"They aren't who you think", by Steven J. Dick ...

Steven J. Dick, an astronomer at NRL, has published an interesting article
in the Nov/Dec issue of Mercury magazine (publication of the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific, www.astrosociety.org): "They aren't who you think".
The article was first given at the SETI Leagues SETICon conference in 2002.

He says: "If we ever encounter extraterrestrial intelligence, they're likely
to be machines, not creatures of flesh and blood". He says we need to think
in "Stapledonian" time frames (after Olaf Stapledon and his books, "Last and
First Men"(1930), "Star Maker" (1937)), meaning billions of years where
cultural evolution might take place. He thinks we may live in a
"postbiological" universe, one that has evolved beyond "flesh & blood" to
artificial intelligence.

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some construct of nature, or
....? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess). Why would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?
Al

"Alfred A. Aburto Jr." wrote in
message
. com...
Steven J. Dick, an astronomer at NRL, has published an
interesting article
in the Nov/Dec issue of Mercury magazine (publication of
the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific, www.astrosociety.org): "They
aren't who you think".
The article was first given at the SETI Leagues SETICon
conference in 2002.

He says: "If we ever encounter extraterrestrial
intelligence, they're likely
to be machines, not creatures of flesh and blood". He says
we need to think
in "Stapledonian" time frames (after Olaf Stapledon and
his books, "Last and
First Men"(1930), "Star Maker" (1937)), meaning billions
of years where
cultural evolution might take place. He thinks we may live
in a
"postbiological" universe, one that has evolved beyond
"flesh & blood" to
artificial intelligence.

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some
construct of nature, or
...? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of
years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess). Why
would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?
Al

That's a very good point Al! We are really no different than
complex machines--organic ones of course, but still
machines. Could we be the engineered exploration probes,
mass produced by an earlier vanguard of alien-built AIs (or
scouts of the aliens themselves) in order to perform
eventual long-term exploration of the universe while the
aliens comfortably hide somewhere, safe and sound from the
dangers out there? 'Tis possible. ...tonyC

"Alfred A. Aburto Jr." wrote in
message
. com...
Steven J. Dick, an astronomer at NRL, has published an
interesting article
in the Nov/Dec issue of Mercury magazine (publication of
the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific, www.astrosociety.org): "They
aren't who you think".
The article was first given at the SETI Leagues SETICon
conference in 2002.

He says: "If we ever encounter extraterrestrial
intelligence, they're likely
to be machines, not creatures of flesh and blood". He says
we need to think
in "Stapledonian" time frames (after Olaf Stapledon and
his books, "Last and
First Men"(1930), "Star Maker" (1937)), meaning billions
of years where
cultural evolution might take place. He thinks we may live
in a
"postbiological" universe, one that has evolved beyond
"flesh & blood" to
artificial intelligence.

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some
construct of nature, or
...? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of
years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess). Why
would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?
Al

That's a very good point Al! We are really no different than
complex machines--organic ones of course, but still
machines. Could we be the engineered exploration probes,
mass produced by an earlier vanguard of alien-built AIs (or
scouts of the aliens themselves) in order to perform
eventual long-term exploration of the universe while the
aliens comfortably hide somewhere, safe and sound from the
dangers out there? 'Tis possible. ...tonyC

Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some construct of nature, or
....? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess). Why would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?

Or we are inorganic machines experiencing a rather complex but wholely fantastic creation
of BQ7r9 the avant garde game maker. But like the French movies in this reality game the
entire experience seems rather pointless. Two manipulators down for Earth to the Stars II.
It is a very poor sequal.

--
It is not clear why Bush sent his dogs to attack Syria
instead of doing it himeelf.
-- The Iron Webmaster, 2888

Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some construct of nature, or
....? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess). Why would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?

Or we are inorganic machines experiencing a rather complex but wholely fantastic creation
of BQ7r9 the avant garde game maker. But like the French movies in this reality game the
entire experience seems rather pointless. Two manipulators down for Earth to the Stars II.
It is a very poor sequal.

--
It is not clear why Bush sent his dogs to attack Syria
instead of doing it himeelf.
-- The Iron Webmaster, 2888

"Matt Giwer" wrote in message
. com...
Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some
construct of nature, or
....? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of
years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess).
Why would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?

Or we are inorganic machines experiencing a rather complex
but wholely fantastic creation
of BQ7r9 the avant garde game maker.

Also possible!

But like the French movies in this reality game the
entire experience seems rather pointless. Two manipulators
down for Earth to the Stars II.
It is a very poor sequal.

:-)) ...tonyC

--
It is not clear why Bush sent his dogs to attack Syria
instead of doing it himeelf.
-- The Iron Webmaster, 2888

"Matt Giwer" wrote in message
. com...
Alfred A. Aburto Jr. wrote:

I wonder though, aren't we machines? Aren't we some
construct of nature, or
....? Maybe ETI or AI has already been here billions of
years ago and we are
the result (one answer to the Fermi question I guess).
Why would AI be so
different from us in ways of thinking or behavior?

Or we are inorganic machines experiencing a rather complex
but wholely fantastic creation
of BQ7r9 the avant garde game maker.

Also possible!

But like the French movies in this reality game the
entire experience seems rather pointless. Two manipulators
down for Earth to the Stars II.
It is a very poor sequal.

:-)) ...tonyC

--
It is not clear why Bush sent his dogs to attack Syria
instead of doing it himeelf.
-- The Iron Webmaster, 2888