Future Technology

The word transhumanism conjurers up some fantastical visions. The dictionary definition is:

"Transhumanism, social and philosophical movement devoted to promoting the research and development of robust human-enhancement technologies. Such technologies would augment or increase human sensory reception, emotive ability, or cognitive capacity as well as radically improve human health and extend human life spans. Such modifications resulting from the addition of biological or physical technologies would be more or less permanent and integrated into the human body."

When I was in college, a discussion arose when the topic of A.I. was mentioned. Many classmates wondered if the A.I. machines (when invented) would render us useless and perhaps annihilate us. Our professor in that class wanted to put our minds at ease and suggested a different outcome. He said "The machines won't harm us because we will become the machines."

Now this news was kind of calming to most students. After all, who wants to be looked at as a useless relic of the past. When A.I. is ultimately invented, we really can not comprehend how this will change our lives. The A.I. will think of solutions to problems with a different level of thought than us. It will certainly have answers to questions that are difficult for us to answer.

If we merge with our devices (computers) we will avoid the risk of being outdone by the A.I.. However we may lose what makes us human..being imperfect. There is so much that is unknown in this realm.

To learn more about intriguing topics like this, please listen to the S Factor podcast here.