What would you like to see added on to humans?

[Quail]

I was thinking about this after NoXion posted about how it would be great if you could tell why you were feeling ill. So what add-ons would you like to see?

I'd personally quite like to have a built in device to tell me exactly what point in my monthly cycle I was on, which could also act as a built-in pregnancy test.

[maskerade]

wings

[The Fighting_Crusnik]

I wouldn't mind seeing nanoprobe like technology that would result in the roaming of thousands of machines in your body that could then keep an eye on bodily function and could be used to assist in surgery and even be used to cure cancer.

[Manic Impressive]

An off switch (also a stand by setting)

[Ele'ill]

Compassion and educated foresight.

[Aloysius]

Sword-arms, like the bad guy's in The Quest For Camelot.

[Ele'ill]

Sword-arms, like the bad guy's in The Quest For Camelot.

Yeah, I mean seeing how you already have portals, why not?

[Il Medico]

I'd like to have a system recovery ability. You get sick, go unconscious for an hour or so and wake up better. The body has a horribly long and miserable way of dealing with even the most minor illnesses, like my current cold.

[Jazzratt]

A more efficient method of ascertaining how another person is feeling. The current inscrutable stuff with facial contortions and "body language" is bollocks if you ask me.

[scarletghoul]

even more lasers

[Bright Banana Beard]

Anti-depressant Mode, seriously...

[Rêve Rouge]

An off switch (also a stand by setting)

Going on from this, also a sleep mode option. This would prove very useful for insomniacs.

[REVLEFT'S BIEGGST MATSER TROL]

Probably invisability, the world would be much more intresting that way.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Soundtrack capabilities.

[The Fighting_Crusnik]

A mute button for some people would be nice :p

But seriously, better eyes that can see light that our eyes can't see and that can see farther and better ears that can hear a wider range of frequency.

[Political_Chucky]

A larger penis.

[Political_Chucky]

Or tighter vagina.

[Nuvem]

I wouldn't mind seeing nanoprobe like technology that would result in the roaming of thousands of machines in your body that could then keep an eye on bodily function and could be used to assist in surgery and even be used to cure cancer.

Then someone discovers how to manipulate their programming, and they tear you apart from the inside at a microscopic level.

Seriously now. People find ways to break through the most sophisticated firewalls and new viruses are developed and released into cyberspace on a daily basis. There's absolutely no goddamn way I'm having any programmed machine put into my body no matter what surgical procedure I need. I'll take the scars and possibility of a peaceful, painless death over the possibility of the machines inside me being reprogrammed and shredding me at a cellular level. If they can be programmed to repair or replace tissue, they can be programmed to destroy it. Nanomachines have some of the most frightening implications of any hypothetical invention of the future.

[Magón]

I'd like to have a system recovery ability. You get sick, go unconscious for an hour or so and wake up better. The body has a horribly long and miserable way of dealing with even the most minor illnesses, like my current cold.

This.

[ev]

A more efficient method of ascertaining how another person is feeling. The current inscrutable stuff with facial contortions and "body language" is bollocks if you ask me.

I lol'd


Then someone discovers how to manipulate their programming, and they tear you apart from the inside at a microscopic level.

Seriously now. People find ways to break through the most sophisticated firewalls and new viruses are developed and released into cyberspace on a daily basis. There's absolutely no goddamn way I'm having any programmed machine put into my body no matter what surgical procedure I need. I'll take the scars and possibility of a peaceful, painless death over the possibility of the machines inside me being reprogrammed and shredding me at a cellular level. If they can be programmed to repair or replace tissue, they can be programmed to destroy it. Nanomachines have some of the most frightening implications of any hypothetical invention of the future.

