Justin Corwin wrote:
> i am, a little impressed, overly-so, perhaps, by the population of this
> list. intellegentsia, authors, tenured faculty, researchers into computer
> theory, artists, and i.
>
> and who am i? well, i'm not really anyone. a student, certainly, though a
> poor one.
Classification: intelligentsia. ("Dude that others think of as bright,
regardless of subject's self-esteem.")
> computers get faster and for what? to play games?
And act as a prosthetic to the human imagination. Modelling chemicals
(including nanodevices) to design their properties in lieu of the real
thing (whether because of cost or, as in nano, to decide what we want
to build while the factory is still being invented). Practice for
various tasks (say, airline piloting) without the expense of actually
doing the thing for training (or, granted, for recreation). And, of
course, as an aid to human communication (witness this list, a
community of people grouped by interest rather than mere geography).
> fifty years since world war two, and the greatest advance in
> military technology is reliability and rate of fire in firearms that project
> lead bullets.
Not counting, say, research in non-lethal weaponry so that people in
combat don't have to resort to lead bullets as often.
> we have looped ourselves. the answer is not just technology, but a
> technological self awareness. and the ability to change, that this self
> awareness brings.
This one's a bit different: people have been banging their heads
against the wall of getting others to be more aware for thousands of
years. Though the right kind of tech might be the solution...
> i realise that this is a highly technical list.
Not really. The technical expertise is scattered across so many
disciplines that most of the list is probably layman-equivalent in any
one field.
but i know that you agree
> with me, when i say that there are many ways just to improve your biological
> mind that people ignore.
Or are not aware of.
> but my question remains. what of us? (i for the purposes of this point out
> that i am far closer to the masses than the post-human, with my
> self-limiting mindsets, and dim horizons) i am a person who is trapped by my
> thought-processes and mindsets, yes, but i am trapped nonetheless.
You are at least aware of the possibility of boundless improvement, and
are conciously willing to try to attain such. That alone sets you apart
from the masses.
> how will you help me, and my friends like me? what is it that the future
> offers me, and you who see it, and lust after it so keenly?
Most people prefer to list higher goals that may be attained through the
future they desire, and they are correct in listing them. I prefer to
acknowledge my unbridled greed - more money (or equivalent societal
influence), more physical/mental power, more abilities, more, more, MORE
- but taint it with the recognition that the surest and fastest way for
me to profit is if at least part of humanity profits with me (the part
that could tear me down out of envy if I shut them out, or, more
importantly, could help me realize this bounty for myself and them).
> i have heard you call yourself post-human, but i am just a young man. not
> even a very clever one.
> how do we get from here to there?
> what is the bridge that i am missing?
Post-human is a relative term. For example, few if any of us are
genuine cyborgs, fewer still in the augmented sense (as opposed to just
having a replacement hip or similar). Only in the mental arena is it
currently widely possibly to upgrade, and even then our methods are
crude compared to what we wish to achieve.
> i realize this isn't very clear, and very long and boring. but if someone
> could struggle through it, and show me what it is, and where the road
> starts, i would be grateful.
The road has already started. Exactly where and when might be a topic
of eternal debate, but humanity is now on it. The challenge is for us
to keep on it, and advance down it.
That said, pick your path. Intelligent software, nanotech, biotech,
space...the fields are out there for you to choose from. In your
particular case, you might want to approach some of the more open-minded
of your professors to ask what areas you'd need to study to be a
professional in each of these fields (if one of them says a field is
useless, find another prof), and sample the areas to see what you like.
Be warned that the reccomendations are likely to be tilted towards
academia, but there is also a great need for businesses which
sucessfully exploit these fields (opening them up for practical public
use), whether you start your own or sign up with someone else's effort.
And there are other paths...
Note that we are further along than most people think we are. If and
when the Singularity happens, will most people even know? How will they
find out? One usually must seek benefits out to reap them...
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon May 28 2001 - 09:50:35 MDT