I don’t, but I’m NOT going to stop thinking about something just because smarter beings are considering it as well.
The problem is that I’m worried we’ll reach the point of having to choose between long lives/no artificial reduction in birth rates/an elite with an advantage and most people carrying on as usual, far too soon. We won’t have progressed to superintelligence when this first becomes an issue. It might even be that we’ve not left the solar system by that time. And most people will definitely be more against letting a possible AI shape the fate of mankind than the thought of using science (It’s a vague term, but I’m not sure what will increase our lived most first—tech, drugs or gene splicing).
So we might have to face this issue, even within our own lifetimes. While I still have only a crude understanding, I think it’s possible we have to face something like this. At the very least, the amount of resources we have even without increased lifespans will pose problems.
I’m with you on thinking this is a serious issue. I also think the LW community has done a very poor job of dismissing all such concerns, often with derision. A post I made on the subject got downvoted into oblivion, which is OK (community standards and all). I accept some of the criticisms, but expect to bring the issue up again with them better addressed.
I understand that. I said it was OK. But I thought Spectral_Dragon in particular might be interested, flaws and all. My observation of derision of such concerns is not about my post, but many other places which I have seen when researching this.
It’s interesting, but doesn’t cover the points I’m most concerned about—within a century, it’s likely this will become a problem, birth/death have to be regulated. And given not everyone is rational… How do we do it? Cost, promising not to have kids, or what?
Also, I agree that the human mind might not function at optimum efficiency that long. It’s a side point, and can probably be fixed, but… We’re NOT adapted to live more than a few millenia at best. Maybe even a few centuries. Though this is only speculation.
I don’t, but I’m NOT going to stop thinking about something just because smarter beings are considering it as well.
The problem is that I’m worried we’ll reach the point of having to choose between long lives/no artificial reduction in birth rates/an elite with an advantage and most people carrying on as usual, far too soon. We won’t have progressed to superintelligence when this first becomes an issue. It might even be that we’ve not left the solar system by that time. And most people will definitely be more against letting a possible AI shape the fate of mankind than the thought of using science (It’s a vague term, but I’m not sure what will increase our lived most first—tech, drugs or gene splicing).
So we might have to face this issue, even within our own lifetimes. While I still have only a crude understanding, I think it’s possible we have to face something like this. At the very least, the amount of resources we have even without increased lifespans will pose problems.
I’m with you on thinking this is a serious issue. I also think the LW community has done a very poor job of dismissing all such concerns, often with derision. A post I made on the subject got downvoted into oblivion, which is OK (community standards and all). I accept some of the criticisms, but expect to bring the issue up again with them better addressed.
There were many other reasons to downvote your post, as discussed in a fair bit of detail in the comments.
I understand that. I said it was OK. But I thought Spectral_Dragon in particular might be interested, flaws and all. My observation of derision of such concerns is not about my post, but many other places which I have seen when researching this.
It’s interesting, but doesn’t cover the points I’m most concerned about—within a century, it’s likely this will become a problem, birth/death have to be regulated. And given not everyone is rational… How do we do it? Cost, promising not to have kids, or what?
Also, I agree that the human mind might not function at optimum efficiency that long. It’s a side point, and can probably be fixed, but… We’re NOT adapted to live more than a few millenia at best. Maybe even a few centuries. Though this is only speculation.