Definition
In the Self-Destruction scenario, humanity goes extinct before it can achieve superintelligence. This is usually the result of “collective stupidity” and the failure of human wisdom to manage powerful, non-AI technologies.
Why It Matters
The self-destruction scenario is the ‘Great Filter’ of civilization; it warns that our survival depends not on our technical power, but on our ability to develop the collective wisdom to manage technologies that are capable of accidental omnicide.
Core Concepts
- Accidental Omnicide: Extinction caused by miscalculation, misunderstanding, or game-theory traps (e.g., accidental nuclear war).
- Nuclear Winter: A cooling of 20-35°C for years, transforming summers into winters and collapsing the global food chain.
- Doomsday Devices: Deliberate “perfect deterrents” like salted (cobalt) nukes or biological weapons designed to kill all humans automatically.
- AI-Lite Weapons: Swarms of autonomous drones using RFID tags that accidentally slaughter all non-tagged populations.