At some point in the future, evolution on Earth will move to a new level. That new level, which some have called "transhumanism," will integrate machines with living beings like us.
Humans will think nothing of having electronic devices implanted in their bodies, much like people who live with pacemakers, cochlear hearing implants and other internal machinery today. But in the future, devices will be far, far smaller and will be used not just to correct medical problems, but to actually enhance human performance in myriad ways.
As computer technology, genetic and brain mapping, nanotechnology and other miniaturization techniques improve, evolution (at least of the human species, and of potential new "electronic species") will no longer depend on millions of years of random mutations. It will greatly accelerate, directed by human (and later, robotized) engineers.
Exactly how long it will take for this to happen is certainly in question. But it undoubtedly will happen, at least to some degree.
Perhaps ironic, though, is the fact that unless we stop damaging the finite biosphere we call home, our survival as even a machine-enhanced species is extremely doubtful. As James Martin has warned, we could easily be thrown into another "Dark Ages," losing most of the scientific progress we've made.
Processes we have already set into motion may be unstoppable, even if drastic worldwide steps are taken immediately (which of course is not going to happen). In other words, in even the best scenario, there may still be huge ecological catastrophes in front of us, regardless of what we now do.
But if we make the right decisions, we can hopefully get past the future events we've set into motion and create a future that is both "green" and technologically advanced.
Going back to living in the environmentally-sustainable way of our Stone Age ancestors is neither possible nor desirable. But we must learn to stop destroying vital planetary life-support systems like rain forests and to stop creating such tremendous amounts of waste.
Perhaps a good way to start is at the individual level, at home.
No comments:
Post a Comment