The benefits far outweigh the risks, the possibilities are endless it would be the ultimate union between humans and technology, nanotechnology could not only regulate, repair and preserve body tissue, but could grant us extra abilities.. Imagine getting a needle (as you would a vaccination) and after feeling the healthiest you've ever felt, able to communicate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA_Silent_Talk#Synthetic_telepathy), share ideas and experiences with people who have nanotechnology in their heads, synthesize emotions, see through another persons eyes, even control someone/something with thought or feel what they're feeling, listen to music in your head, record the sound coming into your ears then wirelessly transmit it to someone else, cell phones would become superfluous, television as well, why not get watch television translucently while your walking around or when you close your eyes on the train, download information, surely society would be better in the advent of such technology..

[Martin Blank]

The ability to shed everything above the muscle layers once a year.

[Quail]

A larger penis.
There is such a thing as too large...

[Os Cangaceiros]

There is such a thing as too large...

That reminds me of a stupid joke someone told me once.

A man is playing golf and trips over a lamp. Irritated, he picks up the lamp and is about to throw it to the side when a genie comes out. "I'm a genie, and I grant wishes. What'll it be?" The man thought for a second, then said, "I want a larger penis." "It shall be done," the genie replied, then went back into the bottle.

So he continues to play golf, and his penis gets bigger and bigger. It gets to the point where it's so big that he's literally tripping over it while wandering the green. "This can't continue to go on," he said, and rubbed the lamp. The genie came out. "What'll it be this time?"

"I need you to make me taller."

hurr hurr hurr

[ZeroNowhere]

Instead of hands, people should have volumes of Das Kapital on the ends of their arms.

[Blackscare]

Ocular implant/eye replacements. Obviously I'd want all the scanner bullshit that I could pack in it, night vision, infrared vision, etc. But the real cool part I would want, is for it to act as a full blown computer with internet access. Over time that would only get more useful.

[Omi]

http://images2.memegenerator.net/ImageMacro/4050993/DICKS-DICKS-EVERYWHERE.jpg?imageSize=Medium&generatorName=everywherememe

Since it was only a matter of time.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Self-diagnostic and pain management capability, as mentioned before, would save me from sitting or lying around for hours crying out to the universe why my head/stomach/vaguely-defined internal area hurts so much.

Greater control of bodily functions and subsystems - I think it would be useful in certain situations to say, reduce my body temperature to background levels, or slow down my metabolism so I require less food. Of course, if I'm going to be throwing massive switches and levers around with my physiological systems, I'm going to need a toughened-up cellular biochemistry to go with such boisterous changes.

Emotional and affective control. In stressful situations, I don't want to be losing my rag for whatever reason - I want the ability to switch my emotions and emotional responses on and off. Typical simian behaviours may have aided us in our evolutionary past, but society now moves too fast for natural selection to play anything but catch-up.

I've already got got very good reflexes and hand-eye coordination, but more is better. A beautiful body that is at once masculine and feminine and keeps fit easily. Biological immortality - I don't want to ever grow old and die, at least not this side of the nearest hundred millennia. I want to be there when Eta Carinae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eta_Carinae) finally blows its top.

Of course, I'd also like the option to transcend mere biology, through various technological means, so that I might, one day if I so choose, become a Potentate of the Material (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PhysicalGod) or perhaps become one of the more detached Powers that Be (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PowersThatBe). In which case, I would be perfectly placed to plan intelligence's survival past the natural death of the universe itself. If at all possible.

Ambitious? Yes. But what else can a sapient being do? Accept one's fate like so many others before? Why the hell should anyone do that?

[TC]

A more efficient method of ascertaining how another person is feeling. The current inscrutable stuff with facial contortions and "body language" is bollocks if you ask me.

Wow that post made me sad. :crying:

[Nuvem]

Imagine getting a needle (as you would a vaccination) and after feeling the healthiest you've ever felt, able to communicate, share ideas and experiences with people who have nanotechnology in their heads, synthesize emotions, see through another persons eyes, even control someone/something with thought or feel what they're feeling, listen to music in your head, record the sound coming into your ears then wirelessly transmit it to someone else, cell phones would become superfluous, television as well, why not get watch television translucently while your walking around or when you close your eyes on the train, download information, surely society would be better in the advent of such technology..Imagine the Bourgeoisie suppressing the masses with an invisible army capable of destroying human tissue at a molecular level which cannot be effectively fought using conventional methods. Imagine being literally torn apart from the inside and being unable to prevent it in any way.

