Technology and evolution

There is a professor at Warwick University in England who has implanted electronics into his arm, and his wifes arm. When he feels pain, she feels the same pain etc. Anyway to cut a long story short - Do you think that people who want to do this, and push the implant technology further, are doing something that is good for humankind, or bad? My personal view is that it is a good thing as it will help people like , bliind people, people who cannot walk etc, eventually. But what would you think if I said that I think we should push that technology further simply to forward our evolution. IE we should try to take evolution into our own hands by integrating our minds and bodies with our technology ? would that be a good idea?

 

People have been decorating their bodys for thousands of years, whos to say that enhancing your other physical atributes is any different. I am not saying this is a good thing but you could argue that it is peoples own choice if they want to do it just like decorating your body is.

 

True enough but I think you'll agree that having an ear-ring or a tattoo
is a lot different to having chip implants or a brain modified with memory
enhancing technology. What about if our environment became too
ubearable for us - so we modified our lungs to account for a totally different atmosphere? My question i really, should we pursue the idea of integrating and changing our minds and bodies in such a way that humans become integrated with machine technology? given that its probably too late to save the planet

 

personally, i cant wait. integeratate w/ machinery. be able to plug my brain right into my computer. bionic limbs, more efficient lungs. count me in!

 

i think advancing bionics is a good idea but I have some reservations with MMI. Mind you thats a long way off even if the technology isnt our understanding of the brain is far too limited, but even if it wasnt I think its a perfect example of 'just because you can, doesnt mean you should'.

 

You're wondering who I am-machine or mannequin
With parts made in Japan, I am the modren man

I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M.
So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised
I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide
To keep me alive-just keep me alive
Somewhere to hide to keep me alive

I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see
I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free
I'm not a hero, I'm not a saviour, forget what you know
I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control
Beyond my control-we all need control
I need control-we all need control

I am the modren man, who hides behind a mask
So no one else can see my true identity

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you

The problem's plain to see: too much technology
Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.

The time has come at last
To throw away this mask
So everyone can see
My true identity...
I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!

 

Nice poem - is it by Kraftwerk?

Anyway I've been thinking of asking some bionics researchers if they need someone to test their technology on -IE: ME ! Do you think they would refuse - or do you think its unwise that I should offer to be experimented on?

 

No, it's by Styx. Anyway, the problem is if we start to depend on this technology and something goes wrong with it, then we're screwed (remember y2k?) There might be problems with this equipment that only some people would have or problems that take years to develop when it's too late.

 

I've heard a theory that technology stops evolution.

The idea is that a diabetic without technology does not transmit their genes to the next generation. With technology, the diabetic lives and breeds.

(Diabetes is a random choice. I don't know the extent to which it is genetic, but it serves to illustrate the point about technology.)

Technology increases the survival (and breeding) of our species.

This means that sexual selection (who attracts the most mates) is a stronger factor in humans than in other animals.

 

The way i see it we are only going to be recognizable as human for at most 10 more generations. You know people have already to alter there children preconseption, tweeking this or that to give the kid an edge, and while that may be slightly repugnent to us now it wounldnt be if we ouselves were altered. and theses new "superman" will have even less reservation about it. In time it will be a comman practice, and once that happens "the man" will go after the criminal element on the genetic level and there goes many forms of creativity. A few generations of this and what will remain will be a bald little critter of pure curiousity, feeding a machine. Sux but it certainly seems unavoidable, short of a planetary disater

 

good:it will increase one's chances of survival,under normal circumstances

bad:if something goes wrong,we're screwed.also all sorts of cooky implants give bad people at the top the oportunity to control and spy on a biomechanical dude.also,it makes us dependant of our technology,which isn't transmitted genetically to the children;if the children don't have access to the technology,they won't be able to survive in the enviroment we will and the species will die.we as in the human race.

shortly:it's like medicine for an incurable disease.it's masturbation,nice,but pointless and potentially harmfull on the long term.

the only modifications i find reasonable and efficient in the long run are genetical/biological

we have scubadiving equipment,we have submarines.people still die from drowning,even with an oxigen tank or in submarines.gills are much better,and your kids would get them too for sure;and they don't need to be refilled after a couple of hours.

