The Road to Posthumanity

A small sketch of possible methods to expand our capacity, from the present state to a posthuman state. Brackets mark hyperlinked comments with further links.

Today

• Mental techniques to improve our effective intelligence, memory capacity, train our creativity, motivation and efficiency [1].
• Simple neurochemical tools (nootropics [2], imprint-erasing drugs [3], mood enhancements [4])
• Computer aids for thinking and communication (hypermedia, Internet, mobile and wearable computers [5]).
• Diet and excercise to improve health and slow ageing [6], possibly combined with antioxidants and melatonin.

Near Future

• Life extension methods (control of telomerases + anti-cancer drugs [7])
• Genetic improvements [8]
• Bionic implants [9]
• Weak AI (software agents) integrated with "enhanced reality" [10]

Mid-Term Future

• Nanotechnology [11]
• Fully developed exoselves gradually leading towards partial or total uploading [12].
• Using nanotechnology and advanced genetics, halting of aging becomes possible.

Long-Term Future

• Total uploading and mental restructuring possible.
• Integration human-AI
• Distributed intelligence [13]
• Corporate intelligences.
• Technological singularity [14]

Notes

Problems

Resistance to change
Most people resist change in their lives, and this is reflected in society. Too quick change leaves people confused and uncertain, and many feel their safety threatened. In addition, it is often hard for humans to adapt or accept new developments, which leads to a lag between the cutting edge and the average population (which will only accentuate the differences in views). Such a situation is a breeding ground for mistrust and hate against proponents of change.

Socioeconomic chaos
The introduction of radical new technologies will lead to drastic changes in how people work, live and think, not to mention how the economy and society at large will work. The last major technological transition (from agriculture to industry) changed society beyond recognition (royalty and nobles lost their power, feudalism was replaced with democracy/capitalism) and caused massive upheavals. Future transitions will probably be equally or more drastic, and furthermore much faster. Too quick changes may completely disrupt the current system.

Resistance to Autoevolution
There is a deep distrust of autoevolution among many people, ranging from caution to full-blown hostility. Many groups will not accept that humanity (or parts of humanity) takes control of its development, and will fight it for ideological or emotional reasons.

Technological Problems
It might turn out that some of the technologies mentioned here are impossible or very hard to achieve, forever putting them out of reach of mankind (possibly due to economical limitations rather than principal limitations). Nanotechnology or AI might be too complex to handle, aging could be cruical for some vital process. However, this will just redirect efforts of transhuman development; while some technologies would be very useful, none are absolutely vital.

Dangerous Technologies and Disasters
Greater power also implies greater risks; even if advanced technologies and skills are used with a positive intent the results can become disastrous due to a minor error. The main problem is that it is impossible to prevent such problems, since by definition one cannot prepare for the unexpected, only limit known dangers. To demand absolute safety is to demand the impossible, but humans have so far often wanted security more than freedom.

References and Further Links

[2] Their efficiency is debatable, but it is possible to optimize brain chemistry, for example by regulating food intake. Currently nootropic drugs are probably more a complement to other mental techniques.

[3] More research is needed to learn how to use them safely and efficiently.

[4] Known for millennia, but in definite need of improvement. See "The Hedonistic Imperative" by David Pearce for an overview and a sketch of a posthuman mental state.

[5] Already exists, and are under fast development. Better user interfaces are however needed. See Information Management.

[6] Traditional preventative care strives to reduce or avoid various diseases and states of unhealth, and is mostly very tried and tested. Calorie restriction and similar more radical methods are not yet well tested on humans, but appear to be promising.

[7] Speculative, but has some support from current research. The mechanisms of aging are in the process of being understood. See the Life Extension Page

[8] Many genetic changes can be done today, while others require a deeper understanding of our genetics, biochemistry and psychology. The main problems are social/ethical rather than scientific. See the Genetic Modifications Page.

[9] Simple neural interfaces are under development. It is too early to tell how useful (if at all) they will become, but I think we will see a synergy with genetics, computer science, medicine and possibly nanotechnology. Bionic implants will begin as prothestics, until they become so useful, easily implanted and easy to learn to use that they can compete with external systems. See the bionics section

[10] There is a lot of research going on about intelligent agents, various kinds of immersive systems (augmented reality, virtual reality) and other adaptive tools (like augmented memory). See Enhanced Reality.

[11] See the Nanotechnology page at Xerox for a good introduction.

[12] See The Mind Uploading Home Page.

[13] See Distributed intelligence

[14] Originally coined by Vernor Vinge, discussed at the Singularity Page

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