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At last,
the contents of Aardvark's "million-dollar ideas" notebook
are revealed for all to see!
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Warning -- today's column is scary!
It looks as if mankind's only chance of surval is genetic engineering -- or
at least that's what world-renowned mathematician Steven Hawking is saying.
Clearly a devout believer of Moore's Law, Hawking is telling the world that
we have to get our fingers out and start tweaking human DNA to ensure that our
own brains can stay ahead of the rapidly escalating processor power we've
been creating.
If we don't keep up, he warns, these computers could "take over the world."
Uh, oh -- it sounds like one of the wheels has fallen off Steve's wheelchair!
Need Cutting-Edge Copy?
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extra syndication opportunities for this daily publication -- or I'm happy
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interested, drop me a line
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His claim is that by the year 2030, Moore's Law will have meant that we'll be
building computers that are a million times more powerful than the latest
2GHz Intel Pentium 4 and that these machines will be as intelligent as we are.
From then on -- Moore's Law predicts that they'll overtake our capacity for
intelligent thought and we'll be doomed.
So are you scared?
If the wheels are still firmly attached to your chair then I trust you have
spotted the flaw in Mr Hawking's speculation.
We already have computing power many, many times that of the average desktop PC --
and it's being used by organisations such as SETI through their Seti at Home
program.
The Net has allowed us to connect a huge number of computers together to, in
theory, create a processor that is already larger than the average human brain.
However, no great independent intelligence or consciousness has awakened from this
global brain -- and there's no reason to suspect that it will.
Let's face it -- despite our best attempts at simulating intelligence in the
laboratory, we still don't understand exactly how "consciousness" or real
human intelligence works. Besides, I'm sure that all the God-fearing amongst
us will be happy to suggest that it takes more than a huge brain to make an
intelligence.
You can read more
in this story
from ZDNet
Quite frankly I think the real threat to our continued freedom and survival as
a race may well come from technology -- but it's spelt .NET and HailStorm.
What do you think -- is the end of mankind just 30-40 years away? Will computers
take over? Is the Internet the work of the devil?
By the way -- is it just coincidence that Steven Hawking's speech synthesizer
sounds remarkably similar to the voice of a Dalek? Uh-oh!
Is this Stephen Hawking's
next chair???
Oh, Oh, I'm Scared!
As if being worried about my PC outsmarting me wasn't enough, I'm now
trembling in my boots at the prospect of being sued by ING (see yesterday's column).
They've even
told IDG
that they're going to sue.
Hmmm... must be time for a sleep I'm so frightened.
Save The Aardvark Fund
Yes, I have had several donations to the Aardvark fund and I thank those
who put their money where their mouse is :-)
If guilt is gnawing away inside you then there's still time to donate.
Just drop by and
hand over your loot.
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