), and finally, technologic (extra-cerebral-pattern based) evolutionary epochs, each requiring less space, matter, energy, and time to represent or perform any salient "computation" (i.e., forming an encoded internal representation of the laws or information of the external environment).

The brief history of digital computers (which have themselves moved through five substrates over the last century: mechanical, electromechanical, vacuum tube, transistor, and IC) makes this process of "accelerating rearrangement" even clearer. The Universal evolution of information involves the continuous movement to new substrates, with emergent forms always exponentially increasing their information processing pace over time.

We are on a wild ride to an interesting destination, a local rate of computational change so fast and powerful that it must have a profound and as-yet-unclarified Universal effect. As a side effect of this hypergrowth, biological human beings will not be able to meaningfully understand the computer-driven world of the near future unless they make some kind of transition to "transhumanity."

Those futurists who study this accelerating progression and its current and anticipated effect on humanity call it "the Singularity" for several reasons. The oldest reason, as introduced by Vernor Vinge in 1982, stems from the idea of a mathematical Singularity, a point in space or time at which one's existing models of reality are no longer valid.

One place we observe this is within a black hole, where the equations of relativity no longer hold, generating only infinities. As I will describe in my forthcoming book, several other insightful ways of understanding the coming Singularity may also be usefully employed.

A Brief History of Intellectual Discussion of the Singularity

Many groups have helped build our present understanding of accelerating change, and I will also be presenting a "Longer History" later in 2001. We'll begin our Brief History with the computer scientists of WWII. An important and dramatic, if not entirely accurate place to start. For an excellent read, I suggest Alan Turing: The Enigma, Hodges and Hofstadter, 2000.

It appears that the first computer scientists to consider the issue of accelerating change, in casual conversation, were its modern visionaries and founders, including both Alan Turing (1940's) and John Von Neumann (1950's). Von Neumann may have been the first to use the term "singularity" to describe this accelerating progression (see Vinge's "The Technological Singularity").

Ongoing informal discussions in this community eventually led to works by Richard Feynman (" There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" 1959), a revolutionary article that implicitly assumes accelerating change in a very important new domain, miniaturization, and I.J. Good ("Speculations Concerning the First Ultraintelligent Machine," 1965), perhaps the first clear published conceptualization of the coming computational Singularity.

A year earlier, in 1964, Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, had made his now famous prediction regarding circuit density doubling (every 18 to 24 months) in the new medium of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuits.

At first, Moore's Law simply defined the economic and engineering environment specific to computer hardware development, and gradually an entire industry of scientists and engineers came to not only intellectually appreciate, but to tangibly experience the local effects of continuous accelerating change.

Throughout the 1960's and 1970's a growing number of insightful analysts, engineers, systems theorists and cyberneticians developed models of reality which began to incorporate trend curves of accelerating computational change in various industry and generalizt publications (most prominently, Scientific American).

At the close of the 1960's. no one in computer science really knew how long the curves might last (excepting a very limited number of visionaries, as mentioned), or how relevant they might be to the larger world of human affairs. But the gate was open, and the concept of the Singularity was afoot.

Serious investigation of futurist scenarios received a major upgrade around this time, including a few that recognized the concept of accelerating change, thanks to the excellent work of Edward Cornish and the World Future Society, and the bimonthly publication of The Futurist Magazine since 1967.

The idea of accelerating change finally entered the public consciousness through Alvin Toffler and his revolutionary Future Shock, 1970. Throughout the 1970's, the implications of Moore's Law as a signifier of general computationally-driven scientific and social change were progressively being explored.

At the same time, there were a few groundbreaking attempts to characterize and popularize the observed trajectory of ever more integrative and self-balancing local systems, most publically by F.M. Esfandiary (later, FM-2030) (Optimism One, 1970, Tele-Spheres, 1977 and Up-Wingers: A Futurist Manifesto, 1973.) These three luminous books were published in paperback in 1977 and 1978, and eventually became known as the "Transhumanist Trilogy," setting the stage for the Extropian and transhumanist movements of the 1980's.