I also consider all of the things listed as inherently negative and detrimental to the human condition and experience, but that's a tl;dr argument I'll not get in to.

Edit: Not in chit chat, anyway.

[Ele'ill]

A device emitting a perpetual military grade EMP

[synthesis]

Wow that post made me sad. :crying:

Me too.

[ev]

Wow that post made me sad. :crying:

Me too.

It was hilarious..



I also consider all of the things listed as inherently negative and detrimental to the human condition and experience, but that's a tl;dr argument I'll not get in to.

Edit: Not in chit chat, anyway.

Elaborate

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

A device emitting a perpetual military grade EMP

Why hello, Mr Faraday Cage!

[Ele'ill]

Why hello, Mr Faraday Cage!


It just clicked. Daniel Faraday from 'Lost' was named after Michael Faraday from the 1800's.

[eyedrop]

A wooden leg...

[Taikand]

Augmented brain. There time when I want to take the brains of morons and link them as a computer cluster with mine, and use their wasted "processor time".

[dernier combat]

Eyes that can see in the whole electromagnetic spectrum.

[piet11111]

I second noxion's posts.

[Black Sheep]

The ability for human offspring to retain knowledge from their parents.
Though that has too many variables to take into account, i.e., pathological nutjob parents, retarded, or plain stupid.

Also,gills..

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Wow that post made me sad. :crying:

Why should it? Just because it's second nature to most neurotypicals, doesn't mean it's the optimum solution for everyone. Facial expressions and body language developed as a consequence of natural selection, not as part of any rational design process.

[synthesis]

Why should it? Just because it's second nature to most neurotypicals, doesn't mean it's the optimum solution for everyone. Facial expressions and body language developed as a consequence of natural selection, not as part of any rational design process.

I don't think it's that it's "sub-optimal" but rather that it generally speaks to a lack of adequate social development.

[Sentinel]

An off switch (also a stand by setting)

Yes! Anyone also suffering from insomnia can see how big a difference this (the ability to fall asleep when desired) would make. Otherwise I pretty much agree with NoXion.

[Red Commissar]

skull gun

[Aloysius]

Sword-arms.
And some sort of thingy that can show you your memories, as far back as possible.
And a dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, etc.

[synthesis]

skull gun

Is this close enough?

http://mimg.ugo.com/200711/23242/machine-gun-leg.jpg

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I don't think it's that it's "sub-optimal" but rather that it generally speaks to a lack of adequate social development.

That sounds suspiciously close to the false conception that ASDs are a consequence of not being hugged enough by one's mother, so I'm inclined to reject your hypothesis.

Yes, some non-neurotypicals can learn the finer nuances of social interaction, much like how one can learn to drive a car - it's not something that comes naturally, and it's all too easy to forget that most people don't think the same way as you do.

Such things are genuinely a harder task for non-neurotypicals, rather than being a consequence of some kind of failure of upbringing.


skull gun

Schlock Mercenary?


Is this close enough?

http://mimg.ugo.com/200711/23242/machine-gun-leg.jpg

What kind of idiot replaces one of their legs with a rifle? The very stupidity of the premise makes me dislike the movie without even seeing it.

[synthesis]

What kind of idiot replaces one of their legs with a rifle? The very stupidity of the premise makes me dislike the movie without even seeing it.

She already had her leg amputated or some shit like that. It's like Evil Dead 2.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I often wondered while watching Planet Terror how she fired that rifle. With her mind, perhaps?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

She already had her leg amputated or some shit like that. It's like Evil Dead 2.

I gathered that. But just look at (what I assume is) her firing position - as soon as she pulls the trigger (how?), she's gonna get knocked on her ass.

Another issue is that the rifle is not designed to be a load-bearing structure, over time that barrel is going to be bent into uselessness. The last thing you want a weapon so intimately connected to you to do is misfire in such a disasterous fashion.

