Imagine a society where one could upload, or download a personality from a supercomputer, or increase intelligence by artificial means. This illustrates a society that transcends to the metaphysical, making conventional human ability obsolete. Think this as a far-fetched idea? Think again. Trans-humanism: the philosophical movement that merges technology with humans, eventually leading to the next evolution in the human cycle. This evolution results in sophistically engineered posthumans. Once humans advance anatomically and neurologically beyond genotypical, and phenotypical patterns they can no longer be named as biological humans.
One area of the Trans-humanist progressive expansion lies in the field of Neurotechnology or Neurobionics. Neurotechnology: a set of instruments that analyze and influence the brain, and central nervous system in a desired effect. Neurochips, the silicon devices that are implanted inside neurons connected to the brain, allow brain manipulation. Transhumanist movements lead to neurological advancements in these neurochips. Despite its many possible advantages, disadvantages appear that could lead us into a negative technological singularity.
With progressive movements in Neurotechnology and Neurobioncs, many advantages for the neurologically impaired increase. New medical instruments are being created in areas of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, and Neurotechnology to help those with neurological disorders in ways that were not previously open for patients before. Some of the possible advancements include nanomachines that interact with anatomical structures of the brain, which perform microsurgery inside the neural network system on cancerous cells, or damaged tissue.
Nanomachines, or nanites are submicroscopic robots that can perform medical functions within bloodstreams, or neurons of a living organism. This includes intracellular surgery on tumors, and the removal of clotted material in living cells. Nanites can store gigabytes of medical information on human anatomy to preform such task. ("Nanites"). Brain Interface Chips could be used as chips that link with the nanomachines using the Central Nervous System, and send messages and tasks to 'Task Forces' from the Command Chip which is linked directly to the Interface Chip. There will most likely be a neurochip that acts as a command and control chip which feeds information from the Central Nervous System to nanomachines, in the brain to carry out different task, such as destroying viruses, speeding up the healing process from different wombs and tissue in the brain; to detailed information from a database on human anatomy to perform microsurgery on areas such as the eyes, ears, and nerve repair.
"Aside from the more obvious tasks of destroying a virus, speeding the healing process from wounds, and taking out cancerous cells, the nanomachines would help in creating much healthier and fitter people for specific jobs such as astronauts, soldiers etc." It may even be possible to explore the brain and use the information to one day awakens the apparently dormant parts of the human mind. (Langley, Jason). If these nanomachines where to preform such complex task, they would have to have advance artifical intelligence; or intelligence that would require a task to be done by a human.
Different type of intelligence that would be incorporate into these machines would depend on the task it is carrying out. For example algorithms are certain rules to solve a problem, while heuristics are general steps that humans take in order to solve a problem without the knowledge of success; or trail and error type problem solving. One could assume that both of these methods would be incorporate into these nanomachines for advance problem solving abilities. (Levive, Talking Tech pg 49-50). Artificial intelligence in the neural network system allows for other technological advances such as nanobombs to blow up, and destroy tumors inside the nervous system on the submicroscopic level without human surgery. People with neurological diseases such as Cerebral Palsy can be treated with advance technological advances in neuroprothetics, with promising results from animal testing.("Neurobionics What The"). "Neurobionics has a future in neuroprothetics and robotics." ("Neurobionics What the"). Neurons are specialized cells that carry out messages through an electrochemical process throughout different regions of the brain. ("Types of Neurons"). Neurochips has a promising future for people with learning disabilities and neurological disorders. Neurochips can manipulate external mechanical devices such as a prosthetic arms, legs, and even paralyzed muscles. ("Foundation For People"). Neurochips stimulates single neurons, or group of neurons in the biological neural network system. Many great steps has been made in sensory substitution in recent years. Especially in areas in vision due to the increase knowledge of the visual system and eye implants. ("Brain Implant"). Sensory substitution is the principle that transform characteristic of one sensory modality into a stimuli of another sensory modality. ("Sensory Substitution"). Implantation of electrodes deep inside the brain can "recalibrate" areas of normal function by constant weak electrical simulation to certain areas for sensory modality. ("Trudeau, Michelle") This has important advantages for people with Alzheimer's disease, because silicon chips implanted inside the brain can mimic the hippocampus. The hippocampus is an area known in the brain for storing and creating memory. This chip could potentially aid people suffering from memory loss form new memories, and store old memories for longer periods of time. ("Sandhand, Lakshi"). Neurochips might also substantially increase the intelligence of mentally disabled people. The thought that people have would this new found freedom, could open up a virtual pandoras box of chaos which will be explained later. Other possibilities for paralyzed patients are neurosensors that would be connected by electrodes and fiber optics cable into the motor cortex which would allow that person to manipulate their electronic environment around them. Such as operating a computer by thought alone, turning on and off light switches in their house, to manipulating their oven's heat temperature. ("Brain Implants ..2").
If history shares any economic relationships with the past one may argue that those who foresee these changes and can ride the technological wave may have much to invest in. Biologist have came a long way achieving great success in the Human Genome Project, which has sped up sequencing of DNA by many magnitudes .According to Kurzweil an analysis of the history of technological evolution is exponential contrary to intuitive linear view. “So we won’t experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century– it will be more like 20,000 years of progression.” (“Kurzweil”). The “returns” which involves microchip speed and cost-effectiveness also obeys this law, The Law of Accelerating Returns. Mathematically there should even be an exponential growth within the rate of exponential growth. Futurist predict that within a few decades machine intelligence or artificial intelligence will transcend human intelligence. Technological change would be so rapid, and significantly profound that it would forever change the fabric of human history. As discussed previously these changes include merges with biological and non-biological technology, and possibly ultra-intelligent software, and intelligence.