The mid to late 1980's were a modern version of the "Cambrian Explosion" in our scientific understanding of accelerating computational change within various specialties, with simultaneous breakthroughs in the study of complexity, artificial life, neural networks, connectionist and parallel computation, and several other fields best left for my forthcoming "Longer History."

At the same time, consideration of accelerating change from a systems perspective finally became broadly accessible to the general public, through groundbreaking popular works, by such authors as Marvin Minsky (Society of Mind, 1985), Erik Drexler (Engines of Creation, 1986), and Hans Moravec (Mind Children, 1988).

These three books respectively represented a theory of mind as an emergent collective computational system, a framework for applying computation and embodied environmental interaction on as-yet-undreamed scales of miniaturization, and the first coherent projection of the meaning of the new computer and cognitive sciences for the future of mind in the Universe. These early authors risked professional reputation in their own fields to advance their unique ideas, and each deserves special recognition for their courage, conviction, and clarity of vision.

In the 1990's, a flood of generalizt publications that are implicitly Singularity-aware, and a bold few that are explicitly Singularity-aware, such as those by John Brockman (ed., The Third Culture, 1995), Damien Broderick (The Spike, 1997) and Richard Coren (The Evolutionary Trajectory, 1998) became available.

Meanwhile, in the mass medium of the new millennium (the Web), Max and Natasha Vita-More (Extropy.org), Robin Hansen, Nick Bostrom (Transhuman.org), again Hans Moravec and most centrally, Vernor Vinge brought these ideas to digital life in the 1990s with their careful analysis of the Singularity meme and its variants. Eliezer Yudkowsky also has prolific writings in this area, along with a community of AI investigators and "Singularity advocates" and a nonprofit AI venture with transhumanists Brian and Sabine Atkins.

At present, in 2001, only a few tens of thousands of individuals have been exposed to the Singularity meme, mostly through the web. But soon, the general concept of the Singularity will become even more mainstream, as it is confronted by networking think tanks such as the nanotechnology and future scenario leader Foresight Institute.

In addition, the background systems and forces involved will be explicated by great journalists, inventor visionaries, and social theorists. These include Ed Regis, (Mambo Chicken, 1990, Nano, 1995), Douglas Rushkoff (Cyberia, 1994), Danny Hillis, "Close to the Singularity" 1995, Peter Russell (Waking up in Time, 1998), James Glieck (Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything, 1999), Hans Moravec (Robot, 1999) and perhaps most notably, Ray Kurzweil (Age of Spiritual Machines, 1999) as well as others listed in both the "Longer History" and my forthcoming Singularity Studies Bibliography (later in 2001).

Exploring the Singularity

Foresight.org

See Chris Peterson, Erik Drexler, and the Foresight Group's Spring 2000 Conference, "Confronting Singularity."

Extropy.org

See Robin Hansen's "A Critical Discussion of Vinge's Singularity Concept."

See Natasha Vita-More's "Vinge's View of the Singularity". This article contains one of the few accounts, by Vinge himself, of attempts to imagine scenarios in which the Singularity does not occur. Such efforts are difficult and rare indeed among those who understand the recent history of computer hardware and evolutionary computation.

Transhumanist.org

See Nick Bostrom's "What is the Singularity?;" and "How Long Before Superintelligence?"

Edge.org

See Danny Hillis, "Close to the Singularity."

Principia Cybernetica Web

See Francis Heylighen's "The Socio-Technological Singularity"

SingIst.org

See Eliezer Yudkowsky's "Staring into the Singularity and Plan to Singularity".

Other notable articles and web pages

Marvin Minsky Sci. American 1994, , "Will Robots Inherit the Earth?"

