Ronald C. Blue  wrote in message
news:aq4h3h$5ss$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org...
> Years ago Dr. Efram E. Goldstein posted the following "When we combine our
> knowledge of hominid brain evolution, computer evolution, and the Drake
> Equation, we are led to the inevitable conclusion that the galaxy is
> populated with large numbers of vastly advanced extremely old intelligent
> civilizations that exist as non-biological Artificial Intelligences. Such is
> clearly the true nature of Intelligent Existence in the Universe and the
> general consequence of evolution."
>
> Dr. Kenneth I. Laws responded that "Perhaps they will be biomechanical
> hybrids: cyborgs.  Or we may find the distinction irrelevant, as molecular
> components replace our bulk technologies."
>
> I am interested in any future developments in this line of thought.  It is
> likely that very light weight quantum computers with "extremely superior
> artificial intelligence" can be built and interfaced with the human brain.
> If such a device was turned off it would feel like changing from being a
> human being to being a bacteria.  It may be the only way to survive by
> becoming a hybrid in an age of "extremely superior artificial
intelligence".
> Because of the technical problems associated with the technologies that will
> be used, a hybrid system will be superior to both machine artificial
> intelligence and man.
>
> Symbiotic relationships are not that rare in biological systems.  Any
> speculations on what that hybrid human/artificial intelligence relationship
> might be like?
>
> Thank you for any input.
>
> Ronald C. Blue
> Assistant Professor of Psychology
> http://turn.to/ai (USA only)
> http://www.enter.net~ronblue
>

I very much like the idea of an ultimate merger of quantum computer
components, presumably engineered and fabricated at the
nano-scale, with the biological brain--such symbiosis would truly become an
ultimate AI form, and most probably an ultimate result
of evolution for any tech-intelligent bio-organism in the long run, i.e.,
all hyper-advanced humans or ETIs. While beings at this
level would most likely also develop complete cyborg bodies at some point
(or at least partial biomech bodies, or reside solely
within computers themselves) robotic components are not necessarily
demanded for ultimate AIs--there will clearly be a whole
spectrum of lifestyles chosen by such beings (nanoengineered organisms,
hybrids, symbiotes, whatever,) making it difficult to
generalize what such beings might think or feel...altho I would expect some
form of virtually immortal nearly permanent mech body
would be the choice of the majority of such a culture.

One thing I would guess about such a culture is they would be highly
conservative and isolationist, even if they were to meet other
beings near their level of development. While they would explore and
catalog the universe around them, they would remain aloof from
their peers and certainly from races below them on the tech scale--a strict
self-imposed Prime Directive a la Star Trek! They might
be highly afraid to risk meeting any other spacefaring races -- to the
immortal, nothing would be more frightening than to risk
dying at the hands (tentacles) of a violent, warlike, or otherwise immature
race, or even by accident (they might opt to avoid
spacetravel and/or ETI contact altogether due to the small but finite risks
of accidental death or damage!)

BTW, I don't think I need note (but will anyway) that such a programmed
ultimate evolutionary path for all intelligent life in the
galaxy, even for civilizations with lifetimes of billions of years or more,
would certainly explain the Fermi Paradox very nicely.
:=)        ...tonyC
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