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Enough Arnold? Cognitive Technology and the Future of Humanity

Enough Arnold? Cognitive Technology and the Future of Humanity. Minds and Machines. The Coming of the Augments.

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Enough Arnold? Cognitive Technology and the Future of Humanity

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  1. Enough Arnold?Cognitive Technology and the Future of Humanity Minds and Machines

  2. The Coming of the Augments • “GNR” technology (genetic engineering, nanotechnology, robotics technology) may soon reach the point where humans will have the ability to fundamentally change the nature of the human species. • TWO (or more) VARIETIES OF PERSONS MIGHT COME TO EXIST: • HUMANS -- AUGMENTS

  3. McKibben’s Worries • Could lead to destructive techno-race • Rifts in society • Horizontal: ‘techno-poor’ vs ‘techno-rich’ • Vertical: generational gap • Today’s technology is outdated tomorrow • … and the pace of ‘progress’ will only accelerate • Our children become a commodity / product • Designer Babies • ‘Playing God’

  4. Further Worries • Loss of Free Will • Parents ‘designed’ us • Loss of Personal Identity • ‘Specs’ are known: Loss of self-exploration, self-motivation, or self-fulfillment • Maybe free will and personal identity are an illusion • Right now I don’t worry about that • But new technology may throw this in our face

  5. The Singularity • Some people believe that the pace of technological change will reach such a rate that we have to become cyborgs to even make sense of this new technology • If we are able to create a being that’s smarter than us, imagine what that being could create • Best-known proponent: Ray Kurzweil • In “The Singularity is Near”, he predicts this will happen somewhere mid 21st century

  6. Three Questions: • 1.

  7. Three Questions: • 2.

  8. Three Questions: • 3.

  9. Three Questions Bound Together

  10. Three Questions Bound Together • Will implies Can – If we will stop it, then that must mean we can • Can does-not-implyOught? - If we can stop it, does that mean we should? And if we cannot, does that mean we should not? • Those are Ought-from-Is fallacies! • Maybe doom is inevitable • Subtle variant: if we cannot stop it, should we therefore not try and stop it?

  11. Three Questions Bound Together • S: We should stop the “Age of Augments” from coming into being • C: We can stop the “Age of Augments” from coming into being • W: We will stop the “Age of Augments” from coming into being

  12. Should we … Can we … Will we …Stop the “Age of Augments”? S C W T TTTT F T F T T F F F T T F T F F F T F FF Which combination is the “correct one?” (McKibben argues for T TT)

  13. Related Questions: • The “Theoretical Enough” Questions: • McKibben says “Enough right now” • You may disagree with McKibben …. But is there ever a point beyond which technological progress no longer implies: • Individual/Personal progress • Societal progress • Species progress • … • And again: Can we stop ourselves from going beyond that point? Will we?

  14. Related Questions: • The “Species” Questions: • Do we have the RIGHT to ensure that we remain the dominant species on Earth? • Do we have the OBLIGATION to ensure that we remain the dominant species? • If a new and superior species of Augments comes into being, do humans have the RIGHT to remain as a (non-dominant) species?

  15. Related Questions: • The “No Child Left Behind” Question: • Assume a civilization of Augments becomes the dominant civilization on Earth • Should you as a parent be morally OBLIGATED to have your child undergo augmentation (become an augment) to ensure that she/he will be able to compete successfully with her/his peers?

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