Charles Platt interviews Hans Moravec on the Future of Computers and Humanity, HotWired, 1995

Anders Sandberg, "The Singularity"

Steve Edwards, "Surviving the Singularity"

Dan Clemmensen, "Paths to the Singularity"

Alan Kazlev, "The Singularity"

AtomJack's unique artistic-analytic "Singularity"

Singularity-Related Mailing Lists

   
 

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Mind·X Discussion About This Article:

Singularity and 1932 science fiction story
posted on 09/17/2001 9:43 PM by KenKahn@ToonTalk.com

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While I read it about 30 years ago, I remember the following short story where computers repeatedly designing better computers leading to rapidly accelerating "evolution" was central to the story.

The Last Evolution, (ss) Amazing Aug '32, John W. Campbell, Amazing Science Fiction Stories: The Wonder Years 1926-1935, ed. Martin H. Greenberg, TSR, 1987

I think anyone interested in the origins of the idea of the singularity should read this.

Singularity Makes Sense
posted on 08/26/2003 10:20 PM by SiCman

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-Singularity makes sense, as a form of evolution--from the basic elements of C, H, N O came human life. Si is also a natural element--but is to technology what C is to biology. When C and Si have been combined to create what will essentially be new life forms, the Singularity is upon us.

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 04/17/2002 4:21 AM by originalmusician@earthlink.net

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Raul Black,

I went to a discussion on nanotechnology at The University of Washington this evening (4-16-2002). After the lecture I had a few questions so I approached the microphone. I decided to first make certain that the speaker (a well known celebrated nanotechnologist) thoroughly understood the concept of the singularity before I asked my questions. Much to my surprise the speaker didn't have the slightest idea of what I was talking about. The audience murmered, and my girlfriend later told me she heard people snickering and talking about me like I was some sort of retarded nut for bringing up a term like "singularity" at a nanotechnology lecture. I shook my head and left the event.

It is important to note that the UW's nano program is a PHD level program! You must understand my surprise at the lack of current understanding in this area of science. I left the room with everyone looking at me like I was an insane and retarded freak. This might sound strange, but I had a good time with it all. I'm just a follower sheep in this field, but I was made out to be Max Planke or Nikola Tesla. LOL I figure you geniuses that are actually inventing these futuristic concepts must really be getting kicked in the teeth.

What's up? By now I suppose 40 thousand people are familiar with this terminology? How come none of them live in Washington?

James Bond

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 04/20/2002 2:47 AM by jjaeger@mecfilms.com

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You have to realize that anyone who is dealing in nanotechnology, yet is unaware of a) the concept of the Singularity, whether ultimately a real or imagined phenomena, and b) Superstring and/or M-theory -- is a mOron.

So yes, Academia is filled with mostly dumbed-down, sleeplike mOrons. Hey, I was there once too -- on both coasts -- they're all mostly beer-drinking kids who are clueless about the future. And one reason they are clueless is because they spend too much time watching the MPAA-infested media, screwing while on drugs and failing to read enough relevant books and periodicals. The only crap they get to read, and HAVE to read, is the politically correct stuff the professors shove down their faces. They also don't frequent sites like this enough, roll up their shirtsleeves and fight it out in a public forum. College is a thing of the past. The Net IS college. Home schooling IS college. Interacting with the people IS college. Working IS college. The other stuff is horse.

Even most of the lofty commercial writers who sit back and MAKE MONEY writing books are falling WAY behind the action. Their books are becoming less and less real to the degree they aren't out in forums like this HASHING OUT things (and under their real_names, IF they have any balls, which most do NOT). By the time a book comes out -- who cares -- it's OLD NEWS. Look I've written and published 6 books and 98 training manuals in the pre-web decade, but every time I get my 7th book on the way, or done, it's an outdated piece of crap.

So the Singularity has definitely already HIT the publishing and movie worlds -- and since the bozos you encountered tonight are totally emerged in both -- are you really surprised? Sounds like the Singularity has already sucked up the nano-buffs there as well.

Feel better?

James Jaeger

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 04/20/2002 11:30 PM by wildwilber@msn.com

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James Jaeger

Why would all people dealing in nanotechnology HAVE to know about the singularity and M-Theory or be morons? That's pretty black or white don't you think?