Also, unless there is some form of padding that I can't see, repeated firing is going to become painful - it looks like the recoil is more or less instantly transferred to what's left of her femur.

Another practical issue is cleaning and maintenance - that's going to be awkard at the best of times, unless someone else does it. Depending on how the M4A1 breaks down, it may even be impossible without removing the prosthetic! Which I think defeats the point of having it in the first place.

Oh, just thought of another; weight. While the M4A1 is relatively light for a rifle, it's damn weighty as an object that an amputee is expected to hold up straight for prolonged periods of time.

All this is of course ignoring issues such as physiotherapy, matters in which such an unorthodox prosthetic will not help. Even under optimum conditions it takes time for someone to get used to a what amounts to a whole new body part.

[Magón]

Laser beams in my eyes. So then when someone pisses me off, I can just fry them with my laser beams. :D

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Laser beams in my eyes. So then when someone pisses me off, I can just fry them with my laser beams. :D

So do you physically assault everyone who pisses you off, or were you just making a lame joke? :bored:

[mykittyhasaboner]

tails. think about it, it would be useful.

[Sarah Palin]

gun leg from planet terror

http://whenthenightcomesfallingfromthesky.files.wordpress .com/2010/07/planet-terror-rose-mcgowan.jpg?w=300&h=168

[Aloysius]

Something to stop unwanted/unnecessary sexual arousal.
Walking around the school with a surprise boner is not as fun as some would think.

[Political_Chucky]

Something to stop unwanted/unnecessary sexual arousal.
Walking around the school with a surprise boner is not as fun as some would think.

Thats easy, just keep your handy dandy naked picture of karl around with you.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HyyDHyAwI6k/TGH5W7KTvfI/AAAAAAAAKAg/pRCMFNjC7pg/s1600/karl+marx+peace+sign+2.jpg

[synthesis]

I gathered that. But just look at (what I assume is) her firing position - as soon as she pulls the trigger (how?), she's gonna get knocked on her ass.

Another issue is that the rifle is not designed to be a load-bearing structure, over time that barrel is going to be bent into uselessness. The last thing you want a weapon so intimately connected to you to do is misfire in such a disasterous fashion.

Also, unless there is some form of padding that I can't see, repeated firing is going to become painful - it looks like the recoil is more or less instantly transferred to what's left of her femur.

Another practical issue is cleaning and maintenance - that's going to be awkard at the best of times, unless someone else does it. Depending on how the M4A1 breaks down, it may even be impossible without removing the prosthetic! Which I think defeats the point of having it in the first place.

Oh, just thought of another; weight. While the M4A1 is relatively light for a rifle, it's damn weighty as an object that an amputee is expected to hold up straight for prolonged periods of time.

All this is of course ignoring issues such as physiotherapy, matters in which such an unorthodox prosthetic will not help. Even under optimum conditions it takes time for someone to get used to a what amounts to a whole new body part.

I think you just got trolled by Robert Rodriguez.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I think you just got trolled by Robert Rodriguez.

I honestly don't care. It's still a thoroughly stupid idea that doesn't even have the Rule Of Cool (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfCool) to save it.

[synthesis]

I honestly don't care. It's still a thoroughly stupid idea that doesn't even have the Rule Of Cool (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfCool) to save it.

Because, of course, there does not exist a more objective measure for determining the entertainment value of an automatic weapon welded to the leg-stump of an attractive woman.

[NGNM85]

Self-diagnostic and pain management capability, as mentioned before, would save me from sitting or lying around for hours crying out to the universe why my head/stomach/vaguely-defined internal area hurts so much.

Greater control of bodily functions and subsystems - I think it would be useful in certain situations to say, reduce my body temperature to background levels, or slow down my metabolism so I require less food. Of course, if I'm going to be throwing massive switches and levers around with my physiological systems, I'm going to need a toughened-up cellular biochemistry to go with such boisterous changes.

Emotional and affective control. In stressful situations, I don't want to be losing my rag for whatever reason - I want the ability to switch my emotions and emotional responses on and off. Typical simian behaviours may have aided us in our evolutionary past, but society now moves too fast for natural selection to play anything but catch-up.

