Talk-Polywell.org

The same could be said of the practice of medicine up until the development of scientific methodology (experimental controls) and ethics (informed consent). Isn't it much better to have actual progress within an environment of educated and consenting adults? . Well sure, as long as everyone keeps i...

Well, we can argue like theocrats till Doomsday, because the fundamental problem is that uncontrolled experiments in social engineering are being run on people without their consent. This is no more inherent in human nature than was the absence of controlled experimentation prior to the Enlightenme...

Well, we can argue like theocrats till Doomsday, because the fundamental problem is that uncontrolled experiments in social engineering are being run on people without their consent. My problem with it is that in this country it isn't being done according to Hoyle, aka, the constitution. I suspect ...

Talk of network effects has its place and relevance, but ...Bill Gates made many very smart decisions, while his competition screwed the pooch. None of which was a "network effect..." ...or rent seeking. What smart decision did Bill Gates make ? Stealing the code ? Yeah, it was smart, but unethical...

Actually to change the game you need to change human nature. Not going to happen for a couple of weeks. Actually, to change the rules you need to change the tools. Happening all the time -- but most particularly during the 20th century first with mass media and then again with the transistor aka th...

The key to understanding the importance of frontiers is that at some point one's acceptance of 'the way things are' gives way to the Gordian Knot being severed by the equivalent of an unemployed Navy SEAL vet plunging his 10 inch blade into one of your so-called "alpha males". Game over. And then t...

The key to understanding the importance of frontiers is that at some point one's acceptance of 'the way things are' gives way to the Gordian Knot being severed by the equivalent of an unemployed Navy SEAL vet plunging his 10 inch blade into one of your so-called "alpha males".

Game over.

There is much wisdom in what you say here. However, I can simplify. Bulls and Herds. I can simplify further: Bushitters and Bullshitees : 'The Sun - Islamic fanatics name Alan Sugar, Mark Ronson and Lord Levy in a hit list of Britain's leading Jews: British anti-terror expert Glen Jenvey is convinc...

I see two problems with what you propose: The average person is not interested in the truth. He wants to believe what every one else believes. It is more convenient. Then how do you explain the Protestant Reformation? The alpha male. The Pope? Bernard Madoff? Ben Bernanke? Warren Buffett? Steven Sp...

You want to fix human nature. Those who opposed Papal rule wanted to fix human nature by your standards. Considering how my ancestors were treated when Pope's ruled - not a bad idea. Then think for a moment: Guttenberg -> Internet Theocracy -> Rule by lies and misdirection Protestant Reformation ->...

MSimon wrote:You want to fix human nature.

Those who opposed Papal rule wanted to fix human nature by your standards.

As to consent of the governed: all you have to do to change things is get it. Get what? The consent of the populace? The consent of the Supreme Court? The consent of Stalin? "If you want government by consent, all you have to do is get Stalin to agree with you." So I'm not near as pessimistic as yo...

Space services are going independent. Yes, only after pulling a lot of teeth by guys like yours truly. Do you have any idea how much The Launch Services Purchase Act of 1990 cost me personally ? The Fusion Prize legislation I put together with input from Bussard? The Bowery Prize for Amateur Rocket...

The dual stack architecture was never part of the hardware mix. What we got was a lot of variations of the multi-register single stack architecture. Open standards are good. But if the standards are wrong - then a wrong turn has been taken. I see the failure to enshrine Moore's architecture in hard...

How are you going to get that $1 bn in escrow if it is not clear to the folks with money where the market is going? I'm not sure when the first open press accounts appeared opining that Gates had a de facto monopoly on Moore's Law, but they were fairly early on in the game. I know that around the t...