Humans Have Only 100 Years Left

Canis Lupus · 23-06-2015 11:21am

KomradeBishop wrote: »

Well, even people who understand the long-term unsustainability of climate change, tend to have zero understanding that it is caused by long-term unsustainability of our economic system itself (particularly the monetary system) - people have been blind to that for a very long time, and it's something that triggers pretty massive cognitive dissonance in people (people vary between either not wanting to know, or finding a myriad of lame excuses to justify the current system).

With the pyramids or any large construction project, the problem is tangible and immediately visible, but with something like climate change or the unsustainability of economic systems, the problem is more abstract and not directly visible - and this seems to make it almost impossible for a lot of people to even comprehend such topics.

Solving climate change doesn't require co-ordination worldwide - one country, such as the US, could engage in a New Deal type project to completely revamp the countries infrastructure, and a Manhatten-Project style technological research effort to develop new energy technologies that the whole world can benefit from.

Countries can start this now individually, but the problem is economic ideology: Fighting climate change directly requires big government spending, which is what the current dominant economic ideology opposes completely.

Does everything have to be about money/politics with you.

Akrasia · 23-06-2015 12:12pm

fr336 wrote: »

We have been able to look back on our grandparents and great grandparents as heros in world wars and what have you. You want to be remembered as a selfish joke?

The period of WW2 and WW1 were some of the darkest moments in human history. I'd prefer to be looked back on as the generation who ended war rather as one who bravely went to slaughter and be slaughtered on the battlefield.

Also, if we do manage to survive global warming (and we probably will) it will be because of global cooperation on a scale never before seen, and technological innovation at a pace never before imaginable.

We don't have to form one world government or anything like this, but we will no doubt see technological transfers allowing the developing world to access sustainable clean water, vaccines, education, new farming technologies, energy generation, transport technology, the internet etc.

The planet we live on has limited resources, but Malthus made a big mistake in his calculations. He didn't realise the power of exponential technological advancement.

The Internal combustion engine is a transitionary technology, My grandkids will see them in Museums alongside steam trains and penny farthings.

Computers are now getting so cheap, and internet access is becoming more and more widely available that we are close to the dream scenario of being able to provide internet accessible computers to the entire world. This will bring high quality education to the worlds poor, and unlock the human capital that has been literally starved by poverty, which in turn will reduce the birth rates and improve the lives of billions of people.

The few pockets of radical ignorance will shrink. Ignorance requires that information is controlled. If you look at any cult or any insular community, these people generally read only approved books, attend only approved schools, speak only with people of their own pursuasion etc. When the internet is free and access is not censored, young people will learn the truth about the world. Sure, some of them will turn into wingnuts, but the majority of people will realise that the world is bigger than their tribal fundamentalism

We can see this in places like Iran, where there are two countries operating one inside the other. The older generation are fundamentalist islam, but the youth are embracing western ideals of freedom and equality and democracy.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/b110ec2e-04b0-11e5-95ad-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3dt0TU2y0

whats newxt · 23-06-2015 1:01pm

100 year is enough time for the singularity to occur

ScumLord · 23-06-2015 1:10pm

whats newxt wrote: »

100 year is enough time for the singularity to occur

The singularity is interesting in that I wonder would it change the whole AI getting smarter than humans and taking over the world dynamic.

Rather than creating a sentient AI we may just need AI modules that we can plug directly into as if it was a thought process inside our heads. At the moment we need AI to mimic human intelligence to do some of our more mundane tasks, we keep trying to make the AI more aware so it can avoid making mistakes and we fear we'll make it so aware it will think for itself. The singularity would allow AI to access the world through the human interface and get filtered data, it wouldn't need to be all that smart because it can outsource some of the processing to the human brain which does higher fuctions automatically.

The singularity might be more likely or possible than making an actual self aware AI. It would save humanity from becoming a redundant intelligence on this planet.

Akrasia · 23-06-2015 1:51pm

ScumLord wrote: »

The singularity is interesting in that I wonder would it change the whole AI getting smarter than humans and taking over the world dynamic.