People working on carbon nanotube electronics are morons if they don't know about the idea of a singularity? In what direct way does the idea of a singularity relate to the failure/success of their efforts?

I understand there may indeed be many 'morons' in the field, especially in academia though I really wouldn't know, and knowing about things like the law of accelerating returns would seem to be of value for people dealing with advanced technology ideas. However, I find repulsive the ease with which you malign others you don't even know.

As far as needing to hash things out in forums like this under real names or be considered ball-less? Well I really think you give to much credit to this forum and your participation in it. I haven't seen too much of anything original in this forum approaching the level of thorough, thoughtful and in-depth analyses and information with which I've received from books, short papers and internet sites like the rest of KurzweilAI.

By the way I come to this forum because I have been under the impression this is the best/easiest/most available place to talk to like minded technology enthusiasts, laymen or otherwise, and get the most relevant input possible on personal tech/future related questions. Kind of a casual place really, maybe I've been wrong.

Willie

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 04/20/2002 11:24 PM by wildwilber@msn.com

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James Bond ;)

I'd like to know who the person was. Just curiosity.

I must say it's too bad the person giving the lecture didn't know about the singularity but I'm not totally surprised, it's still seems a bit of a niche thing. As far as the crowd thinking poorly of you, that I would have guessed as I know nobody with any real interest in the singularity but those of you on this forum. I really don't know all that many people though. ;)

Oh'I live in Washington and I know! =)

I like where John Smart is going with is ideas so far too.

Willie

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 04/21/2002 5:27 AM by originalmusician@earthlink.net

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It was my misunderstanding (or delusion?) that if you are involved with the Foresight Institute you probably are infected with the singularity meme by now. That does not seem to be the case.

http://www.foresight.org/Conferences/MNT6/Abstracts/Vogel/

Vogel is obviously no dummy, and it is not my intention to run down her reputation. In fact I am certain that she is brighter than myself. At least the Max Planke Institute would probably argue in favor of that.

I suppose it is polite to ask questions about the material that was directly presented, but I thought her presentation was done well enough that most of the near future implications were obvious. Hence, I desired to get slightly abstract.

All the other people who asked questions were asking totally obvious stuff like, "do you think nano can help with blood clotting at some point in the future?" To me, questions like that are a waste of time. That is like asking a math guy, "what is 2 + 2?"

Perhaps I can't expect someone to know everything. I suppose this is a case of specialized knowledge, so I can forgive Vogel, but those giggling and sighing in the audience; their education was a waste of time and money. No amount of costly educational brainwashing will provide them with intelligence. Lucky for them nano induced transhumanism is on the way.

James Bond

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 04/21/2002 1:00 PM by wildwilber@msn.com

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>'It was my misunderstanding (or delusion?) that if you are involved with the Foresight Institute you probably are infected with the singularity meme by now. That does not seem to be the case.'

>http://www.foresight.org/Conferences/MNT6/Abstracts/Vogel/

Given the additional above info I'd say you were right! I would have assumed SOME awareness of the singularity by that person as well. Maybe she feigned ignorance of the singularity for some reason'nah that'd be kind of strange.

>'Perhaps I can't expect someone to know everything. I suppose this is a case of specialized knowledge, so I can forgive Vogel, but those giggling and sighing in the audience; their education was a waste of time and money. No amount of costly educational brainwashing will provide them with intelligence. Lucky for them nano induced transhumanism is on the way.'

I wouldn't think to kindly of the audience either if they were having fun at my expense. =)

Willie

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/27/2003 2:49 AM by nickwellings

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They might not know about the singularity because it's a very very fringe idea.

And it's wrong. Also.

Anyway.

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/27/2003 3:21 AM by Thomas Kristan

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There are whole categories (of deeply religious people, for example), for whom is better, to think the way you do.

The general public awareness of the Singularity, may not be such a good think, after all.

