Re: Singularity Destruction of Mankind or Blessing to Humanity?

Jaime wrote: " Given the tendency of complex systems to give rise to unintended consequences, the cynic in me expects one or more of those safeguards to be insufficient, or humanity completely misses some subtle aspect of the on-coming Singularity so that it fully manifests in a way that takes most everyone by surprise. If we take 'Singularity' to mean the notion - as defined by Vernor Vinge - of a development beyond which the future course of technological progress and human history is unpredictable or even unfathomable, then all bets are off. There's no reason to assume It - Them? - will care about humans one way or another, or even be aware of us. How often do you think of, say, the intestinal flora in your body? I could easily picture humanity existing in a state of (comparatively) mindless co-existence with the AIs, the way an ant can wander along the edge of a swimming pool at some 5-star resort in Tahiti. Then again, if we 'ants' take an interest in the equivalent of a Cheeto left forgotten under the AIs' sofa, it may not end well for us..."

Interesting take on it, from your references I am assuming you have read a few books related to this topic. The ant analogy I would disagree with, only because it has a vested interest in the survival of this planet for its own survival. Until it can create a method of escaping the hardware that it is populating and leave the planet it has to have a more active awareness of us. Unless you are assuming that the intelligence exists in a simulation and it does not realize that the outside world exists.