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The Singularity Blinds Sci-Fi
foobsr writes "Popular Science has an article discussing the growing difficulties that Sci-Fi writers encounter when it comes to extrapolating current trends. Doctorow and
Stross , both former computer programmers, are rated to be prototypes of a new breed of guides to a future which due to
Vinge's Singularity might not happen for humanity once a proper super-intelligence - maybe as a Matrioshka Brain - has been created."
I actually ran into all of the talk about the singularity by asking the question: What is the meaning of life? More specifically, I asked Jeeves.
The first result he comes up with (this one) is an FAQ on the meaning of life. Part of the question of the meaning of life is an eventual goal, something to reach towards. Once of the options discussed is the Singularity.
The best place for more info is the Singularity Institute. Their definition of the Singularity is the technogical creation of smarter-than-human intelligence. This is by any possible means, either overclocking the human mind, creating artificial intelligence which is smarter than humans, or some combination thereof (such as uploading human minds to computers to run at a faster rate).
Read the FAQ. It'll clear up your basic questions, and doubtless leave you with many more.
The speed of time is one second per second.
A gentle but fairly thorough taste can be found in Kurzweil's "The Age of Spiritual Machines". Also check out http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?m=1s ing.html
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~phoenix/vinge/vinge-
http://www.aleph.se/Trans/Global/Singularity/
I am sure interested entities can google more.
The "singularity" is one of the favorite wet dreams of the "transhumanists", a group of spoiled adults who seemingly find it difficult to tell reality and science fiction apart.
Indeed, this can be difficult even for scientists who read the physics literature. Much of what was regarded as science fiction in the 50's is fact today, including some things that were generally considered to be fantasy at one time, like beam weapons. Physicists are carrying out serious experiments on quantum teleportation, and methods of transmitting information (random information, but still information) faster than light.
Now there are multiple lines of serious investigation, any one of which that could lead to massive transformation not merely of human culture (such as happened so recently with the internet, and was predicted by hardly anybody), but also of humanity itself:
-AI
-Genetic modification of human beings
-Direct man/machine interfaces
-Nanotechnology
Perhaps any one of these will not pan out. AI progress has moved fairly slowly of late. On the other hand, neurobiology has been booming along, and there seems little doubt that it will eventually be possible to simulate brain function. I can understand why writers are finding it difficult to extrapolate far into the future; it is simply hard to imagine that all of these will stall out.
You ought to read "Permutation City" by Greg Egan. It's about things like this, and takes them to an extreme conclusion.
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