So you are, where I want you to be. "There is no such a thing as the Singularity!" Good. Stay that way for at least a decade or two.

- Thomas

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/27/2003 4:23 AM by boris.k

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Singularity is a dumb term,- it implies that at a certain point we will have an infinite progress in a limited time. That's nonsense, infinity is a mathematical concept that has no place in a real world. There's nothing new about nanotechnology either, we've been doing chemistry & biology for centuries. We should be talking about general AI, not "singularity"

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/27/2003 5:32 AM by Thomas Kristan

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I agree, that there will no be any literal "singularity", and no "infinity" also.

But for every practical reason, the term is good enough. Almost no word has the exact meaning. So for the rapid transition of the automated future ... we should continue to use this word. At least as long, as we develop some knowledge of the nature of that world, beyond the Singularity (time).

- Thomas

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/27/2003 12:00 PM by zurk@arbornet.org

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youre speaking about an event that may or may not come based on theories
which have absolutely no proof whatsoever. and youre wondering why people
laughed at you at a conference full of researchers who base their theories on
things they can actually build and get published in peer reviewed journals.
and you consider THEM to be morons ?
i've read the singularity papers ( and i consider them to be absolute
100%, grade - A, horsecrap ). yes it may happen, but i can also win the lottery
( even though i never play it ) by some miracle..however unlikely it may seem.
but yeah -- if you go into a room full of researchers, they would laugh (as
would I) even though they may know what the singularity is. theres little
point introducing theories with no proof (other than the belief it may
happen at some point in the far future) at a scientific conference.
if you believe it may happen -- prove it. become a transhumanist-whatever
and walk into the conference with your nano doodads hanging around
your head. then people might listen to you (even if they laugh at you first).

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/28/2003 1:07 PM by /:setAI

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you are missing the crucial aspect of the Singularity- like evolution it is not just a theory or idea- it is a DISCOVERY through observation of several factors- the discovery is based upon the realization of the implications of technology/ mind/ evolution and the nature of Nature- like evolution once discovered the idea cannot be put back in a box or second-guessed- the "proof" is the discovery of the processes ITSELF-

uncoil yourself from the stifling focus of your search for "proof" of "theories" and LOOK at the world like a Man-

right out of the gate- we see that ultimately the destiny of humankind and the Earth can be catogorized with just 3 vectors:

-vector apocalypse: we simply destroy ourselves completely or enter a new dar age

-vector stagnation- we create new technologies- or not- but we always remain humans and human culture continues as it has [in the recent past]- this includes everything from mankind not progressing much at all- or a regretion or cycle where we always have some technology- it also includes at the extreme the standard sci-fi space-farring senario were humanity goes to the stars but remains mortal- human in culture and biology and technology-

-vector singularity- technology/consciousness are cultivated and advance to a level of complexity and utility that causes the world and Mankind to fundementally change/transcend/ascend/multiplex in such profound ways that our concepts and contexs no longer can predict or understand what will occur-


without even considering the options- we only have THREE fates- and one is Singularity- this makes it 33% likely without any other considerations! but some simple deductions reveals that #2- the vector of stagnation- is HIGHLY improbable- it is naively improbable in fact- and the vector of apocalypse? I think most posters on theis board- researches like me and lay people alike- all of us attest to the very likely probability of a Catastrophie- but why mull that over? it's to be avoided- and is a sad fate- so it does not need to be discussed really does it? also- I would conjecture that from the Gaian perspective of seeing all life/technology/mind as an emergence at the level of the whole world-organism- that a human apocalypse would merely be a brief [VERY brief] delay- not an end- unless we made the planet totally barren of Life [which I think is impossible- we don't know how to sterilize the earth- bacteria are tough buggers]-

this means that the vector of Singularity becomes not only a good possibility- but the most likely- this is unavoidable and I would posit that arguably it is unarguable ;)

now everyone has there own concept of Singularity- and also like evolution the framework is an undeniable fact- but the processes and methods are very much up for debate! this is were the argument is- what will happen when we have multiple forms of super-intelligent human and non-human analog/digital/biological/hybrid information processing networks/brains/swarms and what happens when these ecologies have access to the "Hand of God" technologies like Programmable Matter and post-nanotech quantum engineering?

