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[Eagleon]

Artificial Intelligence: Not far from singularitarianism in topic, AI development is a separate field from transhumanism.

Not so if you consider brain prosthesis - this is actually what I'm most interested in. There are other kinds of AI to be considered than self-sufficient human-like ones. Think less human, more functional parasite - give what you see and hear to it (or magnet-sense, what have you), it processes and communicates it back to you from a unique, inhuman perspective in ways it's learned that you can understand. It could be made to act autonomously as far as the user is comfortable with. Plenty of room for cyberpunk horror stories there

Our brains are plastic, but tooled to massively parallel channels of information coming in at a fairly sedate pace. Mathematics and electronics lets us transform linear signals at an extremely rapid rate. When we go back down again, into the parallel, and create a real artificial intelligence with a BCI with communication in either direction, we'll be able to keep some of that linear information around, and entirely new experiences are then available to us The more connections we have available to outside input (of course, our capabilities are still sadly limited), the larger we can make an entirely new cortex devoted to digital perception.

Anyway, for the most part I support using cybernetics to remove human limitations and other "bugs" as people have mentioned.  I'd love to no longer have to sleep for example, but there are more obvious things like improving lifespans that I doubt too many would object to.  The problem of course comes from where people draw the line at what constitutes a "bug" in human design.  Is sleep a bug?  Can it even be removed with the way our brains function?  Who knows yet?

Have you read Beggars in Spain? Fantastic series that deals with removing sleep Maybe a little self-indulgent, but worth looking at.

Using cybernetics or genetic engineering to improve on humans and grant them unnatural abilities is a little different, and while I think it's something that we as a species should embrace without fear, I believe that there is a kernel of truth to many cyberpunk and transhumanist works that depict humans falling into classes of haves and have nots that only gets worse due to the introduction of human enhancement.  If we could somehow magically eliminate scarcity and provide such enhancement to everyone worldwide, that still wouldn't be enough due to things like religious or personal beliefs causing some people to deny the enhancements.  What do you do then?

Nothing. You can't fix free will, it's not something you should fix. There are plenty of enhancements I wouldn't be comfortable with, or consider enhancements at all. I still wouldn't begrudge people if suddenly it was discovered that the ability to see blue caused all cancer. You'd see a lot fewer blue things, but eh, I can always go get some paint. I would be pretty mad if they decided on that modification for me.

[WealthyRadish]

I think people make the mistake of underestimating human potential in its current state. Specific augmentations may be more convenient, but it's really trivial unless it has something to do with the brain. If you go that far, and you're actually changing what defines an individual, then that's when people should step back and appreciate life as it is. It's a solution in search of a problem, and I doubt having a third arm sticking out of my chest would really make me happier, or a computer to make math easier.

Assuming that all that we have are the biological drives that have evolved over time and move us forward, imperfect as they are, removing them leaves us with nothing, and existence becomes utterly meaningless. But using augmentation as a tool... whatever, it's convenience, not philosophy. Take it further and I feel it's dangerous territory.

[scrdest]

I think people make the mistake of underestimating human potential in its current state. Specific augmentations may be more convenient, but it's really trivial unless it has something to do with the brain. If you go that far, and you're actually changing what defines an individual, then that's when people should step back and appreciate life as it is. It's a solution in search of a problem, and I doubt having a third arm sticking out of my chest would really make me happier, or a computer to make math easier.

Assuming that all that we have are the biological drives that have evolved over time and move us forward, imperfect as they are, removing them leaves us with nothing, and existence becomes utterly meaningless. But using augmentation as a tool... whatever, it's convenience, not philosophy. Take it further and I feel it's dangerous territory.

I somewhat agree. This is why I don't like Kurzweil that much - he seems to have some sort of a distaste for being human, and desires what basically amounts to a hivemind.

On the other hand, consider sleep - there are people who pull all-nighters on caffeine pills, which, for a limited time, take away your urge to sleep.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I'm somewhat tempted by the neodymium implants as well, but for 2 things: 1, you can't have anesthesia. 2, I don't know of anyone who would be willing to consider doing it.