I've already got got very good reflexes and hand-eye coordination, but more is better. A beautiful body that is at once masculine and feminine and keeps fit easily. Biological immortality - I don't want to ever grow old and die, at least not this side of the nearest hundred millennia. I want to be there when Eta Carinae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eta_Carinae) finally blows its top.

Of course, I'd also like the option to transcend mere biology, through various technological means, so that I might, one day if I so choose, become a Potentate of the Material (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PhysicalGod) or perhaps become one of the more detached Powers that Be (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PowersThatBe). In which case, I would be perfectly placed to plan intelligence's survival past the natural death of the universe itself. If at all possible.

Ambitious? Yes. But what else can a sapient being do? Accept one's fate like so many others before? Why the hell should anyone do that?

It goes without saying that I can only speculate, but I’m not sure omnipotence is all it’s cracked up to be. Let’s just presume that all the things you describe are: A-Possible, B-Inevitable, and C-Immanent. Oh, I can think of a number of things I might like to do. I might start with improving my health, restoring organs and tissues to their optimal state. I’d probably make a few adjustments, maybe a bit taller, stronger jaw and cheekbones, etc. I’d start smoking again, merely for the pleasure of it, because I could keep repairing any damage incurred, so there would be no negative health effects. Then I’d start living out various fantasies; comic books, sci-fi movies, favorite porn flicks, everything. I’d also download knowledge, just like the ‘microsofts’ in Neuromancer. I wished I’d learned to play guitar, now I can simply download and instantaneously I’m Randy Rhodes, or Da Vinci, or Einstein, or Van Gogh, why just pick one? Ok, so inevitably, I end up experimenting with physical states, maybe find ways to experience states of ecstasy the human brain can’t physically manage (Presuming such states exist.) Ultimately, one might ascend to some god-like level, as you describe, maybe create some life, a couple pocket universes, maybe fiddle with the cosmological constants, see what happens. However, I would imagine, probably within one or two present human lifetimes, you would simply run out of things to do. I mean, if you already know everything, and can, essentially, do everything, then, what would motivate you? What would be the source of satisfaction? There’s a science fiction story about a civilization that goes through a Technological Singularity, and the main character eventually gets to this point where he knows everything and he’s done everything, so he rewires his mind so he takes an intense interest in, and experiences great satisfaction from, carving table legs, something he had never had any interest in, whatsoever. If I’m going to be ‘carving table legs’ so to speak, for millennia, I think I’d rather call it quits.

[bricolage]

the irony is while most people are taking this as a joke the technocrats are posting with the delusions that half of this will actually happen one day.

[Jazzratt]

I honestly don't care. It's still a thoroughly stupid idea that doesn't even have the Rule Of Cool (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfCool) to save it. Rule of cool is inherently subjective (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YourMileageMayVary). If I recall that film correctly (I saw it a few years ago whilst drinking with a very attractive person so much of it escapes me now) it was entirely meant to run on the rules of cool and, possibly, funny. The whole point was that it was ridiculous. Highlighting that the idea is stupid is like watching an action film and pointing out that the hero has gone through things that should kill him stone dead. You might well be right but everyone knows it too, including the writers (usually).

That said I just can't fucking stand zombie films, even the majority of pastiches. Planet Terror bored the shit out of me and the only bit I recall really entertaining me involved that leg. It wasn't nearly as tedious as Zombie Strippers, though.


the irony is while most people are taking this as a joke the technocrats are posting with the delusions that half of this will actually happen one day. I find your belief that we will continue to exist as is without once trying to augment ourselves to be delusional. The only way you could possibly argue it to be the case is if you believed that we would either hit a technological "endpoint" past which we can advance no further, which has no basis in anything thus far observed, or that we will abandon technologies and go live up the fucking trees with the primmies, which is just insane.