Rather than creating a sentient AI we may just need AI modules that we can plug directly into as if it was a thought process inside our heads. At the moment we need AI to mimic human intelligence to do some of our more mundane tasks, we keep trying to make the AI more aware so it can avoid making mistakes and we fear we'll make it so aware it will think for itself. The singularity would allow AI to access the world through the human interface and get filtered data, it wouldn't need to be all that smart because it can outsource some of the processing to the human brain which does higher fuctions automatically.

The singularity might be more likely or possible than making an actual self aware AI. It would save humanity from becoming a redundant intelligence on this planet.

I'd love to see a science fiction movie where the singularity has happened and there is a battle between luddites trying to stop progress and transhumans trying to integrate with technology

What would happen if there was a minority band of people who hate technology trying to prevent the majority of the human population from voluntarily becoming cyborgs.

The luddites aren't evil, they just want to preserve 'humanity' which is genuinely under threat from the advancing technology, but the technology isn't evil either, it's just allowing us to move beyond the constraints of our evolved forms and would ultimately lead us to colonise and terraform the universe.

darkpagandeath · 23-06-2015 1:57pm

Akrasia wrote: »

I'd love to see a science fiction movie where the singularity has happened and there is a battle between luddites trying to stop progress and transhumans trying to integrate with technology

What would happen if there was a minority band of people who hate technology trying to prevent the majority of the human population from voluntarily becoming cyborgs.

The luddites aren't evil, they just want to preserve 'humanity' which is genuinely under threat from the advancing technology, but the technology isn't evil either, it's just allowing us to move beyond the constraints of our evolved forms and would ultimately lead us to colonise and terraform the universe.

We may skip the whole cyborg though and go directly to genetics and synthetic life.

whats newxt · 23-06-2015 1:57pm

Akrasia wrote: »

I'd love to see a science fiction movie where the singularity has happened and there is a battle between luddites trying to stop progress and transhumans trying to integrate with technology

What would happen if there was a minority band of people who hate technology trying to prevent the majority of the human population from voluntarily becoming cyborgs.

The luddites aren't evil, they just want to preserve 'humanity' which is genuinely under threat from the advancing technology, but the technology isn't evil either, it's just allowing us to move beyond the constraints of our evolved forms and would ultimately lead us to colonise and terraform the universe.

AI vs Amish -AImish in cinemas near you.. lol

Seriously tho have you seen Transcendence it's not a great film but it's what you described.

ScumLord · 23-06-2015 4:50pm

Akrasia wrote: »

I'd love to see a science fiction movie where the singularity has happened and there is a battle between luddites trying to stop progress and transhumans trying to integrate with technology

What would happen if there was a minority band of people who hate technology trying to prevent the majority of the human population from voluntarily becoming cyborgs.

The luddites aren't evil, they just want to preserve 'humanity' which is genuinely under threat from the advancing technology, but the technology isn't evil either, it's just allowing us to move beyond the constraints of our evolved forms and would ultimately lead us to colonise and terraform the universe.

I am absolutely certain that will happen. There will be purists that want to keep the body as it is and don't want to plug directly into the net with a brain implant. Athletes would be a prime example, prosthetics would make sport a bit pointless. I could also see militaries wanting to keep a certain amount of unplugged people on staff in case there would be a security flaw. For the most part I think it will be mental upgrades that people get. I don't see many people signing up to have their legs cut off and replaced by something that's stronger but doesn't have the fidelity and sensations of a set flesh legs. for the most part we don't need that many upgrades. Being able to do complex maths with a plug in and have a limitless memory would be enough for most people. Being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound wouldn't really be of much benefit.

Jesus Wept · 23-06-2015 5:12pm

ClovenHoof wrote: »

One of the world's top scientist has come out and stated that this is it folks.

I am increasingly sickened and revolted by meeting more and more Irish people who question Climate Change. Perhaps for the sake of future generations we need to impose criminal charges on people who question Climate Change along with stripping scientists who are sceptical of their degrees. Enough.:mad:

It's a scam.

billyduk · 23-06-2015 5:39pm

How does one qualify as "one of the worlds top scientists"? Is there some sort of olympic games of peer reviewed research?

Massimo Cassagrande · 23-06-2015 5:44pm

This particular human probably only has closer to ten-fifteen years left...after that, ye are on your own. And I highly doubt I'll be too bothered/able to do feck all about it/whatever..

