X-Message-Number: 28003
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
Subject: Re: Singularity
Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 11:33:21 +0100

RA Mole asks why would anyone make a machine that rules humanity.

I would say that humanity already has such a machine. It is one that uses
individual humans as its working elements. I refer to the legal profession
and politicians. Judges and lawyers are often quite happy to produce rulings
that they know to be ludicrous, yet because they have followed the rules of
law are content to deliver them. If litigation victims do not follow
rulings, they
can be forced to do so with overwhelming force.

Given the general dissatisfaction with the legal profession, I would regard
it quite likely that if someone (or a group) thought he had a way of
supplanting it with something better in the form of a machine, then he
would.

I just hope that it has a fail safe off switch.

The legal profession certainly doesn't, although I suppose the appeals
system goes part of the way. But it can still fail as long as a ludicrous
result was obtained after rigorous application of the rules of law. These
rules include not considering evidence that may be true but is inadmissible
according to them.

Further reading:


http://www.highbeam.com/library/docfree.asp?DOCID=1G1:11523363&ctrlInfo=Round20%3AMode20b%3ADocG%3AResult&ao=

http://www.vicepresidentdanquayle.com/speeches_StandingFirm_ABA_1.html

-- 
Sincerely, John de Rivaz:  http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including
Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley
Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy,  Nomad .. and
more

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