[bricolage]

I find your belief that we will continue to exist as is without once trying to augment ourselves to be delusional. The only way you could possibly argue it to be the case is if you believed that we would either hit a technological "endpoint" past which we can advance no further, which has no basis in anything thus far observed, or that we will abandon technologies and go live up the fucking trees with the primmies, which is just insane.
I have no doubt technological innovation would continue, I just don't buy that we will get to a point at which we have an extra arm that tells us why we are ill or we all start acting like Dr Manhattan.

Most of what people have said here is either a joke (some of which funny, some not) or if something that could ever be remotely possible wouldn't be 'added on to' humans but would be bits of equipment we could use on ourselves.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

It goes without saying that I can only speculate, but I’m not sure omnipotence is all it’s cracked up to be. Let’s just presume that all the things you describe are: A-Possible, B-Inevitable, and C-Immanent. Oh, I can think of a number of things I might like to do. I might start with improving my health, restoring organs and tissues to their optimal state. I’d probably make a few adjustments, maybe a bit taller, stronger jaw and cheekbones, etc. I’d start smoking again, merely for the pleasure of it, because I could keep repairing any damage incurred, so there would be no negative health effects. Then I’d start living out various fantasies; comic books, sci-fi movies, favorite porn flicks, everything. I’d also download knowledge, just like the ‘microsofts’ in Neuromancer. I wished I’d learned to play guitar, now I can simply download and instantaneously I’m Randy Rhodes, or Da Vinci, or Einstein, or Van Gogh, why just pick one? Ok, so inevitably, I end up experimenting with physical states, maybe find ways to experience states of ecstasy the human brain can’t physically manage (Presuming such states exist.) Ultimately, one might ascend to some god-like level, as you describe, maybe create some life, a couple pocket universes, maybe fiddle with the cosmological constants, see what happens. However, I would imagine, probably within one or two present human lifetimes, you would simply run out of things to do. I mean, if you already know everything, and can, essentially, do everything, then, what would motivate you?

I think you seriously underestimate just how much can be done. For one, I don't think I would be able to "know everything" even with such aids as an eidetic memory and so forth, within a mere two human lifetimes - it would take me millions of years to fully explore the Milky Way (taking into account stops to explore worlds and catalogue and interact with their inhabitants, if any) let alone the entire universe.

Besides, if things really did get to that point, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to construct a more interesting and/or challenging virtual world or pocket universe.


What would be the source of satisfaction? There’s a science fiction story about a civilization that goes through a Technological Singularity, and the main character eventually gets to this point where he knows everything and he’s done everything, so he rewires his mind so he takes an intense interest in, and experiences great satisfaction from, carving table legs, something he had never had any interest in, whatsoever. If I’m going to be ‘carving table legs’ so to speak, for millennia, I think I’d rather call it quits.

Why? Your current interests are no less arbitrary - they are simply the consequence of natural selection and social conditioning. I'm also not convinced that a monomaniacal interest in carving table legs would be on my agenda any time this side of the heat death of the universe; what if it turns out that mathematics is endless (http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/Ethics/infinite.html), or that there is far more to the universe than meets the baseline eye?

Ultimately, we can't determine the destination unless we make the journey. And whatever the destination, the journey will make it worthwhile. For all we know, there may be no "destination". Perhaps we've been asking completely the wrong questions for all this time.

Whatever it is, I want to find out!


the irony is while most people are taking this as a joke the technocrats are posting with the delusions that half of this will actually happen one day.

That's "transhumanists" actually. As for whether any of it will actually happen, I was making a wishlist, not a series of predictions.

Why should transhuman enhancements be any more of a fairy tale than classless society?

[bricolage]

Why should transhuman enhancements be any more of a fairy tale than classless society?
We can identify classes in society, identify the conflicting class interests that accompany them and identify a way in which these classes may be eradicated. Whether this will happen we don't know, there is a very nigh chance that it never will but we have enough evidence to suggest it is possible. None of this exists for 'transhumanism'.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

We can identify classes in society, identify the conflicting class interests that accompany them and identify a way in which these classes may be eradicated. Whether this will happen we don't know, there is a very nigh chance that it never will but we have enough evidence to suggest it is possible. None of this exists for 'transhumanism'.

