Any sufficiently advanced extraterrestrial intelligence is indistinguishable from God

Scientific American ^ | 1/7/02 | Michael Shermer

[Brett66]

the point at which total computational power will rise to levels so far beyond anything that we can imagine that it will appear nearly infinite and thus be indistinguishable from omniscience--may be upon us as early as 2050.

Just wait until you try to install Windows on a computer like that. I don't think omniscience will be a word we use to describe it. ;)

[OWK]

Don't make me come down there!

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Who thinks this article is appropriate to Scientific American? This is just why my twenty-five year old subscription has lapsed.

The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

[Exnihilo]

michael shermer is a colossal idiot.

[Eddeche]

Exnihilo is a shameless moose-kisser.

[freefly]

The assumption is that politicians (from every country and party) won't screw everything up for everybody...
From what I see they try harder with every day that goes by.

[OWK]

michael shermer is a colossal idiot.

Far be it from me to question your phenomenal powers of pronouncement, but why do you think he is an idiot?

[Billthedrill]

Ray Kurzweil, in his book The Age of Spiritual Machines, calculates that there have been 32 doublings since World War II and that the singularity point--the point at which total computational power will rise to levels so far beyond anything that we can imagine that it will appear nearly infinite and thus be indistinguishable from omniscience--may be upon us as early as 2050.

Silliness, IMHO - our ability to distinguish computational power from omniscience also increases over time. Imagine what Charles Babbage would think of my abilty to look at a colored piece of glass and utilize the computational resouces of the internet - he might consider it omniscient but my 6-year-old nephew will come to consider it primitive. I believe this assertion suffers from the same weakness as a similar one (also Clarke?) - "technology at a sufficient level is indistinguishable from magic." That one also assumes that our ability to make that distinction is static, and, in fact, it is not.

Anyway, I already know that ETs aren't God - what in the world would God want with all those cow genitalia?

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Anyone who thinks that computational power is the be-all and end-all is a complete twit.

[dighton]

Just wait until you try to install Windows on a computer like that. I don't think omniscience will be a word we use to describe it. ;)

"What Grove giveth, Gates taketh away."

[Samwise]

True science is the discovery of God. Truth about God and God's universe can only destroy religions that are founded upon flawed human ideals. Religions sincerely devoted to God will be strengthened by science, never weakened.

Well said. May I quote you?

[Samwise]

and thanks for the link. It looks to be a good read.

[Pres Raygun]

the point at which total computational power will rise to levels so far beyond anything that we can imagine that it will appear nearly infinite and thus be indistinguishable from omniscience--may be upon us as early as 2050.

Just wait until you try to install Windows on a computer like that. I don't think omniscience will be a word we use to describe it. ;)

Both profound and extremely funny.

[onedoug]

Ah, mathematics: invention or discovery?

[Roscoe]

...our ability to distinguish computational power from omniscience also increases over time.

Excellent point!

[kidd]

The author only concentrates on the infinite intelligence of God. He completely ignores God the Creator, the compassionate God who chose to save the world from its sins through Jesus, etc.

I will have no problem distinguishing God from Spock.