X-Message-Number: 17444
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2001 13:11:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: Scott Badger <>
Subject: Hawking's Take on Machine Intelligence

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_387951.html?menu=news.latestheadlines.w

Hawking's plan to offset computer threat to humans 

Stephen Hawking says genetic engineering could be used
to prevent human intelligence being overtaken by that
of computers.

Targeted genetic changes could increase the complexity
of DNA and "improve" humans, the physicist says.

The professor concedes it would be a long process, but
important to ensure biological systems remain superior
to electronic ones.

"In contrast with our intellect, computers double
their performance every 18 months," he tells Focus
magazine.

"So the danger is real that they could develop
intelligence and take over the world."

He adds: "We must develop as quickly as possible
technologies that make possible a direct connection
between brain and computer, so that artificial brains
contribute to human intelligence rather than opposing
it."

Story filed: 14:52 Saturday 1st September 2001

********************************

Right ... as if humans really have a shot at
developing faster than computers. We can't even do
stem cell research without major impediments.

Not a particularly imaginative perspective, Dr.
Hawking. I wonder if he's even considered the idea of
uploading.

Scott Badger

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger
http://im.yahoo.com

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=17444