Transhumanism: a sci-fi geek's wet dream come true?

[kingofthejungle]

My favorite instructor in college was a former rocket scientist for NASA who left to get his PhD in cybertronics. Some of the things he was working on was absolutely fascinating including using what is essentially a webcam to help someone who lost his vision in an accident regain about 5% of his sight. That may not sound like much but when you go from normal sight to absolutely blackness any little thing is a miracle. This was about 7 years ago too so who knows where they're at now, but even back then he was able to recognize basic block shapes and distinguish light from dark and see walls and other objects in his way when walking. They were also working on using solid state memory to help people who lost their ability to store new memories. Once again this was for accident victims only though.

I just read a article in pop sci about bionic retinal implants already in clinical trial stages. Its interesting that they feel the need for technological evolution when we still don't know what we are completely capable of. Stan Lee had a show called super human and they had a teenager on there who played basketball could skateboard and ride a bike. He was born blind I believe but he taught himself to see by using echo location.


"I'm not ignorant. I just find certain types of ignorance amusing"

 

[dragonfish]

I just read a article in pop sci about bionic retinal implants already in clinical trial stages. Its interesting that they feel the need for technological evolution when we still don't know what we are completely capable of. Stan Lee had a show called super human and they had a teenager on there who played basketball could skateboard and ride a bike. He was born blind I believe but he taught himself to see by using echo location.


"I'm not ignorant. I just find certain types of ignorance amusing"

I saw something similar recently involving a fix for retinitis pigmentosa, aka tunnel vision.

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[sbuse]

@flowerpower

It was a deal more to do with the politically loaded topic and how another politically loaded topic is banned. I know of several people that would be offend by this for religious reasons.

Back on topic.
I think that if a vet needs a cyborg arm or leg give it to them. If we have the ability to why not.


Gotta love censorship, flowerpower if you want to know more in depth just pm me. Trying to convey any message around here is ridiculous now.

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[dragonfish]

@flowerpower

It was a deal more to do with the politically loaded topic and how another politically loaded topic is banned. I know of several people that would be offend by this for religious reasons.

Back on topic.
I think that if a vet needs a cyborg arm or leg give it to them. If we have the ability to why not.


Gotta love censorship, flowerpower if you want to know more in depth just pm me. Trying to convey any message around here is ridiculous now.

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How is this politically charged? It's science.

 

[Aweshade9]

How is this politically charged? It's science.

Politics have something to do with everything. If politicians allowed trans-humanism how would it make the U.S government look? Where would the research money come from? What state would it be hosted in? If it was hosted in x state, what what advantages would they gain? All these questions and more wold pop up. Everything is political.

 

[dragonfish]

Politics have something to do with everything. If politicians allowed trans-humanism how would it make the U.S government look? Where would the research money come from? What state would it be hosted in? If it was hosted in x state, what what advantages would they gain? All these questions and more wold pop up. Everything is political.

Then by your arguement every thread should be closed and the site shut down as it all goes against TOS. And why do you automatically assume it will happen first in America? Most likely another country will make the advances necessary to do this,if at all possible. Problem solved, US politics no longer a factor and thread is no longer in violation.

Just seems to be people who are cranky because they can't talk about what they want to, but only from their side, and are acting out.

 

[Aweshade9]

Then by your arguement every thread should be closed and the site shut down as it all goes against TOS. And why do you automatically assume it will happen first in America? Most likely another country will make the advances necessary to do this,if at all possible. Problem solved, US politics no longer a factor and thread is no longer in violation.

Just seems to be people who are cranky because they can't talk about what they want to, but only from their side, and are acting out.

Let me be more specific and not so conspiracy theorist. Everything this big is politically charged. But are we arguing about polictics? No we are(supposed to) arguing about the moral and scientific aspect of it.

 

[dragonfish]

Let me be more specific and not so conspiracy theorist. Everything this big is politically charged. But are we arguing about polictics? No we are(supposed to) arguing about the moral and scientific aspect of it.

Then lets argue the scientific aspects and stop giving any backing to those who are just cranky about not getting their own way.

What exactly are the advances being made that will further this? Will it solve just injury, or disease as well? Will it extend life or just allow a person to live a natural one?

These questions, to me at least, keep the topic within guidelines and along a scientific bent.

 

[KellyFrancis]

I agree with Koltsix's original post. (which was damn near poetic, BTW, well put!) Leaning toward a Design-oriented view of science, I wonder how far we will be allowed to go before we're stopped.

A couple years ago, I saw a show on the science channel about the superhuman stuff that Stan Lee is so fascinated with and it inspired me to write an episodic story about a future based on uncontrolled technological advancements. It appears its happening faster than I can write it.

Speaking of literary analogies, I wonder if Aldous Huxley will have the right of it. Something, really, that only time can tell. Its fun to hear what they can do though. Fun and a little scary at the same time.

 

[Fat Homer]

I've always wondered what would happen if artificial intelligence surpassed humans... Would the machines rise against humans? Or would we make mistakes like in the movies where we create robots to take care of us so well, they end up ruling over us for our own safety...


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