onetocome (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

YOu already know about computers and that's why you can do that. Sure humans have the ability to move things around, copy and paste here and there, but that's baby stuff. But to understand consciousness, that's another topic in itself. If humans can't undersand consciousness, then they can't create it. They can alter it, but conscious is already there. Consciousness remains a mystery, it's unapproachable, impenetrable by human understanding.

alphacentfanguy (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

So do you, but you are partially correct. Yes, we don't understand every tiniest particle making every tinier particle making every tiny particle making DNA, but WE DON'T HAVE TO! I built a computer out of preassembled parts, but I didn't know what every single path on the motherboard did. Its the same sort of thing. DNA already exists. Its prepackaged! Thus, we don't need to make new ones from scratch!

WarzSchoolchild (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The atheist in me, hopes the exact opposite, give computers total responsibility fot a NON-ANTHROPOCENTRIC management of the planet. Humans have nearly destroyed the life-support system of the earth. A computer can't murder! My 'atheist' ego says at least 95% of humanity should be eliminated! Weaponised computers can help save the planet from the cancer of humanity? It's pointless being sentimental! With NO God? a humane cull is OK. Subliminally force people to suicide with euphoric drugs!

havardmindx (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Dedicated to the memory of Ray Kurzweil's Mind-X Members. Harvard

onetocome (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

You don't even know what matter is, and scientist neither. You are clueless, you say things you don't even understand.

Glass2007 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Perhaps scientists don't understand living cells absolutely (you can go a step further and say a scientist doesn't understand anything because the closer you look at anything the more factors start to appear *atomic particles to subatomic particles to sub-quantum events ect...*) however C Venture has already succeeded in creating life out of DNA (simplest thing that can even be considered life that lives in a lab) face it life is a complex organization of particles a biological machine.

Glass2007 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

an even greater fear of mine is that governments or even more likely corporations will have control of these super technologies and will use them to strengthen their control over humanity. Corporations constantly buy up new pattens just to control the flow of technology (battery tech needed to make electric cars are held by corporations whose best interests are in the delay of such technologies)

Glass2007 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I have been a fan of Kevein Kelly's ideas since before I even knew who Ray K was, however Kevin is only challenging the material success of AI in the real world, even if AI does not solve all the problems of the world in a day it will still be exponentially smarter than us and will greatly speed up innovation. It may not be able to create nuclear fusion in a day but it will greatly speed up the time between the realization of paradigms.

lemdixon01 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I just hope that the people in power who run the world aren't able to create a totalitarian world government (through creating a level of fear to convince people to go into wars) before the singularity occurs or it may never happen or not for a long time.

bigsky780 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

While I'm not a proponent of the singularity theory. Kevin Kelly's arguement isn't really that strong and it won't convince a singulitarian. There are a number of holes in his argument which should be easily spotted by someone with knowledge in the area.