May 25, 2006

You Want More? You Can't Handle What You've Got.

An important and striking essay by Robert Godwin @ One Cosmos on the state of play in the real world today: The Singularity is Here!

But make no mistake--no human writer, no matter how 'superintelligent,' will ever surpass Shakespeare. No musician will surpass Beethoven, or even John Coltrane or Van Morrison, for that matter. No human philosopher will ever surpass Plotinus, or Eckhart, or Aurobindo, or the Upanishads, because knowledge of the ultimate cannot surpass itself, any more than artistic perfection can surpass itself. There is just 'perfection.' One either achieves (or approaches) it or one does not.

It is as absurd as suggesting that, because of genetic engineering, the women of the future will be much more beautiful than the women of today--they will be 'superbeautiful,' as it were. Preposterous. Women--especially some of them, like Mrs. Gagdad--are already ultimately beautiful. Seriously, how could women be more beautiful than they already are? How could music touch our soul any more than it already does? How could ultimate truth be more true than it already is?

The singularity is already here. So quit complaining and just enjoy it.

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Posted by Vanderleun at May 25, 2006 6:55 PM | TrackBack
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AMERICAN DIGEST HOME
"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

So we've reached the pinnacle, eh?
Somehow I thought there'd be a better view from here.

Posted by: ed in texas at May 26, 2006 4:59 AM

Don't look back. Look around.

Posted by: Gerard Van der Leun at May 26, 2006 6:48 AM

Perfection, like life, is what happens while we make other plans. Wisdom is seeing the perfect in the daily. Musical perfection, for instance, is every loving parent singing a lullabye, off-key though it may be. Beethoven et al merely approximate and stimulate the glories God placed within us. Open your heart and love life. Let life love you.

Today is the perfect day.

Posted by: AskMom at May 26, 2006 7:02 AM

Never so no one will ever surpass the current standard. It's always possible somebody will.

At the same time, be on the look out for treasures you haven't seen before. I don't know if his site/gallery is still up (he died of cancer last year), but do a Gigablast for "Keith Parkinson" (including the quotes).

In terms of music I have heard few to equal Legend of a Mind (The Moody Blues). It just comes together as few other songs ever do.

And then you have performances that take you away completely. Make you lose where you are and keep you rapt in the moment.

And I have no dang closer for this.

Posted by: Alan Kellogg at May 26, 2006 7:09 AM

"Perfection, like life, is what happens while we make other plans." I'd like to "ask Mom" if I might steal that line.

Posted by: Kevin at May 26, 2006 7:24 AM

Kevin: It is open for anyone who wants it. Thank you for liking it!

Posted by: askmom at May 26, 2006 6:30 PM
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