The current absence of teleportation is entirely social and political as without the 'right' systems in place, the path by which the relevant scientific breakthroughs *might* be made will never exist.
I'm convinced that it's partly social and political, but not that it's entirely so (except in the sense that everything is, but in that case I'm not sure it's a useful categorisation). It seems to me that you and ciphergoth are lookign at different parts of the same elephant.
I mean, sure, without the social and political conditions being right, many things that are otherwise technologically trivial may neither get done nor recognised as technologically trivial. Or even considered at all. But some things (I think teleportation is one) can reasonably considered impossible whatever the social and political conditions. Well, OK, I suppose it would be possible to consider social and political conditions that redefined teleporation to become something that is technologically possible, but I think that's a different matter.
Or have I got that wrong? This sort of thing is very much your field and not mine, so I realise I may be talking rubbish because I don't understand the issues (and I may not have the background to understand the issues either).
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-01-26 05:24 pm (UTC)I'm convinced that it's partly social and political, but not that it's entirely so (except in the sense that everything is, but in that case I'm not sure it's a useful categorisation). It seems to me that you and
I mean, sure, without the social and political conditions being right, many things that are otherwise technologically trivial may neither get done nor recognised as technologically trivial. Or even considered at all. But some things (I think teleportation is one) can reasonably considered impossible whatever the social and political conditions. Well, OK, I suppose it would be possible to consider social and political conditions that redefined teleporation to become something that is technologically possible, but I think that's a different matter.
Or have I got that wrong? This sort of thing is very much your field and not mine, so I realise I may be talking rubbish because I don't understand the issues (and I may not have the background to understand the issues either).