People won't change, they like their conveniences too much. Conveniences destroy the environment. Change aint happening until the wheels fall off altogether and it's forced.

blinding · 23-06-2015 6:24pm

Massimo Cassagrande wrote: »

This particular human probably only has closer to ten-fifteen years left...after that, ye are on your own. And I highly doubt I'll be too bothered/able to do feck all about it/whatever..

People won't change, they like their conveniences too much. Conveniences destroy the environment. Change aint happening until the wheels fall off altogether and it's forced.

I think I'll ride that wagon full belt like your man on the nuclear weapon from that film all those years ago Ye Ha ! ! !

Not a NSA agent · 24-06-2015 12:56am

ScumLord wrote: »

I am absolutely certain that will happen. There will be purists that want to keep the body as it is and don't want to plug directly into the net with a brain implant. Athletes would be a prime example, prosthetics would make sport a bit pointless. I could also see militaries wanting to keep a certain amount of unplugged people on staff in case there would be a security flaw. For the most part I think it will be mental upgrades that people get. I don't see many people signing up to have their legs cut off and replaced by something that's stronger but doesn't have the fidelity and sensations of a set flesh legs. for the most part we don't need that many upgrades. Being able to do complex maths with a plug in and have a limitless memory would be enough for most people. Being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound wouldn't really be of much benefit.

I wouldnt be so sure of people not cutting bits off and replacing them. Look at plastic surgery, at the start it was to help people who suffered illness or an accident but became a way to "enhance" a person. Eventually we will get prosthetics which match the real things, at that point it makes sense that they will go beyond the real thing and allow a person to be stronger, faster, see better etc. At that point we could have people choosing to replace their limbs for this advantage.

gormdubhgorm · 24-06-2015 1:14am

I thought this was going to be 100 years left to build the.... "metro north"

Could the top scientist build it before things really heat up?

Akrasia · 24-06-2015 7:28am

ScumLord wrote: »

I am absolutely certain that will happen. There will be purists that want to keep the body as it is and don't want to plug directly into the net with a brain implant. Athletes would be a prime example, prosthetics would make sport a bit pointless. I could also see militaries wanting to keep a certain amount of unplugged people on staff in case there would be a security flaw. For the most part I think it will be mental upgrades that people get. I don't see many people signing up to have their legs cut off and replaced by something that's stronger but doesn't have the fidelity and sensations of a set flesh legs. for the most part we don't need that many upgrades. Being able to do complex maths with a plug in and have a limitless memory would be enough for most people. Being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound wouldn't really be of much benefit.

I'm thinking Joe 90 meets the holodeck

If there was an implant that allowed us to instantly learn new skills without any negative side effects, I'd feckin love that. And a holodeck would allow us to experience anything we could hope to experience in a safe environment. Truly immersive VR tech probably would require a direct hook up to the nervous system and I would consider this a form of cyborg tech

In terms of augmentations to our physical body, I can see many people opting for augmented eyes. Laser surgery isn't suitable for everybody and for those who are stuck with limited or even no vision, many would happily choose artificial eyes once they're of a sufficiently high resolution.
Artificial eyes would then allow people upgraded night vision, infra-red vision, telescopic vision, HUDs, direct connections to the internet so that we can record anything we are looking at, direct connections to media devices so we can beam media directly into our visual cortex...

Similarly for hearing.

Artificial limbs are extreme at the start, but exo skeletons will get smaller andl lighter and will be able to assist people in day to day activities. People who currently use walking frames could replace them with exo skeletons built into their clothing which can assist them with balance and strength. Then we'll have people using that technology to help them swim across the channel and climb mountains and achieve things that were previously only available to the most dedicated athletes.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2014/09/12/researchers-unveil-exoskeleton-that-fits-like-skinny-jeans/#.VYpb9hv4_cs

Times they are a changing

fr336 · 24-06-2015 9:34pm

Sam Kade wrote: »

You my friend seem to be getting all your anti man made climate change criticisms from American websites, think for yourself and stop depending on the internet to do your thinking for you

I always think for myself, hence my conclusions on this and humanity in general. Bunch of idiots that we are (though I find myself being less of one than most).

Humans Have Only 100 Years Left

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