regardless of what happens- the ides of the SIngularity ITSELF is involate now- like evolution- once discovered it can't go away- it exists

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/28/2003 1:36 PM by subtillioN

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-vector singularity- technology/consciousness are cultivated and advance to a level of complexity and utility that causes the world and Mankind to fundementally change/transcend/ascend/multiplex in such profound ways that our concepts and contexs no longer can predict or understand what will occur-


This has already happened and is happening all the time. Certainly neolithic man was conceptually ill-equipped to forcast the modern era.

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/28/2003 2:33 PM by /:setAI

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yup- that is another aspect of the concept of Singularity- once you see it you see that it has already happened and continues to unfold-

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 08/27/2003 11:19 AM by nickwellings

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The Singularity is the ultimate "Rapture of The Geeks" idea. A cultural "meme" (if you allow the term) of general rapture, latched onto by technophiles.

There will be no singularity, not for at least 40 years. If greater than human intelligence is ever available it does not mean an end to our way of life as we know it.

Our century will not equal 20,000 years of progress.

The world will not experience exponential period doublings of technological progress.

Much of the thinking in extropian and transhuman circles is very wooly. Predictions based upon a shhakily extrapolated trend, butressed by naive science and hope.

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/03/2003 9:37 AM by londonAIclub

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But it is hard science that must interest us.


Predictions that are based on reasonable assumptions and have proven track records like More's Law are more attractive.

The way i predict is to look at what needs to happen before exponential growth intelligence is built.

This means a macnine or system that can problem solve fast and in a wider area (and growing wider) than men.


Usually that has meant memory X speed


which has meant storage of data somewhere, and speed of electronic transmission.



But speed can also mean speed of mutation, since there is no reason we cannot grow A.I. from biological systems.


the speed of mutation may NOT have an upper limit.




Speculation is great.



laterally, if the outcome required is intelligence (let's define this for eg as problem solving)


then the inputs can be anything at all.....not just the trafditional roots of speed of processing using memory manipulation (this includes learning which I call modified memory cycles in computers)



Invention.

Vision

Science


Programmming

biology

and looking always at new unusual eways of doing things.


great lecture on Paul Erlich (video) at our site (Royal Society lecture).

many geniuses pay their price to the gods in a handicap or mental/spiritual physical health money.


i've souhgt out and met many famous great minds and they are without exception paying like crazt fro their great gifts.


science is a method.

without values it become a master and unhuman.



we can invent within the context of humaness.

i dont think the next Big Bang is far away, but i was sure A.I. would be here two years ago and went fishing.



Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/12/2006 3:45 PM by mindx back-on-track

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back-on-track

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/14/2006 3:40 PM by SaraConner

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What is back on track?

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/14/2006 4:25 PM by NANO-ONE

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THE MODERATOR WANTS US TO GET BACK TO A FEW RECCOMENDED SUBJECTS THATS ALL. BTW WHAT ARE YOUR SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS.

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/14/2006 5:11 PM by extrasense

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How many human beings understand the workings of a supercomputer, and how it is used to create and produce even more powerful supercomputers?

We cross singularities all the time.

Can human being become absolete?

The mental professions can, as many manual profession have had by now.

But the animals did not become absolete with arrival of the humans.

es

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/14/2006 5:16 PM by donjoe

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"animals did not become obsolete with the arrival of humans"

They didn't? Didn't we destroy many of their habitats, expanding our territory and industry and driving many species to extinction?

Re: What is the Singularity?
posted on 09/14/2006 6:16 PM by extrasense

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"animals did not become obsolete with the arrival of humans"

They didn't? Didn't we destroy many of their habitats, expanding our territory and industry and driving many species to extinction.


It will be a long time, if ever, for computers to reach 7 billion population :)

es