I still have the second problem, but I was thinking about it last night and realized that I'm getting my wisdom teeth out next summer. Now, If I wanted to kill two birds with one stone...

I somewhat agree. This is why I don't like Kurzweil that much - he seems to have some sort of a distaste for being human, and desires what basically amounts to a hivemind.

Kurzweil has proven to be a combination of great and terrible. On one hand, he's made very accurate predictions which have come to pass (the fall of the USSR and rise of the internet in the 90's are the big ones). On the other, he goes outside his field and advocates things that have not been proven all the time. He really needs to learn his limits.

[lemon10]

I think people make the mistake of underestimating human potential in its current state. Specific augmentations may be more convenient, but it's really trivial unless it has something to do with the brain. If you go that far, and you're actually changing what defines an individual, then that's when people should step back and appreciate life as it is. It's a solution in search of a problem, and I doubt having a third arm sticking out of my chest would really make me happier, or a computer to make math easier.

Assuming that all that we have are the biological drives that have evolved over time and move us forward, imperfect as they are, removing them leaves us with nothing, and existence becomes utterly meaningless. But using augmentation as a tool... whatever, it's convenience, not philosophy. Take it further and I feel it's dangerous territory.

I have to disagree. It just seems so limited to stop with what you are given.
If you have a choice between better sight and what you are given by nature, why choose the one that is worse? (And I assume that you would wear glasses or take laser eye surgery if it was freely available to you, and it would really help your vision.)

Similarly, I don't see any reason why this really differs in the mental aspects. If you can make it so that you have photographic memory, or you can halve your reaction time, or trivialize basic math, outside of safety and cost concerns why wouldn't you?

Using cybernetics or genetic engineering to improve on humans and grant them unnatural abilities is a little different, and while I think it's something that we as a species should embrace without fear, I believe that there is a kernel of truth to many cyberpunk and transhumanist works that depict humans falling into classes of haves and have nots that only gets worse due to the introduction of human enhancement.  If we could somehow magically eliminate scarcity and provide such enhancement to everyone worldwide, that still wouldn't be enough due to things like religious or personal beliefs causing some people to deny the enhancements.  What do you do then?

I would probably give them all to everyone who wanted them, and give basic quality of life ones to their kids when they are born, irregardless of the wishes of their parents.
Its one thing to not want perfect health, its another to decide that for your kid based on your religious beliefs.

[SalmonGod]

PTW

Quite interested in the topic.  Not much to say, other than it's definitely something our culture needs to start taking seriously.  Although I can't help but hesitate to say that, knowing how many people have negative emotional reactions to the idea and reject it outright. 

I went through a phase in my late teens/early twenties where I was enamored with the concept of nanotechnology.  I used it as a subject in my speech class, and was surprised to be met with a fairly hostile reaction from most of the class.

I suggest perusing Eclipse Phase as some fun introductory reading for anyone who doesn't know the subject very well

[Mictlantecuhtli]

I will take the first experimental laser/cyber arm implants, risks and all.

Because robot limbs.

[LordBucket]

In general I approve of transhumanism. I feel no particular attachment to this species or its form. However, I'd advise caution when tinkering with things like genes. Side effects might not always be immediately evident. It would be unfortunate, to enhance one generation only to discover 20 years later than their children have massive problems...and to then have those problematic genes heavily established in the gene pool.


Also:

http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/78875-human-ir-vision-project/

No surgery required.

[10ebbor10]

Seems quite risky, but yeah, humans can already see in the Near Infrared spectra, so it's not that farfetched.

[scrdest]

In general I approve of transhumanism. I feel no particular attachment to this species or its form. However, I'd advise caution when tinkering with things like genes. Side effects might not always be immediately evident. It would be unfortunate, to enhance one generation only to discover 20 years later than their children have massive problems...and to then have those problematic genes heavily established in the gene pool.
No surgery required.

