The post-human future
that people like Ray Kurzweil and Ronald Bailey speak of is one stemming from
great technological advances such as strength and intelligence enhancing
medications and self-replicating machines. Personally, these progressions bring
more fear than excitement. Imagining the type of world we would live in—one
dominated by machines and technology rather than human intelligence—gives me
great anxiety and honestly makes me want to back away from my computer. Why
would anyone want to develop a type device that can go further than human
intelligence? After that, what is the point of living anymore?
Francis Fukuyama
describes my point-of-view perfectly when he says, “The first victim of transhumanism might be equality” (Fukyuama
1). It is impossible to imagine this
futurist world without extreme class division and a possible new race. It would
be extremely likely that many people would refuse any type of enhancement or
wouldn’t even be offered it when it does exist. These people would end up being
far inferior to their enhanced neighbors. Furthermore, when the enhancements
begin advancing to new technological implants, this new class of humans will be
able to rule over the others and create a semi-human aristocracy. The rest of
the people will be, according to Bill Joy, “reduced to
the status of domestic animals” (Joy 2). Being a
firm believer in remaining completely human and continuing the human race (I
know it seems ridiculous to oppose this), I would surely be one of those
“domestic animals.”
In
the world that transhumanists dream of, it is difficult to think of any reason
for education; if we can easily just “Google” something in our brains, what is
the point of teaching or testing? Cheating will be as easy as closing your eyes
to research your answer and schools will become places for young people to
mingle, rather than actually become educated. Laziness will reach a new level
and will actually be rewarded in this new age. Instead of promoting creativity,
I believe the new technology will make it obsolete. With everyone and
everything running on technology and stemming from the same operating system,
how will creativity even be recognized?
A huge fear of mine is the idea of
self-replicating machines existing in this new age. With the science not far
from this discovery, the fear is very real. If it does happen, there will be no
stopping it, or them. The robots will be able to clone themselves infinitely
without the assistance of humans and can therefore multiply to a higher
population than humans themselves. While the thought of a robot apocalypse
seems fictitious, with this new science being researched, we cannot write it
off that easily. Joy mentions a
different risk with these machines: “a risk of substantial damage in the
physical world.” And even states her fear that
this will be a path to the “perfection of extreme evil” (Joy 5).
While
“extreme evil” may sound extremely exaggerated, the new technologies that may
be available may lead to a whole new type of violence. Joy regards that these
new machines “can spawn whole new classes of accidents
and abuses" (Joy 5). It is very
reasonable that new devices will be made and used to destroy other humans and
possibly whole countries. With nuclear warfare a constant fear in current
society, what can the future bring but more fears?
Not only can the new tramshumanist,
post-human future lead to many new advances which can lead to destruction of
creativity, effort and humans, it can also set humans back a lot. As I stated
in my previous blog, “The
Perks of Being a Digital Native,” there are many downsides to advancements
in technology. People decline in social skills and reading skills. If new developments allow research to occur right inside our
minds, what would conversations be like? Would we constantly have other things
on our mind or be doing completely different tasks while appear to be holding
dialogue? Furthermore, will reading even exist? With Sparknotes and videos of
everything streaming from a chip in our brain, why read Thoreau or Shakespeare?
It is scary to think what will come of those famous authors and poets and their
classic works. Everything will be a version of “No Fear Shakespeare” or some
annotated version because there will be no time to read the entire novel what
with social media to check and robots to interact with. If students today focus more on technology
than schoolwork, what will students of the future be like?
I agree with you about the confusion about the future. It definitely does seem cool to have all of these new technologies at our hands, but who is to say that these new superhumans won't eradicate the old ones (like Francis Fukuyama said)? Even humans nowadays think they are superior to others, how will those we KNOW are better act? This is just one disadvantage, you do well to state more. A trans-human future is a tricky one.
ReplyDeleteWell done! I am severely terrified at what our future entails, especially if we use genetic engineering and begin tampering with our genes. I do not even want to think what the students of the future will be like! This post-human future will inhibit our creativity and hinder our capacity to be unique individuals and I can't even comprehend why it is still up for discussion? Don't people know enough is enough and know where to draw the line? We are already so advanced, we do not have to mess with our genes to become "perfect" people!
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to dread a future where our culture and education are forfeited for new developments in technology, and indeed, we can already see signs of it today such as a decline in people who are avid readers, and a rather disappointing decline in our grasp of grammar and spelling. I suppose the most we can do is hope that with each aspect of our culture that gradually diminishes, there is also something to take its place. After all, humans have lived in nothing but constant progress throughout history, and what seems to be a decline now may turn out to be just another step in our growth.
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