Singularitarians: Who are they and what do they want?

I personally am in favor of the Singularity.

Largely because it would allow humans to communicate with out confusion. Would it negate free will or someones desire to remain following a certain religious path, who can say. Though largely I would hope that should a global mass mind/computer connection would come with safeguards to prevent things like 9-11, the Crusades, and other religious war type stupidity. Prevent further ecological collapse, and enforce fair treatment for everyone and so on.

However, no religion should have the power to shut out any other religion, or force people to follow it. How many wars have been caused by religion? Too many. Should you have the choice to not be in the singularity? Sure, you could even claim religious exception.

However, don't expect the rest of the world to live like Luddites or slow down in it's development and growth due to your personal belief system. Because it won't, technology doesn't care, technology advances; sometimes for the better and or worse. It does however, take people to do evil things.

Regardless of your personal beliefs, an evil act done under the blessing of a religion, is still evil.

M.

I wonder how many of us would be invited to the singularity party, would it just be kept secret for various elites to enjoy the benefits. The thought of being ruled by super-evolved techno-organic overlords is a scary thought, even if they are benevolent. I'd expect there'd be the pro and anti cultural groups forming as the technology becomes available. Would definitly lead to interesting times.

For balance though, maybe we do need some societal input from a "higher intelligence" as we unaugmented humans are doing a terrible job of looking after the world and each other.

Originally posted by inverslyproportional
it is only a matter of when

you need to stop thinking about this concept

What I think will happen is that these powerful technologies will only be available to the wealthy elites of the world and it will only further the growing gap between the elites and everyone else getting poorer.

If you don't believe me just look at the medical industry- we are constantly hearing how the technology is advancing so unbelievably, yet it's bankrupting people who use any of it.

Originally posted by Bleeeeep

Originally posted by inverslyproportional
it is only a matter of when

you need to stop thinking about this concept

edit on 3/16/2013 by Bleeeeep because: (no reason given)

I dont actually out a lot of thought into it, it isnt like I am trying to be the first in line, I just see it as the logical progression of mans interaction with technology, we have already integrated it into our lives permanently, it is only going to increase, and accelerate, with time.

Just do the math yourself, look at the facts, I cant believe you are unable to see what I am speakingof coming to pass.

Look at our scifi, it has predicted this from the start, it is one of the few original predictions that havent hapoened yet. Yes I called them predictions, as they have occured with startling accuracy, wether because they wrote about and gave men the ideas I couldnt say, or wether it woukd have hapoened without them I cannot say.

But I can say with a lot of certainty that it is too late to go back, most would not even if offered a chance. I dont anyone that wouldnt like to have better everything. As soon as the first security folks or construction workers begin to get them for work, it will explode overnight, as it will become obvious one must also advance just to keep up.

Peer pressure is a mother, it alone will he the biggest driving force, as people start to see the benefits, and want them and more for themselves, until there will not be need, there will be peace, as we will all he able to connect, and share information in the way it was meant to he shared, not through likited suyntax and clumsy speach, but through thoughts, and images and concepts and ideas we cant current express through our limited means.

How do you exoress love? Now how does love feel? If you could share that feeling, no amount of dialogue coukd ever express it the same way.

This is what I think we are heading for, and I wait patiently.

Originally posted by Bleeeeep

Originally posted by inverslyproportional
it is only a matter of when

you need to stop thinking about this concept

edit on 3/16/2013 by Bleeeeep because: (no reason given)

I must say that's a rather Stalinist aproach to free thinking you're taking there. I can't see any danger in being interested in future technology. It's beneficial to have discussions and think about what could be coming down the pipeline rather than waiting until it's here. I do think this might be a very real issue in the coming decades, not just with the singularity concept but also all other aspects of technology that will alter what it is to be human.

Originally posted by Hopeforeveryone

Originally posted by Bleeeeep

Originally posted by inverslyproportional
it is only a matter of when

you need to stop thinking about this concept

edit on 3/16/2013 by Bleeeeep because: (no reason given)

I must say that's a rather Stalinist aproach to free thinking you're taking there. I can't see any danger in being interested in future technology. It's beneficial to have discussions and think about what could be coming down the pipeline rather than waiting until it's here. I do think this might be a very real issue in the coming decades, not just with the singularity concept but also all other aspects of technology that will alter what it is to be human.

So what do you think will happen in the future? How do you believe the human experience will be affected?

reply to post by inverslyproportional


In many ways it's changed beyond recognition since i was a child. Mobile phones, the internet. The ability to get relevant information just about anywhere at any time. I mean do they even make encylopedias anymore ?

I do forsee a merging of technological, either biological or electronic, devices and the brain. Perfect memory, being an instant expert on any topic that one is interested in. Maybe even group minds where the individual is merged into a composite entity. We're going to need to upgrade our brains just to keep up with the technology. Just hope apple or microsoft doesn't end up running that too

I do think technology will either save us as a species or condemn us to tortures as yet unthought. We've been heading down that road since we learnt about fire and discovered the wheel is quite a handy thing. My main concern is a group or elite, being able to buy the tech as it's being developed, getting so far advanced from the rest of us ,they end up being a different species with a whole different order of priorities and ideals.

It will also be interesting to see where genetic engineering goes too. Will we have biological robots rather than mechanical, might be easier to grow our tech rather than make it. Will we just get an injection to increase brain cells or alter physical properties. There so many possibilities for what the future holds that it is really an intriguing topic.

I'm rather a fan of science fiction and i recomend reading Iain Banks books. His view of a super advanced society - the culture - is a really good read and is quite thought provoking, entertaining too !

I am wholly in favor of the technological singularity as i see it as a future where humanity has mastered the use of technology to meet human need without losing your humanism. This is why i have much faith in the 3D printing technologies. But by taking the spiritual human experience away from technology by becoming some cyborg in a hive mind you defeat the purpose of having technology. This is why i am wary of the religious fanaticism. Convincing others that its some sort of religious experience seems like a perfect pretext to enslave and control.

On it is nineteen.*

a reply to: RooskiZombi

While I do respect your opinion, I cannot understand your reasoning. I thus must ask, why? The technological singularity would mark the beginning of our next evolutionary phase. We would be in the position to get answers to questions we cannot even fanthom as of yet. Why would one willingly decide to remain ignorant in scientific, and eventually spiritual, matters for a "simpler" (which is a relative term) life? Or did I misunderstand your views on "unnecessary technologies"?