Favorites » Her Blog
-
-
From the page ; yudkowsky.net/tmol-faq/tmol-faq.html [yudkowsky.net/tmol-faq/tmol-faq.html]
* If computing power doubles every two years, what happens when computers are doing the research?
* If I created a mind with no built-in desires, what would it do?
* How can I do something that will still matter in two hundred million years?
* 1: Orientation.
o 1.1: What is humanity's place in the cosmos?
o 1.2: Why should I get up in the morning?
o 1.3: What really matters?
o 1.4: Is my life significant?
* 2: Logic.
o 2.1: What is the problem of asking "What is the meaning of life?"
o 2.2: What are choices? What are goals?
o 2.3: Where do goals usually come from?
o 2.4: Is there anywhere else goals can come from?
o 2.5: What is the Meaning of Life?
* 3: Miscellaneous.
o 3.1: What's this business with "42"?
o 3.2: Which political party is right?
o 3.3: Is {the physical Universe, consciousness, intelligence} Turing-computable?
o 3.4: What will happen to the human race?
o 3.5: Isn't "happiness" the meaning of life?
o 3.6: How can I become a better person?
o 3.7: How can I change the world?
* 4: Theology.
o General Disclaimer on Theology
o 4.1: Is there a conflict between science and religion?
o 4.2: Is my religion correct?
o 4.3: What was the purpose for which the Universe was created?
o 4.4: Is there a God?
o 4.5: Do I have free will?
o 4.6: What about God?
o 4.7: Is there life after death?
* 5: About.
o 5.1: Why did you write the FAQ?
o 5.2: How do you know all this stuff?
o 5.3: Why did AltaVista/Ask Jeeves take me to your site?
o 5.4: Where do I go from here?
This site is not affiliated in any way with Ask Jeeves or AltaVista.
NOTE: This page should be bookmarked as:
pobox.com/~sentience/tmol-faq/meaningoflife.html [pobox.com/~sentience/tmol-faq/meaningoflife.html] .
Frequently Asked Questions about the Meaning of Life
1: Orientation.
1.1: What is humanity's place in the cosmos?
The same place held by all the other technology-using species now briefly living on or around the ten billion trillion (1) stars in this Universe: Our role in the cosmos is to become or create our successors. I don't think anyone would dispute that something smarter (or otherwise higher) than human might evolve, or be created, in a few million years. So, once you've accepted that possibility, you may as well accept that neurohacking, BCI (Brain-Computer Interfaces), Artificial Intelligence, or some other intelligence-enhancement technology will transcend the human condition, almost certainly within your lifetime (unless we blow ourselves to dust first).
"Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended."
-- Vernor Vinge, 1993
The really interesting part about the creation of smarter-than-human intelligence is the positive-feedback effect. Technology is the product of intelligence, so when intelligence is enhanced by technology, you've got transhumans who are more effective at creating better transhumans, who are more effective at creating even better transhumans. Cro-Magnons changed faster than Neanderthals, agricultural society changed.
|
Her Favorites
Add her as a friend >
jesusgeorge's blog