Comments on: Singularity Survey Results

By: Visual Critic

Visual Critic — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:47:59 +0000

I bet the singularity’s super intelligent spawn will know better that to use needless label redirection on their bar graphs. No need at all for those uninformative “Question #” titles and “A, B, C… ” labels. Just put the words on the charts.

By: Samskolan

Samskolan — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:24:37 +0000

Hello Samuel, if you find this then send a mail ASAP to oscar.haglind@mil.se

By: Phil Bowermaster

Phil Bowermaster — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 16:50:16 +0000

Karl,

Personally, I think a better analogue is to consider the Singularity as a phase change. But I don’t think this is the place for that argument.

If not here, where? This site isn’t just for blonde jokes and Ernest Borgnine admiration, you know.

Tell us more about the Singularity as a phase change. I’m intrigued.

By: Karl Hallowell

Karl Hallowell — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 10:29:10 +0000

Michael, you wrote:

A few people seem to be mixing up the Singularity with a mathematical function of some sort.

I think the confusion is understandable. After all, the Singularity is named after a mathematical object, the essential singularity which is a property of some functions.

Personally, I think a better analogue is to consider the Singularity as a phase change. But I don't think this is the place for that argument.

By: Phil Bowermaster

Phil Bowermaster — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 08:19:24 +0000

Samuel –

You were probably just responding to the specific language of the question:

” If you favor a positive scenario for the Singularity, what will be the greatest boon to humanity that will derive from it?”

By: Samuel Kleiner

Samuel Kleiner — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 15:10:01 +0000

One poetic participant wrote: “The purpose of thought is thought. The boon of the singularity is the singularity.”

Thank you, that was me. I don’t seem to remember using the word “boon”, though.

By: Phil Bowermaster

Phil Bowermaster — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 07:40:24 +0000

My bad on the “favor” language; probably should have used the word “expect.”

By: Michael Anissimov

Michael Anissimov — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 05:26:46 +0000

Amazing survey, first of its kind. The overwhelming people who voted in the 2025-2050 range versus the before 2025 range is quite telling. A few people seem to be mixing up the Singularity with a mathematical function of some sort. The idea that the Singularity is inevitable and predestined from the Big Bang is popular.

The defeat of aging, death and poverty “won’t be a big deal”? According to the majority that voted for both Silent Singularity and the defeat of aging as a boon, that is.

These survey results are especially accurate because the Singularity is defined as “smarter-than-human intelligence driving progress” rather than “technological acceleration in general”.

To the person who wrote, “I don’t favor a negative scenario”, I’m sure everyone agrees with you – no one “favors” a negative scenario. It’s just that negative scenarios are the darndest things, they happen even if you disfavor them.