And this is why genetic diversity is a good thing. I don't think it would be a problem, actually. Messing with children's genes on a large scale seems too much like a certain ugly thing that starts with 'E' and ends in 'ugenics' anyway, and modifying genes in adults will not make the genes transfer to children - you only want to modify somatic cells after all.

Besides, even from a most cynical POV, it is going to be much more profitable to treat adults rather than modify germ cells to give the desired traits to all the descendants of a person.

[Frumple]

I will take the first experimental laser/cyber arm implants, risks and all.

Because robot limbs.

Didn't they get a (somewhat?) working brain/prosthesis interface just in the past few years? Fairly sure I remember hearing about that, at the very least for legs. Point being we've (probably, if my memory hasn't spazzed out again) got robot limbs. Right here. Right now.

They're just kinda' ridiculously expensive, in a general sense, and I don't think they're very fancy yet. Probably limited to people that have lost limbs involuntarily, too.

[Mictlantecuhtli]

I'm mostly banking on my new cyber arm having a built in lighter.

[Owlbread]

If I could, I don't think I'd really like to change much about my body because I'm happy with who I am. I'd like to live forever though, that's the only superpower I would ever want. I would gladly live forever. If time begins to speed up and I see people withering dying around me like flowers I'll just opt out, but hopefully not before I see this ride to the end. You know, heat death of the universe and all that. I'd really love to see mankind in a trillion years time, long scale. Fly to other galaxies, maybe go back in time if it is possible.

I'd probably make a point of looking pretty much the same as I am now (i.e. an unchanged human) so I remain an example of what humankind was like all those years ago. I'll be able to freak out all the bald, bug eyed, small-nosed greys that make up our descendents by waving my beard at them and wriggling my toes. By then I would look like Old Father Time. I'd wait until all of the information that I know now about our history and the earth dies and fades away so I can tell the greys about the glory of Scotland, how it was always free and independent and the greatest power on the planet. How we subjugated our enemies and eventually became so powerful that we transcended the mortal plane. Maybe one day I will convince them to worship Scotland as a heavenly Rome-like entity. They will not understand, perhaps disbelieve me, but I will let forth a peal of earthy laughter through my mountainous beard, speaking in ancient, millenial tongues unknown to them. Calling them gusty arse weasels perhaps.

Whenever mankind would render itself nearly extinct somehow, I would seal myself in a grand temple (to pay for it I would invest 10 pence in a bank and leave it for a million years or something) and begin growing my beard for centuries with teams of robots (dressed as monks) who would write the history of the universe in the braids of my beard, using a variety of codes and messages. My beard would fill the halls of the temple providing future explorers with information about everything from the big bang to oil paintings to Sudanese football scores. All references however to religion, genocide, murder, greed, capitalism, the general cruelty of man and Fife would be removed. Even masterful paintings would be recreated, such as the Mona Lisa. The hairs of the beard would be woven tightly into sheets, then painted. When the survivors of the apocalypse find me amongst the folds, I would then found my religion.

As for transhumanism in general I take the approach that technology and transhumanism is natural. Humanity is a part of nature, and if we manipulate ourselves, we aren't "going against nature", we're just a part of nature making a decision.

[kisame12794]

Post to watch. I'm not against transhumanisim, and am considering getting the magnetic implants, mostly because I wonder what it would feel like? What does this world have to offer that we can't see? I'm also seeing the potential benefit of the implants in my chosen trade of welding. Being able to narrow down the identity of an unknown piece of metal just by touching it would help immensely, as would being able to tell if a wire is live or not. Hell, I might even be able to feel if my amperage is correct by how strong the magnetic field is. To me, it's less aesthetic and more practical. How does this help me do my job?

[Eric Blank]

All references however to religion, genocide, murder, greed, capitalism, the general cruelty of man and Fife would be removed.

Excluding any part of our known history would be unethical and a disservice to our descendents. Your beard should at least go over why you believe these things are harmful to humanity.