Similarly, we can identify flaws and limitations within the human body and identify ways in which they might be removed. The difference being that no major upheaval of society is required in order to get the ball rolling, so I'd actually consider it more likely than classless society, at least in the short term.

Not only that, but the technolgies necessary for transuhmanism to come to fruition are being worked on right now. Research in Genetics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Nanotechnology continues apace.

[NGNM85]

I think you seriously underestimate just how much can be done. For one, I don't think I would be able to "know everything" even with such aids as an eidetic memory and so forth, within a mere two human lifetimes - it would take me millions of years to fully explore the Milky Way (taking into account stops to explore worlds and catalogue and interact with their inhabitants, if any) let alone the entire universe.

Besides, if things really did get to that point, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to construct a more interesting and/or challenging virtual world or pocket universe.

You wouldn’t have to explore the entire universe, you probably wouldn’t need to explore a quarter of it. Once you completely understand something, that’s it. Once you know how gall bladders, or transistors, or pulsars, function, there would be no sense in examining each and every one. Once you have that knowledge, you’re all set. It seems like we might be pretty close to a unified theory of physics, doubtless, assuming it is possible to have a unified set of physical laws of the whole universe, you would already have that. Also, you would ‘learn’ things instantaneously. As soon as data could be added to your hard drive, or what-have-you, it would be part of your knowledge base. Taking into account the theoretical processing power and speed involved I think you could ostensibly know everything, or everything that could possibly be considered significant, very likely within the span of a present human lifetime. Also, now that I think of it, you wouldn’t actually have to create life, or ‘mini universes’, or, only one or two, because once you achieve sufficient data you could create simulations and projections of such a sophisticated nature, that there would be no need to actually do any of these things.


Why? Your current interests are no less arbitrary - they are simply the consequence of natural selection and social conditioning.

I think there’s a difference. Now, learning, for me, is an adventure, a personal achievement, there’s a genuine desire, there. There’s something fundamentally different about a superintelligence rewiring it’s brain in order to manufacture an interest in something mundane to give it’s existence some kind of pleasure or value. That seems kind of pathetic to me.


I'm also not convinced that a monomaniacal interest in carving table legs would be on my agenda any time this side of the heat death of the universe; what if it turns out that mathematics is endless (http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/Ethics/infinite.html),

Forgive me, I’m not mathematically inclined, but as I understand it, all that means is you could add, subtract, divide, or multiply increasingly large numbers. Personally, I’ve always loathed math.


or that there is far more to the universe than meets the baseline eye?

What if there isn’t? Even so, this doesn’t necessarily negate my concern.


Ultimately, we can't determine the destination unless we make the journey.

That’s true.


And whatever the destination, the journey will make it worthwhile.

I don’t see any reason why the opposite isn’t, at least, equally likely.


For all we know, there may be no "destination". Perhaps we've been asking completely the wrong questions for all this time.

That’s possible.


Whatever it is, I want to find out!

I hope you like what you find.

[bricolage]

Similarly, we can identify flaws and limitations within the human body and identify ways in which they might be removed.
Well sure stuff has happened to help 'flaws' with the human body, such as transplants or better medication. This however is very different to turning us into robots.

In any case reading back on what you wrote, half of your 'flaws' seem to be basic emotions, sci fi creepiness steps up a level...
Reminds me of this. (http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Pharmacytown)


The difference being that no major upheaval of society is required in order to get the ball rolling, so I'd actually consider it more likely than classless society, at least in the short term.
The difference being a classless society is possible (just very unlikely), being Dr Manhattan is not.


Not only that, but the technolgies necessary for transuhmanism to come to fruition are being worked on right now. Research in Genetics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Nanotechnology continues apace.
None of this is going to get you any of this. (http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1971684&postcount=27)

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

You wouldn’t have to explore the entire universe, you probably wouldn’t need to explore a quarter of it. Once you completely understand something, that’s it. Once you know how gall bladders, or transistors, or pulsars, function, there would be no sense in examining each and every one.

