Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. I think that humanity has a serious problem with self-constraint. We feel we are destined -- that it is our right -- to control the natural order. What does eternal life mean for Earth's already diminishing resources? And besides that, would we even still be human? Sure, species evolve. But have they ever been self induced like this would be? I'll be watching humanity's self-destruction from the safety of my cave.
I know it may be hard to believe, but the event itself is not a moral question. It would be like a hunter-gatherer saying that everyone else is immoral for practicing agriculture or industry. The next transition is going to occur (unless we go extinct). High intelligence seems to be quite good at ordering nature to our own purposes. All life tries to do this - we are just the best at it. We are not perfect at it - the next intelligence will be better. The next system will be based on an infinite resource (e.g., solar). It would be a post-human world. No. High intelligence has never existed before. This seems to be what our intelligence is pushing towards. A complete eradication of the biochemical pathway - and a complete embrace of the technocultural pathway. The technocultural pathway is everything we consider human. The biochemical pathway is everything we consider animal. From this perspective you can say that the singularity will usher in the first true humans. I'm guessing I'll see you in the global brain.Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should.
We feel we are destined -- that it is our right -- to control the natural order.
What does eternal life mean for Earth's already diminishing resources?
And besides that, would we even still be human?
Sure, species evolve. But have they ever been self induced like this would be?
I'll be watching humanity's self-destruction from the safety of my cave.
One of the first posts I ever commented on was titled something along the lines of "What is your most controversial belief?" While I can't remember my comment verbatim, it was essentially that I believe any sort of control over nature is immoral, including agriculture and industry. Yes, I do use and benefit from them regularly. But only because I don't have a choice at present moment.It would be like a hunter-gatherer saying that everyone else is immoral for practicing agriculture or industry.