Stephen Hawking on Extinction Risk Monday, Apr 28 2008
risks 12:24 pm
It is important for the human race to spread out into space for the survival of the species. Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of.
– Stephen Hawking
Hawking is wrong. If we can’t survive on Earth, we aren’t going to survive on other planets.
The challenge of colonizing space is puny compared to the threats we will face from yet unrealized technologies.
Hawking is right, keeping all of humanity on earth is like keeping all your eggs in one basket. If we colonize other planets the human race can survive even the planet is destroyed or rendered inhospitable.
Regardless of the perceived moral value of expansion beyond one’s home planet, the technical challenge is relatively minor and decreasing while the risk of an “existential” catastrophe is relatively high and increasing.
This is as certain as the fact that with linear expansion, the surface area tends to increase as the square while the volume tends to increase as the cube.
Another key is that increasingly intelligent action corresponds with increasing effectiveness with decreasing unintended consequences.
Together, these might shed a broader spectrum of light on the mystery of the Fermi “Paradox.”
I’m not a big Hawking fan. Sudden global warming killing us all? No mention of nanotech or AI? If he thinks nuclear war will end our survival then he needs to get better informed about the side of the impact of nuclear war and the size of the Earth.
He got the black hole information thing wrong but we are now to be assured that he is right that the LHC will not produce a stable black hole due to Hawking radiation? Sure hope he’s right this time!
None-the-less space colonization does seem prudent. Problem is Fermi would suggest that it won’t be sufficient.
I’m submitting this, in this forum, as an information gathering post. To wit, a few years ago, I seen to have recalled where Hawkings was calling for everyone, anyone to come forth with their idea(s) to help the human race survive the long run. I believe, he said the next 30 years will be crutial in coming up with solutions to these looming problems.
Is there a clearing house site, or something like that, where one may submit their ideas…perhaps some site monitored by Stephen, or his staff?
I’d appreciate any information regarding this, that anyone could supply.
Thanks,
Doug Payson