Public Post Insulting Futurists and Transhumanist.
So, the Transhumanists lead by "Crazy" Ray Kurzweil have a Singularity University now? Philip Greenspun's discussion/link, but hey, /. ran a story last night, but LJ was undergoing maintenance, so no wee hours of the dawn screed.
Anyway, I want to make this public, not because its important(well, okay, ripping off people with an extra $25K to blow on a singularity university in this economy is probably down right patriotic, but nonetheless...), but because I guess I have to admit I'm a pseudo-Malthusian(most engineers and scientists should be though...), because I think the universe seems to observe some rules about Entropy, Thermodynamics, and causality(personally, I find it overrated...), and conservation in general. A good engineer eventually learns that models which predict singularities are generally exceeding their bounds of applicability.
Another good way to sum up my view on the "Singularity is Near" is as follows:If something can't go on forever. It won't.
Alas, for the intelligence constrained, this iron law gives no expiration date, only a promise. The devil collects his due. Singularites in most processes are the modern equivalent of "Here be Dragons" on old maps. In other words, "We have no idea what the hell happens here."
But by all means, the great economists P.T. Barnum is right, there's a sucker born every minute.
Thermodynamics is my bitch.
Anyway, I want to make this public, not because its important(well, okay, ripping off people with an extra $25K to blow on a singularity university in this economy is probably down right patriotic, but nonetheless...), but because I guess I have to admit I'm a pseudo-Malthusian(most engineers and scientists should be though...), because I think the universe seems to observe some rules about Entropy, Thermodynamics, and causality(personally, I find it overrated...), and conservation in general. A good engineer eventually learns that models which predict singularities are generally exceeding their bounds of applicability.
Another good way to sum up my view on the "Singularity is Near" is as follows:If something can't go on forever. It won't.
Alas, for the intelligence constrained, this iron law gives no expiration date, only a promise. The devil collects his due. Singularites in most processes are the modern equivalent of "Here be Dragons" on old maps. In other words, "We have no idea what the hell happens here."
But by all means, the great economists P.T. Barnum is right, there's a sucker born every minute.
Thermodynamics is my bitch.