The Singularity is Near
This lens will attempt to collect all the good Singularity stuff ranging from authors, articles, books and information from both the fictional and non-fictional lands of our imaginations.
Thanks for everyone for emailing me complaining about the lack of a basic overview.. see the next section below for my attempt at one.
What is the Singularity?
The Basic Overview
To my surprise, this lens was selected as "lens of the day" a week ago while I was on holiday in Ireland. I got a few emails complaining that the lens badly needed an intro to the concept of The Singularity and a basic overview.
As requested... here it is!
This lens was/is built mainly from the pespective of Vernor Vinge's (see below for more from Vinge) viewpoint of the technological singularity:
"Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended."
In very lay terms: - machine computing power will very shortly exceed human computing power. When that happens, new forms of intelligence that we can't currently predict will emerge.
Hmm.. not lay enough? Try this...
Shortly, we may be living in a world that resembles the worlds from movies and books such as Accelerando, The Matrix and The Terminator. Really.
I listened to an interview with Cory Doctorow from 2003 in which he talked about how literacy was/is a singularity. Post literacy humans are fundamentally different then pre literacy humans. I thought it was a great example.
Wait, you want an official description.. ok.. right from Singularity.com:
Within a quarter century, nonbiological intelligence will match the range and subtlety of human intelligence. It will then soar past it because of the continuing acceleration of information-based technologies, as well as the ability of machines to instantly share their knowledge. Intelligent nanorobots will be deeply integrated in our bodies, our brains, and our environment, overcoming pollution and poverty, providing vastly extended longevity, full-immersion virtual reality incorporating all of the senses (like "The Matrix"), "experience beaming" (like "Being John Malkovich"), and vastly enhanced human intelligence. The result will be an intimate merger between the technology-creating species and the technological evolutionary process it spawned.
Read on for lots more...
As requested... here it is!
This lens was/is built mainly from the pespective of Vernor Vinge's (see below for more from Vinge) viewpoint of the technological singularity:
"Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended."
In very lay terms: - machine computing power will very shortly exceed human computing power. When that happens, new forms of intelligence that we can't currently predict will emerge.
Hmm.. not lay enough? Try this...
Shortly, we may be living in a world that resembles the worlds from movies and books such as Accelerando, The Matrix and The Terminator. Really.
I listened to an interview with Cory Doctorow from 2003 in which he talked about how literacy was/is a singularity. Post literacy humans are fundamentally different then pre literacy humans. I thought it was a great example.
Wait, you want an official description.. ok.. right from Singularity.com:
Within a quarter century, nonbiological intelligence will match the range and subtlety of human intelligence. It will then soar past it because of the continuing acceleration of information-based technologies, as well as the ability of machines to instantly share their knowledge. Intelligent nanorobots will be deeply integrated in our bodies, our brains, and our environment, overcoming pollution and poverty, providing vastly extended longevity, full-immersion virtual reality incorporating all of the senses (like "The Matrix"), "experience beaming" (like "Being John Malkovich"), and vastly enhanced human intelligence. The result will be an intimate merger between the technology-creating species and the technological evolutionary process it spawned.
Read on for lots more...
- Google Definitions
- Don't like my overview? Decide for yourself from these various definitions...
Updated Singularity Stuff
It's been a while, and I've lost some of my focus on this topic.. but a recent article, see below from Vernor Vinge has got me interested again, especially since 2030 isn't so far away...
- Singularity 101 with Vernor Vinge | h+ Magazine
- Singularity 101 with Vernor Vinge. Humans, using technology, will create, or become, creatures of superhuman intelligence. Ray Kurzweil has popularized it.
The Singularity Is Near: The Movie!
Yes... it's coming in 2009
At the Onset of the 21st Century, it will be an era in which the very nature of what it means to be human will be both enriched and challenged as our species breaks the shackles of its genetic legacy and achieves inconceivable heights of intelligence, material progress, and longevity. While the social and philosophical ramifications of these changes will be profound, and the threats they pose considerable, celebrated futurist Ray Kurzweil presents a view of the coming age that is both a dramatic culmination of centuries of technological ingenuity and a genuinely inspiring vision of our ultimate destiny.
More is here: http://www.singularity.com/themovie/index.php
More is here: http://www.singularity.com/themovie/index.php
The Top Reasons I Love The Singularity
Here's my list of reasons I love The Singularity - for your enjoyment.
- The Law of Accelerating Returns (Kurzweil)... I just finished Age of Spiritual Machines - and if Ray is right (no reason to doubt him in my opinion - I'm no Luddite) - we're on the cusp of some massive changes.
- It's the geekiest thing I can think of to focus my brain on (even more than video games, Second Life or Sci-Fi novels).
- Vernor Vinge, Charles Stross and Cory Doctorow stories, interviews and musings.
- The Terminator, Matrix and other cool movies.
- Thinking about a technological Singularity completely confounds me outside of science fiction - having machines able to outhink humans is just too cool (and scary) to contemplate for real.
