Existential Risk and the Fermi Paradox

2022-12-02 20:07

This becomes catastrophic as the effects of that attack become greater.

The magnifying effects of technology enable short-term damage to cause long-term planet-wide systemic damage.

Fast global travel allowed local outbreaks to quickly become the COVID-19 pandemic, costing millions of lives and billions of dollars while increasing political and social instability.

Sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson once described the fundamental problem with humanity is that "We have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technology."

Technology could easily get to the point where the effects of a successful attack could be existential.

In these areas, like everywhere else in past and present society, the technologies of attack develop faster the technologies of defending against attack.

News URL

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2022/12/existential-risk-and-the-fermi-paradox.html