 

I posted another thread about this but maybe you guys would like to read a concept called the singularity concept of human evolutionary development

 

I think i first reliezed the inevabilty of it reading asimov, that was artical was fasinating, seems to be alot have been talking about it recently

 

What about if our environment (modern times) became too unbearable (psychologically) for us - so we modified our brain to accept it. Hahahaha!!

regards

 

big industry sharks already do that for us."so what if you got 5 types of cancer?!thanks to our second hand,slightly disfunctional nuclear reactor you can get cool snickers for half the price!if we had where to dump all the radioactive waste,we would have time to design even cooler ones for you.and what's life without cool sneakers?"

 

talking about nuclear reactor. How is the one called in Romania? Cernavodă. I read something about that one!.. Oh dear.
But if you don't have cool snickers you can try hot pulpy squashed ones. I am pretty sure you get use to it after a while and won't want to miss it.
No, seriously, let the evolution take its path: now it's us and after us the robots, the androids.
Who said that there is to be a meaning behind all that? What we do - whether right or wrong - is just evolving to the next stage.
Your right, big industry sharks help us for that (and so do lots of presidents fighting the evil...).
I hope that buddhism's got an influence too.

 

Science is taking leaps recently, like, HUGE leaps and they're getting bigger, one guy claims he can increase lifespan to around 400 and predicts withing 20 years he could increase it to 2000. (saw this on TV a few days ago.)

I think.. it's good, but it needs to be gradual change. Also I think we mustn't do anything that wont work with our brain. e.g. Making someone physically 30 when they are 300 is NEVER going to be worth while if our brains are 300, brains damage too much over time and would fuck people up big time.

The brain will take a long time to figgure out properly, but I can see nothing but good coming from it all.

If people could repair themselves more effectively, society could be far more patient and grow, overall wisdome of life would be far superior and people would be given much stronger guidance because of it.

I think mankind is slowly becoming enlightened in less than a 70 years we will be amazed at how full of corruption the world is now.

Maybe I'm just optimistic though..

 

What you say, TommyT, sounds really nice.
But isn't there a bit of a "blue eyed" view of the world?
I always thought that after the last century wars (till Vietnam) and since the flower power seventies the world would understand that wisdom is more important than selfishness.
Unfortunately the "market economy" thought different. You watch television, so you see all these commercials. And what do they try to tell you (and they do it very well):
"don't trust anybody else, be yourself buying ONLY OUR products"
"Don't care of anybody's thoughts, YOU'RE BETTER if you buy OUR products"
And so you see people feeling free buying nonesense products.
Have a look at the markets in China and India. They grow, and of course the politics expect to be soon the world leaders. And everybody there wants to have a car, a computer, a mobile phone and lots of things which need lots of electricity.
And electricity needs to be produced... by oil or coal? What about pollution? Where does the oil come from? How expensive will it be?
I don't expect lots of wisdome in that, but lots of wars and ruined small countries.

You're right: "All hatred stems from lack of understanding".
And that's exactly what "market economy" wants you to be: An ignorant mashine buying without understanding what for.

This guy who claims he can increase lifespan to around 400 .... Where did you see that? Who is he? Increasing lifespan of cells could be possible. But our body works through collaboration of different organs and biological systems. If your cells live longer but your liver doesn't produce the necessary chemical substances... you're dead...

 

Yes my view is optimistic, but I think things are going to get A LOT worse than they are now before an eventual good, it is the direction everything is moving because of many problems based on ignorance of the powers. Maybe a war, maybe just ultimate control of society, who knows.

