Transhumanism

Transhumanism is a philosophy which believes that human beings are going to change biologically in ways not effected by evolution, but instead by people themselves and their various technologies. Genetic engineering, cloning, and cyborgs are just a few possibilities which are currently in early development.

Transhumanists claim that this is ultimately good, that this will allow people to make life better, funner, and longer. But others claim that making people less "human" might have the tendency to "dehumanize" us, and might lead to very bad things.

Both arguments have decent sides to them, but I think that ultimately, our future is in genetic engineering and cyborgs, and that this is ultimately good.

You really want to become a cyborg, don't you?

I haven't given this subject much thought.

Damn straight. Although partially I just needed to post more topics.

Ix-nay. Cyborgs have chips. Chips have programming. Programming controls actions.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

^Somebody never heard of determinism.

Although I like the idea in principle, it's just a bad idea to implement the programs now. It's fine to develop cybernetic or biological prosthetics and such, but to think that technology can be used in its current state or in the near future to effectively control evolution for good is nothing less than a display of ignorance.

I'm not saying I want my mind transferred into a machine. There's too many iffy areas there. My mind's gonna stay safely secured within my brain. I'm just saying that I want to have machines plug directly into me. Enhanced senses, enhanced bodies, and stuff like that.

[ May 08, 2004, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: UserGoogol ]

Although dehumanization might be a risk...being a cyborg would kick so much ass.

[Dee Emm]

Originally posted by Koga:
You really want to become a cyborg, don't you?

We can rebuild him.

We have the technology.

We can make him faster. Stronger.

It'd be cool, but... how would that go over with the ladies?

Originally posted by UserGoogol:
I'm not saying I want my mind transferred into a machine. There's too many iffy areas there. My mind's gonna stay safely secured within my brain. I'm just saying that I want to have machines plug directly into me. Enhanced senses, enhanced bodies, and stuff like that.

The "chips have programming" thing still applies to that.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Wyborn]

Originally posted by Prince Toad:
It'd be cool, but... how would that go over with the ladies?

Yeah, I can think of a few reasons I'd rather keep my man-flesh.

Originally posted by CaptHayfever:
The "chips have programming" thing still applies to that.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

What do you think DNA is? What do you think reflexes are? What do you think emotions are? They are hard wired.

[ May 09, 2004, 12:20 PM: Message edited by: Tiger of the Wind ]

I can override my reflexes, and if emotion was hard-wired, we'd always be feeling the same thing. DNA is a basic set of guidelines, but we can still control what we actually do with those guidelines.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

It seems kinda farfetched, as there is so much that can go wrong with something like that. But It would be awesome to be a cyborg.

---------------------------------

~Gamer Chris

I can override my reflexes, and if emotion was hard-wired, we'd always be feeling the same thing. DNA is a basic set of guidelines, but we can still control what we actually do with those guidelines.

1. You can override it by either paralysing the reflex circuit or removing it completely. This is the same as rewriting, disabling, or deleting part of a program. The difference is that destroying a reflex is permanent, and paralysing the reflex circuit is not a reliable solution, while programming can be restored and disabled reliably.
2. Emotions are reactions to environmental input. Unless there is a constant environmental input, emotions will change.
3. Let us assume for the moment that what is called consciousness means free will. DNA dictates the set of proteins, carbohydrates, and such organic molecules, the specific configuration of which depends on environmental input. However, the initial environmental input one receives is in the womb, before consciousness. By the principle of cause and effect, it must be true that what you perceive as free will is nothing but a consequence of events that happened before consciousness. Hence, you are hard wired.

You misunderstand. I am actually able to resist my reflexes. When the doctor hits my knee, I can hold the kick if I want to. But the reflex is not destroyed. If I don't hold it back intentionally, my leg still kicks.

And again with the programming vs. DNA, I'm still able to weigh pros & cons in my mind before making a decision. After doing that, I may make a decision that goes completely against what my environmentally-driven instinct tells me. I can also disobey an order if I so choose. A computer program can't do that.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

I am actually able to resist my reflexes. When the doctor hits my knee, I can hold the kick if I want to.

By resist, you mean tensing your leg. This essentially occupies the nerve that the reflex loop uses. This is what was meant by paralysing the reflex feedback. You are already giving directions to the muscles. This is no different than hammering a server to prevent it from receiving new requests.

And again with the programming vs. DNA, I'm still able to weigh pros & cons in my mind before making a decision.

Oh? Are you? Tell me, what metaphysical processes do you use such that the molecules in your body can disobey the laws of physics?

A computer program can't do that.

Computers don't have instincts. They have judgement algorithms. To be specific, they have mostly linearly or geometically deterministic algorithms. Rationlized human thought are no different than computer programs, except that rational thought can be influenced by instincts, which is simply less well-understood.

You can resist your reflexes, but you can't resist your brain. Because you are your brain, and the idea of going against it is therefore impossible.

[Juliet]

That kind of technology is fascinating--I'll give it that--but it has so many ways to go wrong, and we just plain don't need it. If our species needed so many people with "superhuman" capabilities, we'd produce them naturally. It's bad enough that we already live in a world of morons--imagine a world of high-tech morons. There would be a preference for strong, "perfect" people, while anyone who didn't partake in this technology would be seen as inferior misfits. It would be Nazism with a plug.

Fool!! Due to your brash words, the cyborgs will soon begin crushing the bones of everyone in the world, starting with you!

[ May 10, 2004, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: A.I. crushes your hopes and dreams ]