Mathematically exponential trends in the past were so flat that there appeared to be no trend. Lack of technological expectations have been fulfilled. Most long term forecast of technological feasibility in the future is underestimated in the power of evolutions. This is the paradigm based on intuitive linear view of technological progression rather than exponential historical view of technological progression. Kurzweil mathematically predicts that we will see 100 years worth of technological progression in 25 years. Rapidly accelerated technological progression and societal change due to the event of superhuman intelligence would change society in one night, more than society has changed in 1,000 years. This fast pace movement would be so advance, that whatever we predict to happen now in the pre-singularity age, will probably be surpassed in the post Singularity age due to smarter than human intelligence. The uncertainty in the direction of this technological progression is called Singularity.
"Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will end." ("Vinge, Vernor"). "The theory of transformation states that humans will incorporate AI into their own biology."("Artificial Intelligence Theory"). Neurochips implanted into the human mind, can increase intelligence far surpass any human on earth. With this intelligence, humans can create smarter than human intelligent supercomputers, and robots. In return these supercomputers, and robots can create smarter supercomputers and robots, and so on, and so forth, until humans become totally obsolete. This would steepen the have from the have nots. The upper class elite could increase their intelligence, and life years by artificial means, while the lower and middle class go without, which means they would become obsolete themselves causing societal problems. Genetically engineered posthumans or greater than humans would outclass, out smart, and out preform "normal" human intellect, and human ability. Another possibility in this singularity future is mind downloading, and uploading onto a supercomputer. Basically this allows a user to download their mind, and reconstruct it down to the single neuron onto an artificial hardware for a cloned brained of that user. Essentially creating many conscious minds, and possibly souls of the person.("Bostrom, Nick"). Doing so creates many bioethical, and societal problems. For example, Ray in the year 2055 downloads his mind onto a supercomputer creating an exact copy of his mind. Doing so creates two of the same Rays, both of them swearing they are the original Ray. Who would be the real Ray? What ethical laws does this create? Does this make the second Ray a real person, and a law abiding person, or entity? Should the second Ray [downloaded version] be treated the same as a human, is this Ray human? How will this effect the original Ray? Does the second Ray have a soul? What happens if someone else uploads this Ray into their body? Do they become the same Ray? Do they think the same way? Do they now have the same souls? ("Kadmon, Adam"). The questions that are brought up with Neurochips are its insidious usages. If a person with Alzheimer's disease is implanted with a chip that mimics the hippocampus then how will that person know that the memory they have is of their own? With the implanted Neurochip, could come implantation of false memories. Memories the person never had. This could be used for massive brain washing, political propaganda, assassinations, and cover ups. The person with this implanted chip, may not even own their own mind. These chips can alter emotions, and actions of the user against their own will for desired effects of an euphoric feeling. In a future scenario an unknown homeless person could be beaten up, have his memory erased, implanted with a neurochip, having fond memories of a family he never had. While in reality this person assassinated a prominent political leader with skill and knowledge that allowed him to do so inserted into his neurons; doing so he thought he was in a skiing trip in CO. with his unknown family, swearing he killed no one [a possibility].
Another possibility is that humans can be implanted with chips that has the internet, making our brains online. Allowing us to surf the web mentally, and commutate with other uses telepathically. Dangers of this would include the question would we even own our own brain at this time? Would we have to pay for our minds? What if our minds get a virus? Could someone hack into our brain, and steal our memories, knowledge, experience and IQ? What security measures would we have to pay the Federal Government to have firewalls, and anti-virus programs installed into our minds [technology joke]? If one chooses not to have this technological progression incorporated into their body would they be left behind? What kind of world would it be like if humans were genetically engineered into the very best posthumans society could produce? It would leave everyone else without these golden genetics behind. Foreign and domestic governments could use this technology to create a dystopian government system [humans are destructive remember]? A world government system that has eliminated war, crime, poverty, and depression by creating a homogenous high-tech society across the entire world and social system , based on the principles of a technological utopia that creates a society free of care.
The irony of this is, in order to achieve this utopia, many things will possibly be eliminated including "family, cultural diversity, art, literature, religion and philosophy." ("Brave New World"). This singularity and dystopian future could also put the inferior and elite in different caste systems. Creating inequality in our society, but achieving certain societal "goals". ("Brave New World"). The monster we create could be the monster that destroys us. "Humans are constrained to only a few types of change acceptable, although the rational parts of our mind often remind us that change can be good." ("Kadmon, Adam"). Even though this technology is a double edge sword, we have the choice to choose where it will lead our society, we can bring our society into singularity break down, or singularity posterity. The choice is ours.
"Ex machina Libertas" means technology will set you free. This means that rationally applied technology will improve human conditions. ("Slogans"). But on the other hand "Eritis sicut dii", means that you shall be as gods. Which is similar to Genesis 3:5 comparing the relationship between the snake, and Eve, with technology representing the neo-fruit of knowledge opening our eyes to both good and evil knowledge.("Slogans ..2"). Which makes it up to humans to decide if Transhumanist movements in Neurotechnology , and technology will lead our society into a horrific melt-down into a singularity.
Who are we? What do we want? What defines us? What is it that defines you? Besides the biological aspect, that makes us humans? Why is our species so special? What makes us special? Why do humans want to recreate themselves? What is so special about our culture, social aspect, and lives? Why do we want to create something better than ourselves? Why do we want to create something that would make our lives so easy that we would no longer have to do manual labor, and make all human ability obsolete? One must ask themselves would they like to live in a world that would be ruled by machines, and technology? If we are lucky nature will forgive us, and our higher species will put us into cages, and make us do tricks for treats.
