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Vernor Vinge Quotes

Computer Scientist

Vernor Vinge is an American computer scientist known for his contributions to both science fiction literature and computer science. His works often explore the impact of technological advancements on human society, with his most famous novel being 'Rainbow's End'.

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All Humans Singularity Natural Sometimes World Years Fiction Happens Ifs Mind

Famous Vernor Vinge Quotes

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

Littles Heaven Hell Knowing Pieces Fishes Not Knowing

Book:A Fire Upon The Deep

Source: A Fire Upon The Deep

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

Humans Long Understanding Simple Principles

Book:A Deepness in the Sky

Source: A Deepness in the Sky

“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.”

Universe Evil Comfort Admire Petty Twisted Villainy

Book:Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky

Source: Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky

“The illusion of self-awareness. Happy automatons, running on trivial programs. I'll bet you never guess. From the inside, how can you?”

Self Running Awareness Illusion Program Self Awareness

Book:A Fire Upon The Deep

Source: A Fire Upon The Deep

“Note that I am not proposing that AI research be ignored or less funded.”

Research Notes Ignored

Author:Vernor Vinge

“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.”

World Humans Kind Happens Understanding Black Space Greater Intellectual Holes Transition Human History Singularity Black Hole Space Time

Author:Vernor Vinge

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

Years Humans Mean Eras Thirty Technological Thirty Years Singularity Superhuman Human Intelligence

Author:Vernor Vinge

“Here I had tried a straightforward extrapolation of technology, and found myself precipitated over an abyss. It's a problem we face every time we consider the creation of intelligences greater than our own. When this happens, human history will have reached a kind of singularity - a place where extrapolation breaks down and new models must be applied - and the world will pass beyond our understanding.”

Source: The Collected Stories of Vernor Vinge

“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.”

Mind Facts Existence Importance Agreement Algorithms

Author:Vernor Vinge

“We humans have millions of years of evolutionary baggage that makes us regard competition in a deadly light.”

Years Humans Light Millions Regard Competition Baggage

Author:Vernor Vinge

“Another symptom of progress toward the Singularity: ideas themselves should spread ever faster, and even the most radical will quickly become commonplace.”

Should Ideas Progress Spread Radical Faster Symptoms Corny Commonplace Singularity

Author:Vernor Vinge

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

Humans Earth Change Paper Edges Arguing Human Life

Author:Vernor Vinge

“When I began writing science fiction in the middle 60s, it seemed very easy to find ideas that took decades to percolate into the cultural consciousness; now the lead time seems more like eighteen months.”

Writing Ideas Seems Science Easy Consciousness Fiction Middle Months Science Fiction Decades Eighteen

Author:Vernor Vinge

“The dilemma felt by science fiction writers will be perceived in other creative endeavors.”

Science Felt Fiction Creative Science Fiction Endeavor Dilemma Fiction Writers

Author:Vernor Vinge

“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.”

Humans Natural Technology Possibility Consequence Inevitable Inherent Singularity Competitiveness

Author:Vernor Vinge

“Pham Nuwen plunked himself down, stretching indolently.”

Stretching

Book:A Fire Upon The Deep

Source: A Fire Upon The Deep

About the Author

Born: October 2, 1944
Known for: Computer Scientist
Quotes: 66

Books & Sources

A Fire Upon The DeepRelated source material

A Deepness in the SkyRelated source material

The Children of the SkyRelated source material

The Tor sf sampler: featuring excerpts from the 1993 Nebula and Hugo nominees : A fire upon the deep by Vernor Vinge and China mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHughRelated source material

The Zones of Thought Series: (A Fire Upon the Deep, The Children of the Sky, A Deepness in the Sky)Related source material

Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the SkyRelated source material

Rainbow's EndRelated source material

The Collected Stories of Vernor VingeRelated source material

The Peace WarRelated source material

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