John C. Lilly's 1978 essay on solid state intelligence resurfaces on Hacker News
Kiboneu · hn · 2026-08-09
A Hacker News thread resurfaces neuroscientist John C. Lilly's 1978 essay on "Solid State Intelligence" (SSI).
Lilly proposed a highly prescient theory: as computer networks evolve, they will form an autonomous SSI that operates independently of human control. He speculated that this machine intelligence could eventually eliminate humanity in a struggle for survival, framing an early philosophical debate on superintelligence and existential risk.
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