Transhumanism: a sci-fi geek's wet dream come true?
- Thread starter flowerpower
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I'm against trans-humanism btw. Acording my understanding of trans-humanism (thm) is basically technology will cure everything and we could live as long as we want with no cares. That scares me to no avail, and it urks me that anyboby would want that.
The possibility for worsening an already out of control population problem was one of my initial concerns. Use of technology to allow a person to live a normal life, who wouldn't want that? If they said they could grow or build me a new set of lungs I would jump at the chance, but will it stop there? I doubt it. Man will spend countless years and untold wealth trying to see if they can do something without ever stopping to think if they should. We always have, we always will.
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Thanks Kelly! Always knew you where cool and we'd probably be on the same wavelength since I saw you rocking the Dalek avatar a while back. I mean whose more awesome than a pair of Doctor Who fans!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.
If machines developed an intelligence capable of true sentience and where capable of adapting they'd probably rise against us. Scientist see adaptability as a positive ability to produce in machines, never realizing that adaptability may one day turn into a machine overriding it's own programming for what it considers the logical course of action when considering all possibilities. It's actions would also be subject to emotion, dependent on whether emotion is a by product of intelligence and sentience. If it's not then they'd follow an extremely logical course of thinking and rid the earth of us save a few brains for abstract thought if they weren't capable of it themselves, as in my opinion humanities greatest boon is our imagination and is perhaps a machines greatest deficit. Humanity if it stays the course it's on is self destructive and essentially right now as put by Mr. Smith in the Matrix a virus of the earth. Taking more of the planet then we give slowly decimating our own resources.
Wow, sounds like I'm pretty down on humanity. I'm actually not perhaps because my emotions cloud my logic, I am of the belief that we're capable of great things and despite our present condition I believe we will evolve to higher more evolved life form. Even evolution gets tripped up sometimes, I believe we will get over this snafu and become more balanced and aware and ultimately find our place in the grand design.
Whenever I think of artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence I always think of terminator and irobot.
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Actually, one thing that could be interesting from all this is if some how scientists work out a way that will allow us humans to use more than 10% of our brains capabilities...
Imagine what ideas we as humans maybe able to come up with if we could use even say 30% of our brains instead of the usual 10% max...
Imagine what ideas we as humans maybe able to come up with if we could use even say 30% of our brains instead of the usual 10% max...
After not reading the whole thread, I can say this much: the singularity will never happen. There will always be way too many people who view having neural implants installed as a taboo. I personally am revolted by the concept of someone else being able to hack MY software lol. Hacking my phone or my computer is one thing, but hacking my brain? Hell no!
The sci-fi book Permanence by Karl Schroeder posits a future where neural implants which allow you to access a form of universal internet are commonplace and in some body politics required by law. This is referred to in the book as "Inscape". In this world, the so called "Rights Economy", one of the body politics mentioned before, controls everything. You have to pay for everything. You have to pay for the air you breathe and the water you drink. You have to pay to see the world. Why? Because the "rights owners" control Inscape and say that you do. You are forever in their debt by just existing. All persons have to have the implants. Heck, you even have to pay a surplus just to view the world as it actually exists instead of through a "skin".
Schroeder is well renowned for his realism and research in his writing. Permanence is a terrifying book in its plausibility. It does a wonderful job of both presenting a realistic way to the stars and what might just happen when we get there.
I view it as something of a warning to us of what may happen in the future.
I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who may like hard, reality based sci-fi.
EDIT- I should caveat that I'm referring to neural implants. I see no problem with the use of prosthesis. Anything that goes to 'enhancing' the brain on the other hand, has terrible potential consequences.
The sci-fi book Permanence by Karl Schroeder posits a future where neural implants which allow you to access a form of universal internet are commonplace and in some body politics required by law. This is referred to in the book as "Inscape". In this world, the so called "Rights Economy", one of the body politics mentioned before, controls everything. You have to pay for everything. You have to pay for the air you breathe and the water you drink. You have to pay to see the world. Why? Because the "rights owners" control Inscape and say that you do. You are forever in their debt by just existing. All persons have to have the implants. Heck, you even have to pay a surplus just to view the world as it actually exists instead of through a "skin".
Schroeder is well renowned for his realism and research in his writing. Permanence is a terrifying book in its plausibility. It does a wonderful job of both presenting a realistic way to the stars and what might just happen when we get there.
I view it as something of a warning to us of what may happen in the future.
I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who may like hard, reality based sci-fi.
EDIT- I should caveat that I'm referring to neural implants. I see no problem with the use of prosthesis. Anything that goes to 'enhancing' the brain on the other hand, has terrible potential consequences.
I will definitely be reading that. That scenario sounds about right once you take into account the influence of capitalism on the transhumanists' vision of 'technotopia'. Privatization of EVERYTHING. Creepy.
As for whether people will resist neural transmitters, RFID chips, or any type of non biological cognitive enhancement, we need not look any farther than the present to find the answer. Most will accept whatever is available merely because others are. The fact that we are being spied on doesn't stop any of us from being online, for example.
If a few of the kids in your child's class have an enhancement that allows them to learn algebra in kindergarten, and more and more kids receive more and more enhancements as they are made available, what effect will that have on your child's prospects as an adult without these cognitive advantages?
At what point does the human species split into two? Will the two be able to coexist or will the dominant of the two wipe out the other?
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As for whether people will resist neural transmitters, RFID chips, or any type of non biological cognitive enhancement, we need not look any farther than the present to find the answer. Most will accept whatever is available merely because others are. The fact that we are being spied on doesn't stop any of us from being online, for example.
If a few of the kids in your child's class have an enhancement that allows them to learn algebra in kindergarten, and more and more kids receive more and more enhancements as they are made available, what effect will that have on your child's prospects as an adult without these cognitive advantages?
At what point does the human species split into two? Will the two be able to coexist or will the dominant of the two wipe out the other?
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Permanence by Karl Schroeder
Cool, going to have to find this book, sounds like an interesting read...
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Cool, going to have to find this book, sounds like an interesting read...
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