X-Message-Number: 30791
From: Mark Plus <>
Subject: IEEE Spectrum on the Singularity
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 07:50:03 -0700

IEEE Spectrum online has several articles discussing the Singularity:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/singularity


One of them, "Rupturing the Nanotech Rapture, " takes Eric Drexler to task for 
his physically infeasible ideas:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/6271


In fact, the author, physicist Richard A.L. Jones, sounds like Ed Regis when he 
points out the non-progress towards Drexler's vision:

QUOTE:


"In 15 years of intense nanotechnology research, we have not even come close to 
experiencing the exponentially accelerating technological progress toward the 
goals set out by singularitarians. Impressive advances are emerging from the 
labs of real-world nanotechnologists, but these have little to do with the 
Drexlerian vision, which seems to be accumulating obstacles faster than it can 
overcome them. Given these facts, I can't take seriously the predictions that 
life-altering molecular nanotechnology will arrive within 15 or 20 years and 
hasten the arrival of a technological singularity before 2050."


Meanwhile, Drexler still has a significant presence in the online cryonics 
literature:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=site%3Awww.alcor.org+drexler



http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=site%3Awww.cryonics.org+drexler&btnG=Search




"Around 2010 the world will be at a new orbit in history. . .  Life expectancy 
will be indefinite. Disease and disability will nonexist. Death wll be rare and 
accidental -- but not permanent. We will continuously jettison our obsolescence 
and grow younger." F.M. Esfandiary, "Up-Wing Priorities" (1981).

Mark Plus

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