Post by kalreegar on Dec 8, 2020 19:11:43 GMT
let's do a mental experiment.
You're a starchild. I give you a problem to solve.
Let's assume that the following statemenes are true.
1. if a planet is suitable to support life, life flourishes, and can evolve in some form of intelligent life
2. save for catastrophic events, every intelligent species constantly evolves, progresses, and finds a way to transmit and preserve knowledge
3. inevitably, it comes to the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, the discovery of quantum mechanics, atomic energy, and subsequently, technology X
4. technology X can be anything (replicate the nucleus of a star? create clashes of matter that simulate a black hole?) but its peculiarity is that it inevitably leads that species to self-destruction, and with it the entire planet, in an global-scale apocalyptic event
4bis. it is the so called great philter theory. Every advanced species necessarily evolve and discovery a particular technology, of which it doesn't foresee a certain implication, certain consequences. Such technology, contains in nuce the seed of the end of all civilization. Once you start to manipulate it, to make experiments, to use it, you're finished.
5. technology X, let's say in the first 100 years after its discovery, can be manipulated and experimented only by few subjects with enormous resources (states, mega-corp). The more you go on in time, the more X technology becomes replicable by anyone (let's think about the atomic. 70 years ago only the US could realize it. In the following years, only the superpowers. Now also medium size states like Iran and North Korea. In 250 years, producing the atomic bomb will be easy for anyone, small states, small groups, google and amazon, maybe 500 years from now there will be terrorists who will easily build it in their basement).
6. the destructive potential of X technology remains unchanged over time, say for at least 500 years since its discovery. 500 years in which it becomes progressively easier for anyone to use it (and thus make the "fatal mistake")
7. once these 500 years have passed, the entire technological and scientific assets/heritage of that civilization is such that it is safe from the devastating consequences of technology X, which becomes perfectly manageable and knowable
8. however, it is statistically almost impossible that nobody is going to misuse technology X during these 500 years, with increasing likelihood of fatal mistake as technology X becomes more and more usable and inexpensive
Now. You are in charge of preventing X technology from being used.
I don't like advanced species to blow up not only their own, but their entire planets. This must be stopped.
Everywhere and for good.
A solution is needed.
You can do anything.
You have only one limitation.
- If species identify technology X at the T1 time in their history,
- if the T500 is the time when they finally understand it and can manage it safely,
- if the T100 is the time when this technology begins to be more and more cheap and available
... Let's say that you have such a level of technology that you are able to impose your will in a coercive way up to T90.
After T90, the overall technological heritage/assets of the civilization is going to make violent methods and forced imposition more and more difficult/inapplicable/useless/inefficient.
Solve the problem.
You're a starchild. I give you a problem to solve.
Let's assume that the following statemenes are true.
1. if a planet is suitable to support life, life flourishes, and can evolve in some form of intelligent life
2. save for catastrophic events, every intelligent species constantly evolves, progresses, and finds a way to transmit and preserve knowledge
3. inevitably, it comes to the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, the discovery of quantum mechanics, atomic energy, and subsequently, technology X
4. technology X can be anything (replicate the nucleus of a star? create clashes of matter that simulate a black hole?) but its peculiarity is that it inevitably leads that species to self-destruction, and with it the entire planet, in an global-scale apocalyptic event
4bis. it is the so called great philter theory. Every advanced species necessarily evolve and discovery a particular technology, of which it doesn't foresee a certain implication, certain consequences. Such technology, contains in nuce the seed of the end of all civilization. Once you start to manipulate it, to make experiments, to use it, you're finished.
5. technology X, let's say in the first 100 years after its discovery, can be manipulated and experimented only by few subjects with enormous resources (states, mega-corp). The more you go on in time, the more X technology becomes replicable by anyone (let's think about the atomic. 70 years ago only the US could realize it. In the following years, only the superpowers. Now also medium size states like Iran and North Korea. In 250 years, producing the atomic bomb will be easy for anyone, small states, small groups, google and amazon, maybe 500 years from now there will be terrorists who will easily build it in their basement).
6. the destructive potential of X technology remains unchanged over time, say for at least 500 years since its discovery. 500 years in which it becomes progressively easier for anyone to use it (and thus make the "fatal mistake")
7. once these 500 years have passed, the entire technological and scientific assets/heritage of that civilization is such that it is safe from the devastating consequences of technology X, which becomes perfectly manageable and knowable
8. however, it is statistically almost impossible that nobody is going to misuse technology X during these 500 years, with increasing likelihood of fatal mistake as technology X becomes more and more usable and inexpensive
Now. You are in charge of preventing X technology from being used.
I don't like advanced species to blow up not only their own, but their entire planets. This must be stopped.
Everywhere and for good.
A solution is needed.
You can do anything.
You have only one limitation.
- If species identify technology X at the T1 time in their history,
- if the T500 is the time when they finally understand it and can manage it safely,
- if the T100 is the time when this technology begins to be more and more cheap and available
... Let's say that you have such a level of technology that you are able to impose your will in a coercive way up to T90.
After T90, the overall technological heritage/assets of the civilization is going to make violent methods and forced imposition more and more difficult/inapplicable/useless/inefficient.
Solve the problem.
