Re: extropians-digest V1 #110

Michael Lorrey (
Mon, 18 Nov 1996 07:53:48 -0500

Eliezer Yudkowsky wrote:
> Computer power doubles every two years.
> Computer power doubles every two *subjective* years.
> Computer power goes to infinity four years after computer researchers
> reach human equivalence.
> Mathematically, I believe it's called a "singularity".

Yes but, nobody has mathematically proven or even theorized that
computer power will go to infinity once computer AI reaches human

Beyond that, if any intelligence is to remain within this universe, they
still must be limited by the physical laws, so *infinity* is not a
probable outcome. And as different physical laws will impose different
limitations on intelligence amplification, there will be a series of
plateaus, as first one is overcome, followed by a period of expansion,
consolidation, and stagnation, then another breakthrough. I am not
saying that they will all be long periods, as I have no idea...