What does everyone think of transhumanism, the end of the human race??

Question

We can't even cure HIV/cancer/common cold, and these guys think we will be merging with machines in 20 years(See cnn.com)? I'm a little skeptical on this one, but i guess anything is possible.

Answer 1

The line of thinking goes that within the next 20 to 50 years, We will give birth to Artificial intelligence, which will blur the lines between what is human and what is technology, until the line blurs so much that there is no longer a distinction between the two. The advent of A.I will usher in rabidly advancing A.I until A.I becomes smarter than regular humans, which in turn picks up the pace of technological integration until technological invention accelerates past the point where we can comprehend it. This event is called the technological singularity, and humans will evolve into a transhuman being that is beyond out ability to comprehend.

I, like you, am skeptical. First of all, this theory does not include the law of diminishing returns on computers. Just because computers are growing more advanced today doesn't mean they will keep getting more advanced perpetually. Not to mention economic conditions that can affect the growth of computer technology. Furthermore, there is no hard proof that we can artificially recreate A.I, an arguement that the computer nerd community calls the "strong A.I vs weak A.I" dilemma. Some computer experts say it is inevitable, others claim that the non-algorithmic nature of intelligence makes it impossible.

I doubt the technological singularity will happen. It is the rapture for nerds. There was a time when it was thought that Nuclear technology was heralded as the hallmark of a new era in civilization. Turns out it was... but that was because nuclear weapons threatened to annihilate mankind instead of nuclear powerplants providing an inexhaustible supply of cheap energy. I also saw a diagram from the year 1900 when futurists imagined a city in the year 2000 with cloud-breeching skyscrapers linked by walkways and long lines of dirigibles providing personal transport. No one can predict the future, period, and 10 times out of 10 the technology that people believe to be the silver bullet turns out to be slightly more mundane than the way people predicted it.

Answer 2

We are already merging with machines. Look around.

Answer 3

Resistance is futile.  You will be assimilated. o_O

With little robots in your bloodstream zipping around to kill the viruses before they infect you.

Answer 4

The human species will very probably die within150 million years if we don't evolve to breath in carbon dioxide

Answer 5

I don't see that occurring quite that soon, but easily within the century. I've got no essential problem with it, it seems like the next logical step in our developement. We can soon influence, I hope for the better, our own future evolution.

Answer 6

Frankly I think that it is almost definately going to occur.  I would not put a 20 year estimate on it, but maybe 50.  When you think about it their is only one component that needs to be invented..... something that can transfer the signals sent and received by biological nerves to technological equipment and back.  Basically its just a translator to the nervous system.  I think we will see the basic beginning of this withing 50 years.

In the last 100 years we have invented or popularized the car, electricity, airplanes, computers, microchips, cell phones, satellites, television, air conditioners, and basic space travel human and robotic.  That is a pretty active 100 years.... and it is known that progress speeds up future progress.  This means the next 50 years should bring some really really interesting things.

As far as curing disease I personally think we could if their was money in it.  Unfortunately their isn't..... and so we treat.  Treatment is far more lucrative because it has repeat business.  AIDS is a very new disease and thier is a very effective way to avoid it.... using condoms (which have been around for a long time).  Cancer is not new, however it is only recently that they discovered that cancer is area specific and requires different research.  Their is currently a vaccine for cervical cancer.... which is basically a cure.  So that is one down (potentially) a hundred to go.

It should be pointed out that every species on Earth (except sharks) will get cancer if they live long enough..... it is a matter of cells being mutated as they divide.  The more division, the higher cancer risk.  People live past their natural lifespan (based on number of heartbeats in the average mammalian lifespan) so we get more cancer problems.  Curing cancer means curing aging in general which is not entirely off the table.

Either way, if they create robot bodies for us then we pretty much cure both these ailments at once..... along with aging.  Then we can finally travel in space with our more rugged robot frames..... I can't wait.

Answer 7

Wow......thats deep.........................not.