Vernor Vinge Quotes

Quotes about:

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

  Vernor Vinge

  Mean, Years, Eras

  "The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era". Vernor Vinge's remarks presented at the VISION-21 Symposium sponsored by NASA Lewis Research Center and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, edoras.sdsu.edu. March 30-31, 1993.

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• We will soon create intelligences greater than our own ... When this happens, human history will have reached a kind of singularity, an intellectual transition as impenetrable as the knotted space-time at the center of a black hole, and the world will pass far beyond our understanding.

  Vernor Vinge

  Space, Understanding, Black

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• IA is something that is proceeding very naturally, in most cases not even recognized by its developers for what it is.

  Vernor Vinge

  Cases, Developers, Proceeding

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• Intelligence is the handmaiden of flexibility and change.

  Vernor Vinge

  Flexibility

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “A Fire Upon The Deep”, p.72, Macmillan

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• All evil and good is petty before Nature. Personally, we take comfort from this, that there is a universe to admire that cannot be twisted to villainy or good, but which simply is.

  Vernor Vinge

  Evil, Comfort, Twisted

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky”, p.310, Hachette UK

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• Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things.

  Vernor Vinge

  Avalanches, Small Things

  "The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era". Article for the VISION-21 Symposium, edoras.sdsu.edu. 1993.

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• So much technology, so little talent.

  Vernor Vinge

  Technology, Littles, Talent

  Vernor Vinge (2011). “Rainbow's End”, p.52, Pan Macmillan

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• If there be only hours, at least learn what there is time to learn.

  Vernor Vinge

  Hours, Ifs

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky”, p.368, Hachette UK

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• The problem is not simply that the Singularity represents the passing of humankind from center stage, but that it contradicts our most deeply held notions of being.

  Vernor Vinge

  Problem, Passing, Stage

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• We're endangered by our own success.

  Vernor Vinge

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “A Fire Upon The Deep”, p.73, Macmillan

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• But if the technological Singularity can happen, it will.

  Vernor Vinge

  Singularity, Technological, Happens

  "The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era". Article by Vernor Vinge, for the VISION-21 Symposium sponsored by NASA Lewis Research Center and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, www.wired.com. 1993.

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• Technical people don't make good slaves. Without their wholehearted cooperation, things fall apart.

  Vernor Vinge

  Fall, People, Cooperation

  Vernor Vinge (2007). “A Deepness in the Sky”, p.26, Macmillan

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• I argue in this paper that we are on the edge of change comparable to the rise of human life on Earth.

  Vernor Vinge

  Change, Paper, Earth

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• Politics is good; when it works properly, disagreements get solved without people beating each other up. But when a regime knows its days are numbered, there's always the chance it may use its position to change the rules and make the debate it is losing irrelevant.

  Vernor Vinge

  People, Use, May

  "The Children of the Sky". Book by Vernor Vinge, 2011.

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• How will the approach of the Singularity spread across the human world view?

  Vernor Vinge

  Views, World, Approach

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• The physical extinction of the human race is one possibility.

  Vernor Vinge

  Race, Extinction, Possibility

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• In fact, there was general agreement that minds can exist on nonbiological substrates and that algorithms are of central importance to the existence of minds.

  Vernor Vinge

  Agreement, Mind, Algorithms

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• We’re long on high principles and short on simple human understanding.

  Vernor Vinge

  Simple, Long, Understanding

  Vernor Vinge (2007). “A Deepness in the Sky”, p.753, Macmillan

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• What we have is a data glut.

  Vernor Vinge

  Data, Thought Provoking

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• I say, let's learn more and then speculate.

  Vernor Vinge

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “A Fire Upon The Deep”, p.122, Macmillan

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• Effective translation of natural languages comes awfully close to requiring a sentient translator program.

  Vernor Vinge

  Language, Natural, Program

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky”, p.257, Hachette UK

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• 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.

  Vernor Vinge

  Technology, Natural, Possibility

  "The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era". Book by Vernor Vinge, 1993.

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• He was guided by what he saw rather than by what he wanted to believe.

  Vernor Vinge

  Believe, Saws, Wanted

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “A Fire Upon The Deep”, p.109, Macmillan

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• Little fish risking everything for a piece of godhood...and not knowing heaven from hell, even when they find it.

  Vernor Vinge

  Knowing, Heaven, Pieces

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “A Fire Upon The Deep”, p.93, Macmillan

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• It was not called the Net of a Million Lies for nothing.

  Vernor Vinge

  Lying, Millions

  Vernor Vinge (2010). “A Fire Upon The Deep”, p.431, Macmillan

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