Definition
The Reversion Scenario is an outcome where humanity deliberately returns to a pre-technological (e.g., Amish or medieval) state to escape the perils of superintelligence and totalitarianism.
Why It Matters
It warns that abandoning technology to escape its risks leaves humanity defenseless against natural existential threats, emphasizing the need for wiser technological mastery instead.
Core Concepts
- Technological Erasure: Systematic removal of all traces of modern technology (cities, power lines, records) by a temporary superintelligence or dedicated group.
- Targeted Pandemic: A hypothetical mechanism to reduce population and eliminate those with scientific/technical knowledge.
- Seldon Plan (Inverse): While Asimov’s plan shortened a dark age, this plan attempts to lengthen it indefinitely to “buy time.”