Oh most definitely agree. Sleeping is universal because it helps the brain rest and reorganize. Sleep is massively beneficial (obviously). However, once we understand the fundamental cause of a particular instinct (i.e., sleep, sex, etc.) we can, in principle, start to intelligently direct it how we would like it to be (as opposed to how natural selection designed it to be). My general philosophy is that the 20th century was spent understanding biological and physical law; while the 21st century will be spent tinkering it in profound ways. Tinkering with biological law will allow us to design our own conscious existence however we would like it to be. Tinkering with physical law will allow us to design space-time however we would like it to be. I doubt this entire process will take place this century. However, I do feel like we will make extreme strides this century towards redirecting our instincts in more preferable directions.
I understand where you're coming from, I just think that in this particular area I wouldn't be surprised if science thinks they've got a solution that allows for the elimination of sleep, while keeping people vitally energized both physically and mentally and it receives mass appeal, for obvious reasons. Then many years later people start to realize that for some reason, all the art, the songs, the literature are slightly less amazing or that they feel like their missing something, there's some void and they can't quite place what it is. I realize that they could create ways of getting people to a dream state immediately and for only 1 hour stretches to be more time efficient, but perhaps there's more to sleeping and dreaming than biology will reveal? It's a pretty amazing thing. Just playing devils advocate here, I have no scientific basis for any of this. However, I am a BIG fan of sleeping. I do it well.
Haha, fair enough. Sleep (or any other fundamental instinct) won't likely be changed easily or in the next few decades. I'd wager that sex and reproduction will be fundamentally altered quicker than sleep will be. However, I do see that the emergence of high-AI will be a selection pressure towards us altering our sleep profoundly in the 2050s. It won't be done if it substantially lowers our waking capabilities, and overcoming that will be a difficult challenge that I don't mean to underestimate. I just think the selection pressure will be strong enough and the intelligence in existence will be up to the task. Also, the necessary precursor technologies already exist.I am a BIG fan of sleeping. I do it well.