Wil wondered fleetingly if she might be psychopathic, and not merely young and naive. - Vernor Vinge

Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended.

So high, so low, so many things to know.

I have argued above that we cannot prevent the Singularity, that its coming is an inevitable consequence of the humans' natural competitiveness and the possibilities inherent in technology. And yet … we are the initiators. Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things. We have the freedom to establish initial conditions, make things happen in ways that are less inimical than others. Of course (as with starting avalanches), it may not be clear what the right guiding nudge really is...