Transcendent Man 0
Ever wondered what the next stage in human evolution will be? Could it be computers, machines and robots? Science fiction has long fed our imaginations with various outcomes and consequences of a robocentric world – with films like iRobot, A.I. and of course, Terminator, all films which point to a catastrophic dystopian society and doomsday scenarios.
But of course, that’s the stuff of science fiction; Hollywood imaginings designed around dollars signs and mass audience appeal. What about real life? What kind of discourse is currently taking place around technology, science and humankind’s destiny? If curiosity is your compass, then Transcendent Man is a point worth considering.
Ray Kurzweil is a renowned, albeit, polarizing futurist famous for some startling predictions, many of which, according to Wikipedia, have come true. Transcendent Man examines aspects of his life, his beliefs and visions of the future. Some of it sounds pretty preposterous and many will be quick to label him a lunatic who’s completely lost it on the science front. But I’m not too sure what he is. Is he a madman, or merely a genius beyond his time?
Because I wasn’t schooled in the sciences (my bachelors degree was for the Arts), I can’t objectively validate any of his claims or offer further insights into the next stage of human evolution, but Kurzweil believes by 2045, humanity will be altered in ways previously only imaginable to novelists and screenwriters.
Kurzweil envisions a future where humans transcend their biological limits by melding with technology – the creation of “super-humans”. Imagine morphing into souped-up versions of ourselves, with chips embedded into our bodies. Imagine shedding our external selves and living in a complete virtual world. Imagine, as Kurzweil eerily proclaims, defying death altogether. Transcendent Man discusses the direction we may be heading in, and the debate surrounding our outcome if all of it actually happens. Fascinating!