- Ray Kurzweil's books outline how society will change trips me out! I guess I'm not afraid of change.
The Singularity is in fact... near
It's going to happen, with our without your consent.
Do you agree?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, I agree
TimArends says:
Some of Kurzweil's predictions are bound to happen. We can already see some of it right now (driverless cars, IBM's Watson, Apple's Siri). Whether I buy into every one of Kurzweil's predictions is another matter, but there's no doubt it's going to be an exciting future!!
Posted January 07, 2012
No, Singularity freaks go home!
The Core Singularity Link List
The Basics
Learn about the Singularity...
- Technological singularity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Technological singularity From Wikipedia
- Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
- The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit researching beneficial Artificial Intelligence.
- Singularity - Home
- Singularity Project
- Staring into the Singularity 1.2.5
- If computing speeds double every two years, what happens when computer-based AIs are doing the research?
- The Anti-Singularity Viewpoint
- A dose or reality, or just more fantasy perhaps.
- The Long Now Foundation
- The Long Now Foundation was established in 01996 to develop the Millennium Clock & Library Projects and promote long term thinking.
- 555 Words on the Singularity
- 555 Words on the Singularity
- Singularity! The Wiki
- Singularity! A Tough Guide to the Rapture of the Nerds
- Boing Boing: Singularity Summit video/audio
- A directory of wonderful things.
NEW More Singularity Linkage
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/workshop/theSingularity?bypass=true
Squidoo : Lensmaster Workshop
Squidoo : Lensmaster Workshop
- The Sex Singularity: When Machines Surpass Human Hotness
- Short story...
- Two AI Pioneers. Two Bizarre Suicides. What Really Happened?
- Get Wired's take on technology business news and the Silicon Valley scene including IT, media, mobility, broadband, video, design, security, software, networking and internet startups on Wired.com
- Intel CTO Says Gap between Humans, Machines will Close by 2050
- INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San Francisco, Aug. 21, 2008 - Intel Corporation's chief technology officer took a fascinating look at how technology will bring man and machine much closer together by 2050.
The Singularity in Pop Culture
Proof Positive
Random appearances of The Singularity in Pop Culture
- Robot to break robot swimming record
- autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)
- 60 Seconds on Doing the Impossible
- SpaceShipOne took the $10 million Ansari X Prize for shuttling into suborbital space twice in two weeks. But it was Peter Diamandis, aerospace engineer and medical doctor, who created the competition. Now, Diamandis, 42, has moved onto smaller things -- a new prize for nanotechnology. He spoke to Fa
- South Korea outfitting elderly, disabled with bioshirts - Engadget
- neato
- Crossword software thrashes human challengers - tech - 31 August 2006 - New Scientist Tech
- Now crosswords join the growing list of activities in which computers triumph over humans
- Wired News: Experimental AI Powers Robot Army
- Note: You are reading this message either because you can not see our css files (served from Lygo, a lycos image service, for performance reasons), or because you do not have a standards-compliant browser. Read our design notes for details.Welcome to Wired News. Skip directly to: Search Box, Section
- Will airport of the future fly? | CNET News.com
- Will airport of the future fly? | Cisco technologist envisions virtual intelligence agents, security sensors, home office pilots. He faces challenges. | September 13, 2006, 4:00 AM PT | Stefanie Olsen
- A projector the size of a sugar cube
- PhysOrg news: A projector the size of a sugar cube
- Boing Boing: Artificial Intelligence expert Ben Goertzel on NeoFiles podcast
- A weblog about pop culture
- Jamais Cascio on robot love
- A weblog about pop culture
- Xeni on CNN's "Welcome to the Future"
- A weblog about pop culture
- glumbert.com - Shift Happens
- homearchivecategoriessubmitcontactglumbert.comShift Happens
var FO = { movie:"/player/shift", width:"496", height:"372", majorversion:"7", build:"0" };
UFO.create(FO, "mediacontent");Send to a FriendAOL IMStumble ItShare on FacebookMore sharing optionsDigg This!RedditSave to Del.icio.usSeed Newsvi - Boing Boing: Singularity Institute raising money for "stable self-improving systems"
- A directory of wonderful things.
- Singularity U.: It's No Sci-Fi Fantasy - BusinessWeek
- The new university, named after a futuristic vision, is drawing a lot of serious attention.
Anti-Singularity Links
Is the Singularity mere fantasy?
- The Singularity Won't Happen
- A Betterhumans member's blog post.
Healthcare Singularity Developments
Healthcare will/is one of the leading areas where we'll see evidence of the Singularity in action.
- Printing live stem cells: "bio-inks"
- A weblog about pop culture
- Genetics insights may extend lifespan
- A weblog about pop culture
Second Life
Is Second Life a Post-Singularity World?
- entropic principal: Is Second Life a Post-Singularity Civilization?
- Is Second Life a Post-Singularity Civilization?
