What will life be like in 2064?

World Economic Forum ^ | October 8, 2014 | Martin Sorrell

[2ndDivisionVet]

That an octopus called Paul had a better success rate than Goldman Sachs when predicting World Cup results (credit to the Wall Street Journal for the headline “Octopus Beats Vampire Squid”) tells you something about the wisdom of guessing the future in public.

Guessing what the world will look like in 50 years’ time, however, is pretty safe, as I won’t be here to see myself proved wrong. Or will I?

If Google’s director of engineering has his way, we’ll all be around indefinitely – in the cloud at least. AI (artificial intelligence) guru Ray Kurzweil is one of a number of technologists, inventors and futurists who believe that the ability to upload our minds to the web, create virtual bodies, and thereby live forever, is within touching distance.

Kurzweil invented the first flat-bed scanning and optical character recognition systems, foresaw the internet explosion and correctly predicted that a computer would beat a chess Grandmaster by the turn of the century. The 66-year-old thinks we’ll achieve digital immortality as soon as 2045, and takes 150 supplements a day as part of his efforts to get himself across the line.

Whether or not his vision for humanity (“increasingly non-biological to the point where the non-biological part dominates and the biological part is not important any more”) appeals to everyone is another matter....

[alexander_busek]

silly you, would you bet your life on a comic book?

I honestly see no difference - at least, as far as verifiable factuality is concerned - between the average comic book and Revelations.

Actually, I would rate comic books higher, insofar as they don't purport to be anything but entertaining fictions.

Revelations reads like the author was having a particularly bad LSD trip. Its reliability and intelligibility are so poor as to virtually disqualify it as a source of practical knowledge or useful life wisdom.

Regards,

[Fungi]

Difficult to believe you are honest. Lead me on, I’ll play your game….p>

[alexander_busek]

Difficult to believe you are honest. Lead me on, I’ll play your game….p>

I would say that the length and cogency of my posts - as compared, e.g., with your posts - gives me more credibility than you.

I suppose you could be posting from your smartphone, while driving your Vespa along a bumpy road at night, but your terse, low-information replies give me the impression that, on the contrary, it is you who are interested in provoking a verbal brawl (as opposed to a balanced discussion).

Regards,

[Fungi]

So the length of a post verifies veracity? Nonsense. I’ll stay with you for a bit longer, only for your amusement. Ha Ha...........

[alexander_busek]

So the length of a post verifies veracity? Nonsense.

The length of a post does not, of course, automatically guarantee veracity, but it does, at least, show a willingness to engage.

On the other hand, extremely laconic posts - especially those offering no coherent argument whatsoever, nor providing any kind of measured, thoughtful response - are indicative of a mind either unable or unwilling to formulate its thoughts and participate in a productive given-and-take.

I’ll stay with you for a bit longer, only for your amusement. Ha Ha...........

Your Schtick grows tiresome.

Regards,