But look at the education system, it is encouraged more than ever to keep an open mind, the younger generations are becoming far more involved with science and possibilities. Religions are dieing as people are questioning them more than ever, the internet is growing stronger and freedom of information is increasing. Old ways are fighting for their survival and throwing all they can to stay in society but - slowly dieing out. Of course there are young people who are on the opposite to all this, more ignorant because society tells them to be, but these people are not the ones fighting for information and sharing their knowledge. These people are finding ways into power slowly, even politics, they are pushing for good ideals and making a case of it! The number of people doing this will increase.

I do think things in the world are going to get A LOT worse for us in general, despite all the positive motion, as the negative motions are also increasing from the freedom of information, terrorism has more access to information, making the powerful fearful - so they show their power more and more, pull more control and generally take more from society. You're right with what you say, but the bigger picture is a much more positive direction compared to when you think about the power nations of the past, current ones are encouraging freedom of information and scientific progression without the control of religion more than the historic empires. After we reach an ultimate low, we can improve.

I've seen many documentaries on 'free energy' recently. They are finding methods which can actually produce positive energy from electro magnetic fields and even the air around us, new ways are slowly being developed to make use of this energy and eventually, (my MOST optimistic belief) is that we will find a way to make use of zero point energy. If this was to happen, we wouldn't need to control anymore.. I think within the next few hundred years we can expect this, string theory and other such ideas which have been more sound in their explanations are looking very strong in their claims.

If technology carries on at the current rate, I'm sure we can make a lot of use of other natural resources for energy without as much harm to the environment, the lack of fuel is forcing us too.

There are many exceptions to what we are used to with respect to energy production in our universe, we are slowly developing technology to understand these and as I said.. technology is growing exponentially. Don't underestimate the internet.

I found an article about a team who study mice and found that he could get them to regrow their vital organs, even their heart (somehow?!) I'll find the article again if you want. Birds don't damage their cells as much as other lifeforms and so do not age as fast, they are being studied and reasons for their lifespan are being found. Sea urchin's age at a considerably slow rate, their cells let them live for incredibly large amounts of time considering their size and so on. I think yeast (i might be wrong) also doesn't age and we share the same cells as it.

The guy who made the claim, he has nothing to do with these studies, he was at Cambridge University with a number of techniques in 'fixing' cells so they act as if young of age, including cells in the liver. I remain scepticle as I think he is underestimating the human body, but it is an area with A LOT of potential.

I know all this is very blue eyed, but I'm seeing far too many positive signs to be able to ignore them. The number of people who have a good understanding of the world and on a path to enlightenment is more than ever and they are sharing their wisdome with the world around them.

Just keep optimistic and push for an eventual good - even if it doesn't produce immediate results we will be able to learn from mistakes, feeling sorry for ourselves will get us nowhere.

 

damnit.everybody is stealing my ideeas.i thought of studying and experimenting on the properties of HIV with the help of FIV (feline imunodeficiency virus).
I thought of studying bird cells for their properties of slow aging and retaining fast brain reactions.now some other people do it.

there is a writer who said there are two sorts of people:the intellectuals and the "biological order individuals".the later are the kind that belive what they see on tv,work their asses of so they can afford a cool new couch they'll throw away in a couple of years because they want a cooler one and so on.they're the parts that through their pointless struggles make society work for important people and nothing else.there's no way to make these people realise and care that the world is a lot more complex than they are told and they could have things a lot more important than the plasma TV.things like a 2000 years life span.immortality is virtually possible,if you get to deal with cell regeneration and neuron conservation/regeneration (neurons are the only human cells that don't divide).

i belive we are part of the puny people and a lot of very important technological advances and scientifical discoveries are hidden from us.what would you do if you had billions of dollars and tremendous influence?would you have constructed for you the biggest tv screen in the world?and what secrets do you think secret societies/circles have?who the next door neighbour is cheating on his wife with?

and yeah,being called paranoid is nothing new for me.