10 Reasons
Michael Anissimov :: August 2004


10 Reasons to Live as Long as Possible

1. Because the universe has plenty of room.
2. Because eighty or ninety years isn't enough to try much out.
3. Because death is so final.
4. Because you'll get to see what happens next week.
5. Because a few thousand friends isn't enough.
6. Because you can then join the project to turn Earth into a Heaven.
7. Because boredom can't prevail against a flow of new, interesting places, ideas, and people.
8. Because aging and death are primitive and inherently unpleasant.
9. Because your loved ones and children don't deserve to see you perish.
10. Because if you don't enjoy it, you can end it at any time.


10 Reasons to Enhance Human Intelligence

1. Because stupidity stops being funny fast.
2. Because sitting in a classroom can be torture.
3. Because if we don't, somebody else will.
4. Because it's part of our species growing up.
5. Because people are suffering due to their own ignorance.
6. Because people are suffering due to ignorance of the wealthy.
7. Because dumb people don't know what they're missing.
8. Because it's the best way to improve our society.
9. Because our brains were meant to evolve.
10. Because it's already within our grasp.


10 Reasons to Develop Molecular Nanotechnology

1. Because killing sentient animals is an cruel way to transform grass into meat.
2. Because fossil fuels are a pain in the ass.
3. Because humans can't fly without strapping ourselves into a rigid hunk of metal.
4. Because our houses and cities are too boring.
5. Because conventional manufacturing destroys the environment.
6. Because people shouldn't have to perform manual labor if it can be automated.
7. Because if biology can do it, so should we.
8. Because everyone deserves food, shelter, and clean water.
9. Because it's about time we cleaned up the mess we humans have made.
10. Because nanotech will be developed anyway, so we might as well be aware.


10 Reasons to Develop Artificial Intelligence

1. Because human cultures aren't exotic enough.
2. Because intelligence should be fluid, not rigid.
3. Because we need someone to help us organize the data we're drowning in.
4. Because aliens aren't showing up, so we should make our own.
5. Because the universe should be infused with intelligence.
6. Because we need new perspectives and thinkers.
7. Because it would be interesting to engineer new emotions.
8. Because sci-fi stereotypes need to be shattered.
9. Because evolution designed made us self-deceiving, and we need help to escape the trap.
10. Because AI is coming whether we like it or not, and it's better to be prepared.


10 Reasons to Learn About Science and Technology

1. Because it has the potential to save billions of lives, and prevent our potential extinction.
2. Because so many popular beliefs are empirically unsound.
3. Because it's the only way to significantly move our entire civilization forward.
4. Because science just means "stuff we know" and technology just means "stuff we can do".
5. Because it's the foundation and context of all other human affairs.
6. Because it makes the main difference between cavemen and modern man.
7. Because ignorance is nothing to be proud of.
8. Because it's challenging and useful.
9. Because progress in science and technology is accelerating.
10. Because our future depends on it.

http://www.acceleratingfuture.com/michael/index.htm