virus: MEME UPDATE #6: "The Singularity"

Richard Brodie (RBrodie@brodietech.com)
Tue, 15 Apr 1997 14:58:06 -0700


This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

------ =_NextPart_000_01BC49AD.83836ED0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

**********************************************************
This is Richard Brodie's Meme Central Newsletter. To
subscribe/unsubscribe, send mail to events@brodietech.com with
"subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the message body. Visit Meme Central at
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm. Books mentioned here and
others are available through the Amazon.Com Memetics Bookstore at
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/books.htm. Start reading VIRUS OF THE
MIND on-line, for FREE, at http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/votm.htm.
**********************************************************

THE SINGULARITY

There's a buzzword around the Internet that's new to most of us. It's
The Singularity. Discussed quite a bit on the Extropians mailing list,
the idea is as follows.

Computers and other technology have been getting faster and therefore
more powerful at a rate that has been fairly constant: doubling every
18 months. Today's P-130 is twice as fast at the 486-66 of 18 months
ago. This constant rate of doubling has been called Moore's law.

At some point, goes the theory, computers will get so fast that they
will surpass us in ability to design new technology. When this happens,
the rate of change itself will begin doubling, which will feed back
into the power of the computers doing the design, which will make the
rate of change even faster, producing...

The Singularity.

I recently had lunch with Eric Drexler, author of what is certainly one
of the best science books ever written, Engines of Creation.
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0385199732/memecentralA/) Eric
predicts The Singularity will occur in about 25 years. After that, we
may all live forever, look like we're in the prime of life, and eat hot
fudge sundaes without getting fat.

For more information on The Singularity, start with
http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/singularity.html.

BLOOM'S "LUCIFER PRINCIPLE" OUT IN PAPERBACK

Howard Bloom and I have become friends since appearing on the Laura Lee
show together. Yesterday he mentioned that his first book, The Lucifer
Principle, is out in paperback. In what is one of the few books yet
written on memetics, Bloom outlines his idea of the "superorganism"
with illustrative examples from history and primate societies. Highly
recommended.

Paperback price is $15, but you get 10% off through the Amazon.com
Memetics Bookstore. Click here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0871136643/memecentralA/

JAPANESE RIGHTS TO "VIRUS OF THE MIND" SOLD

I just signed a deal for the Japanese rights to Virus of the Mind.
Expect publication within 18 months. The Polish edition should be out
next month.

EVENTS

July 3-6, 1997
Richard Brodie will be a speaker and panelist at Westercon 50, the West
Coast Science Fiction Convention, in Seattle.
http://www.isomedia.com/Westercon/

September 18, 1997
Richard Brodie will speak as part of the 1997 Speaker Series on
"creating a culture of meaning" at the Center for the Evolution of
Culture in Palo Alto, California from 8-9:30 p.m. including Q&A. For
tickets and information, contact the Foundation for Global Community at
415-328-7756. http://www.globalcommunity.org
Note: the Mariners are playing the Athletics in Oakland that weekend.
Good time for a little vacation...

All the best memes,

Richard

Richard Brodie RBrodie@brodietech.com +1.206.688.8600
CEO, Brodie Technology Group, Inc., Bellevue, WA, USA
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie
Do you know what a "meme" is?
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm

------ =_NextPart_000_01BC49AD.83836ED0
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
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------ =_NextPart_000_01BC49AD.83836ED0--