- Terra Nova Blog
- Terra Nova - A weblog about virtual worlds.
- Second Life Blog - Official
- The official Linden Labs blog
- Electric Sheep - Jerry's Blog
- Jerry Paffendorf (SL: SNOOPYbrown Zamboni) is Futurist In Residence at The Electric Sheep Company.
- Second Life Future Salon
- Second Life Future Salon
Exploring the metaverse with monthly meetings in Second Life
Vernor Vinge Links
Amazing author and scientist writing about the Singularity
- Vernor Vinge on the Singularity
- Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended.
Is such progress avoidable? If not to be avoided, can events be guided so that we may survive? These questions are investigated. Some possible answers (and some further dangers) are presented. - Vernor Vinge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Verne on Wikipedia
- Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds interviews sf author Vernor Vinge
- Terrific interview that reminded me of hard take off vs. soft take off that Vinge talks about.
- 2020 Computing: The creativity machine
- Nature.com article by V. Vinge
Ray Kurzweil
Another amazing author and thinker
- The Law of Accelerating Returns
- An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense "intuitive linear" view.
- Instapundit.com -
- Interview w/Ray.
- Raymond Kurzweil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Raymond Kurzweil on Wikipedia
- "Thought Experiments"
- Asimov's Science Fiction, the most consistently innovative and readable SF magazine on the newsstands today
- The age of Ray Kurzweil - The Boston Globe
- Boston.com article
- New Media Musings: Review of Ray Kurzweil's 'The Singularity is Near'
- September 17, 2005 Review of Ray Kurzweil's 'The Singularity is Near
- NPR : Ray Kurzweil: Life in the Future
- Will new technologies fundamentally change what it means to be human? Inventor and author Ray Kurzweil talks about technological change and its effects on everything from health to artificial intelligence.
- Wired 9.04: Kurzweil's Law
- Wired Magazine Issue 9.04 | Apr 2001
- Slashdot | Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity is Near"
- Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity is Near" -- article related to Books and Science.
- AARON: A Product of Kurzweil CyberArt Technologies
- Raymond Kurzweil, a name synonymous with the potential of machine intelligence, brings you the latest in CyberArt advancements with AARON, the Cybernetic Artist.AARON is not your ordinary screensaver. Developed by Harold Cohen over a period of nearly thirty years, and productized by Kurzweil CyberAr
David Brin
The first author I read who talked about the Singularity... love this guy!
- David Brin's Official Web Site
- David Brin's official web site, where I've posted samples of my novels, short stories and nonfiction articles, and news about my current and future projects.
- Brin CTF Essay - WiseNano
- SINGULARITIES AND NIGHTMARES: THE RANGE OF OUR FUTURES
- Singularities and Nightmares: The Range of Our Futures, an Amazon Short
- David Brin Speaks About Singularities and Nightmares: The Range of Our Futures
- Startide Rising comic strip
- Brin is showing up everywhere LOL
- Brin on Wikipedia
- Brin on Wikipedia
Cory Doctorow
Cory is writing and talking more and more about the Singularity.
- Interview with Cory at Singularity Summit
- MP3 file for download!
- Cory on Wikipedia
- Wikipedia on Cory
Charles Stross
Fiction author brings the Singularity to Sci-Fi life!
- Charles Stross - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Charles Stross on Wikipedia
- Accelerando!
- Accelerando - up for a Hugo award - this is a great book.
- Charles Stross interviewed - infinity plus non-fiction
- Lou Anders talks to a mind-bogglingly talented science fiction and fantasy author for whom 2002 has been an exciting year.
- Charles Stross
- A bibliography of Charles Stross's books, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions and availability.
- Science Fiction Weekly Interview
- Science Fiction Weekly gets up close and personal interviewing the top SF celebrities and personalities.
Bruce Sterling
Another great author who writes about The Singularity.
- Bruce Sterling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Bruce on Wikipedia
- Beyond the Beyond
- Bruce Sterling's blog
Del.icio.us Singularity RSS Feed
Get your Singularity feed on!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byNanotech
Articles, links and info on nanotech
- CRN Task Force Essays
- Center for Responsible Nanotechnology
New!Essays by CRN Task ForceCRN Task Force Essays
Singularity Feedback
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NYThroughTheLens
Apr 23, 2011 @ 1:31 pm | delete
- Excellent compilation in this lens. Love it.
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science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk
Aug 8, 2009 @ 8:32 am | delete
- Nice lens! Clear and informative. As it is clear that, if man wants to survive the next revolution, he will need to anticipate future problems sufficiently in advance... I rated and favorited this lens.
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jessica85
Jul 25, 2008 @ 2:04 pm | delete
- Nice lens, thanks for the information! For a great online encyclopedia, visit http://www.encyclopaedicnet.com.
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carmine
May 13, 2008 @ 5:01 pm | delete
- Great lens - Your lens rocks!
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msirkin
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