US report foretells of brave new world - (Borg Alert)

SMH ^ | July 23, 2002 | Nathan Cochrane

[Damocles]

US report foretells of brave new world

By Nathan Cochrane
July 23 2002
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A draft government report says we will alter human evolution within 20 years by combining what we know of nanotechnology, biotechnology, IT and cognitive sciences. The 405-page report sponsored by the US National Science Foundation and Commerce Department, Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance, calls for a broad-based research program to improve human performance leading to telepathy, machine-to-human communication, amplified personal sensory devices and enhanced intellectual capacity.

People may download their consciousnesses into computers or other bodies even on the other side of the solar system, or participate in a giant "hive mind", a network of intelligences connected through ultra-fast communications networks. "With knowledge no longer encapsulated in individuals, the distinction between individuals and the entirety of humanity would blur," the report says. "Think Vulcan mind-meld. We would perhaps become more of a hive mind - an enormous, single, intelligent entity."

Armies may one day be fielded by machines that think for themselves while devices will respond to soldiers' commands before their thoughts are fully formed, it says. The report says the abilities are within our grasp but will require an intense public-relations effort to "prepare key organisations and societal activities for the changes made possible by converging technologies", and to counter concern over "ethical, legal and moral" issues. Education should be overhauled down to the primary-school level to bridge curriculum gaps between disparate subject areas.

Professional societies should be open to practitioners from other fields, it says. "The success of this convergent-technologies priority area is crucial to the future of humanity," the report says. wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/Report/NBIC-pre-publication.pdf

[Damocles]

I'm thinking they may have a bit of a PR battle on their hands to get this past those of us who don't want to become part of the "hive mind". All I can say is holy crap.

[Frank_Discussion]

Well, it will come about, of that I think we can all be certain. Human Augmentation, that is. The issue is, how to keep the state from forcing it on people.

If someone wants to install a cybernetic eye, or add a sith or seventh sense, more power to them. But if "they" say I must be chipped, I'll have to say no.

[Frank_Discussion]

"sith" = "sixth"

Sith sense, indeed...

[billybudd]

Yes, these things will come about, but the big question is "When?" I just don't think the current social structures can accomodate or even produce the changes mentioned here. 20 years is a bit soon.

[Frank_Discussion]

There's a researcher in England who has delved into this stuff quite a bit. He's had two operations to add "capability" to himself. The first experiment was a tracking and echo device that would detail his location in his home and activate the lights when he walked into a room. The second was an attempt to feel the feelings his wife was experiencing. (She had an implant, as well) I don't know how the second experiment turned out.

It's coming fast, 20 years is probably conservative. I imagine 5 years for the first practical implant system.

[Damocles]

I'm just trying to imagine logging in to my "hive mind" unit and being melded with the likes of Carville or Begalla.

[Frank_Discussion]

Do NOT make me hurl!

[ValenB4]

Cool. I'd like to place an order for telepathy.

[Tree of Liberty]

There's already "augmented humans" all over the place, and have been for decades. Heck, anyone with a pacemaker is, by definition, a cyborg. What's up for debate is the level of augmentation that will occur in the future.

[Tree of Liberty]

That was probably in jest, but I can see that actually happening by transmitting data from the brain via radio or IR. It probably won't take the form of an installed "psychic" ability, though.

[goody2shooz]

...to feel the feelings his wife was experiencing...

Oh-oh! No more faking it. Is she ever in deep ka-ka.

[Free the USA]

fyi

[Cable225]

People may download their consciousnesses into computers or other bodies even on the other side of the solar system,

In twenty years? I hope we're shipping some bodies over there now so they'll be there in time! Imagine shipping your consciousness via SpaceEx and finding out the delivery wasn't accepted?

Ooops! There's "no body" here to take your package. Tell me that wouldn't suck.

And who would get the yellow stickey note?

[billybudd]

I agree with you on implants and other cyborg-like capabilities. But implants and downloadable consciousness are two very different things. To get to the point where we know enough about neurology, epistemology to be able to simulate the human thought process, the manufacturing techniques to produce nanomachines (self-assembly, etc.), and the extremely fast, pervasive networks we keep being promised, will take a lot of progress. We are nowhere near there, despite the hype. It's not just a matter of technological progress, but economic and infrastructure development.

[Prodigal Son]

So, the concept of the "Singularity" starts to hit the main stream.

[RightWhale]

There is a lot of maybe this and maybe that, but the ball is rolling and it won't stop. We can only hope they will like what they have in 2102.

[TADSLOS]

I just want my flying car before I croak.

[Prodigal Son]

The issue is, how to keep the state from forcing it on people.

Actually, a lot of the Singularity crowd argue that once this technology is invented, it will be impossible for the government to control it at all and their role in life will quickly diminish. Everybody will have the power of nano tech at their fingertips- or wired to their very synapses. They reckon most everything will be constructed of carbon and all you will need is a blue print for whatever particular thing your heart desired and you could instruct your own assemblers to construct it from scratch. Instant mansion, instant rocket ship, instant ray gun etc.

[Damocles]

And you think this power would be mass marketed to the demise of all governments in the world. It ain't gonna happen. People in power now have too much invested to simply allow it to dissolve away.