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comment by theadvancedapes

I feel as though the technocultural process will eventually completely model and overtake the biochemical process. So by the death of biological sex I mean the actual death of sharing gametes, period. Humans at the moment are caught between two worlds - the biochemical world and the technocultural world. We have been cyborgs since our birth as a species. But if there is one undeniable trend - it has been towards creation of a world with more and more technoculture. In fact, it is the technoculture that we view as uniquely human. Everything that is biochemical is what we share with animals.

At the end of this century I think sex will just be sharing brain patterns with an infinite combination of other minds. The path to this type of sex has already started (and is accelerating). Biological sex won't be dead in the Global Brain - but it will be dead a few decades into the Global Brain (IMO).





humanodon  ·  3817 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I see what you mean by technoculture being viewed as more human and the biochemical being seen as animalistic. If I'm being honest, I have always thought that people who deny their animal natures as somewhat neutered and lacking in vitality. As exciting as high technology is, I suspect that it will be difficult to eradicate the animal from the human. I understand that this is not necessarily an overt goal, but I find it weird that people are uncomfortable with being animals, since it's something I happen to enjoy. If technology really results in a variety of choices in regard to body augmentation then it will be interesting to see how people choose to use it.

For sex to leave the animal world, it will have to satisfy better in a majority of ways. I can't imagine how though, since my experiences are all of course, biological. But even in the biological, the mind is important, that can't be denied.

theadvancedapes  ·  3817 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I certainly don't deny my "animal natures". I just feel like we are in the process of modelling biochemistry - and then we will redesign our biochemistry, and then we will ultimately replace our biochemistry completely with technoculture. I'm just starting to feel like we can actually quantify this transition and perhaps extrapolate to understand roughly the decade within which the transition will occur. I feel like once we can share our thoughts directly (post-language) this will open up massively powerful sensual experiences that biological sex can't match. Also, once we live indefinitely reproductive will have lost its function.

I know there are a lot of assumptions in this perspective - but I feel like the trends are strong and should reach full maturity given my perspective on the global brain's capabilities. I basically think collective mindspheres were replace biological sex. Of course, people will use collective mind spheres in different ways - but they will all be fundamentally technocultural bases - not biochemical bases - and will not involve the sharing of gametes.

humanodon  ·  3817 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I certainly don't deny my "animal natures".

I didn't mean you specifically, sorry if that was unclear! I'm sure you've seen the kind of people I'm talking about though. I meant the kind of people that refuse to accept that the neat, clean styrofoam packs of water plumped chicken breast, has anything to do with the clucking, pecking and shitting thing that a chicken is.

This possible transition though, from a physical-mental state into a purely mental state-- how would the senses transition? I guess that's part of what I'm trying to better understand. So, in thought only interactions, then how will social cues change? Surely, there would be need for people who are only familiar with physical social cues would have a problem when there is no facial expression to see, or body language to read. To extend this, sex is now generally initiated and agreed upon through the subtleties of these physical expressions in addition to the subtleties of verbal communication. I have rarely said to a woman, "let's have sex" and had her agree. Most often, the response is either, "no" or some version of, "no! we need to do the dance!"

I don't know enough about the trends to refute you and it does seem that at the very least, the possibility of what you are saying is already in the public consciousness to some degree, if only because there have been so many science fiction scenarios where intelligent beings have somehow transcended their bodies. It is interesting though, that those that have transcended their bodies tend to be bad guys.

theadvancedapes  ·  3817 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    from a physical-mental state into a purely mental state

Mental states are physical states. They have a physical basis. We will still have bodies. They will just not be biochemical in nature (IMO).

    I have rarely said to a woman, "let's have sex" and had her agree. Most often, the response is either, "no" or some version of, "no! we need to do the dance!"

Yes, there is an evolved sexual mating pattern. This will completely be wiped away and replaced with memetic information transfer (instead of genetic information transfer) - "sex" will be completely idea sex and it will have different contexts for who wants to have idea sex with who (just as happens today).

    It is interesting though, that those that have transcended their bodies tend to be bad guys.

Yes, all Hollywood science fiction and most other science fiction portray anyone who has fundamentally altered their "human-ness" to be "bad". It is a disappointing aspect of science fiction, but not all science fiction is guilty of this. There will come a point in time when transhumanism will not be demonized or constantly woven into fear-mongering narrative structures.