The examples you give are relatively simple objects with little room for variance because they are made of relatively few component parts.

However, more complicated entites such as ecosystems, civilisations, etc are made from countless subcomponents, and thus the potential for variation is greater by many orders of magnitude.

Mind you, even with your simple examples, I'm not going to dismiss the idea of giving every observable pulsar at least a cursory examination - you never know what anomalies you may find, and at least in the beginning I reckon I would find it more interesting to observe the real surprises that the universe throws up.


Once you have that knowledge, you’re all set. It seems like we might be pretty close to a unified theory of physics, doubtless, assuming it is possible to have a unified set of physical laws of the whole universe, you would already have that. Also, you would ‘learn’ things instantaneously. As soon as data could be added to your hard drive, or what-have-you, it would be part of your knowledge base. Taking into account the theoretical processing power and speed involved I think you could ostensibly know everything, or everything that could possibly be considered significant, very likely within the span of a present human lifetime. Also, now that I think of it, you wouldn’t actually have to create life, or ‘mini universes’, or, only one or two, because once you achieve sufficient data you could create simulations and projections of such a sophisticated nature, that there would be no need to actually do any of these things.

Unless my transformation included a heavy dose of solipsism along with it, I doubt I would be satisfied with such a hollow solution. Indeed, activity in the real world would be the surest measure against a potential danger of having quickly ascended the heights - hubris. Reality is where all the ultimate Off switches are located.


I think there’s a difference. Now, learning, for me, is an adventure, a personal achievement, there’s a genuine desire, there. There’s something fundamentally different about a superintelligence rewiring it’s brain in order to manufacture an interest in something mundane to give it’s existence some kind of pleasure or value. That seems kind of pathetic to me.

Why should such a superintelligence care more about the opinions of a relative insect over its own existence? Besides, I'm sure that whatever a bored superintelligence would do to occupy itself, it would be more interesting and complicated (at least from a human perspective) than table legs.


Forgive me, I’m not mathematically inclined, but as I understand it, all that means is you could add, subtract, divide, or multiply increasingly large numbers. Personally, I’ve always loathed math.

Mathematics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics) is far more than just arithmatic.


What if there isn’t? Even so, this doesn’t necessarily negate my concern.

If crushing boredom ever threatens, I'm sure a superintelligence would be far more qualified to solve the problem than I am right now.


I don’t see any reason why the opposite isn’t, at least, equally likely.

Whatever the drawbacks of intelligence, it's obvious that the percieved benefits outweigh them, since I've yet to hear of someone willingly having a frontal lobotomy for no medically valid reason.


Well sure stuff has happened to help 'flaws' with the human body, such as transplants or better medication. This however is very different to turning us into robots.

"Turning us into robots" is but one facet of the transhumanist ideal. Many transhumanists are advocates of human genetic engineering (including myself), and this is where it's impossible to draw the line between fixing a deficiency and granting an enhancement, because biology doesn't distinguish between the two.


In any case reading back on what you wrote, half of your 'flaws' seem to be basic emotions, sci fi creepiness steps up a level...
Reminds me of this. (http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Pharmacytown)

How on Earth is the voluntary control and/or reshaping of one's emotional states comparable to the socially unfortunate being preyed on by drug vendors?

You find it "creepy". Why? I'm not asking you to modify your own emotions. If you're happy with the way you currently are, then there should be a place for you and others like you in the future. All I ask is that you not stand in the way of those who feel differently, whatever path they feel is appropriate.


The difference being a classless society is possible (just very unlikely), being Dr Manhattan is not.

I'll admit it looks unlikely from here, but I'm not going to rule it out completely. Besides, even if apotheosis turns out to be a vain dream, there are still other prospects that I feel would be worth pursuing; I'd be happy with some form of biological immortality, which certainly doesn't break any known laws of physics.


None of this is going to get you any of this. (http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1971684&postcount=27)

That's hardly an exhaustive list - as I said, it was a wishlist, so I came up with what immediately came to mind.