The future of humanity: scifi made real

[Egeides]

This seems like a wide subject, right? Well the reason why I'm bringing this is because I think that I found something permitting to restrain the subject and to truly bring a serious glance at it. Of course, everyone on this board understands the link to Dune and Herbert's way to look at things. But here, it is complete academic material:

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/FUTEVOL.html

Where do you think future leads? What do you think of all this, and why?

[Wolf]

You're really into this, aren't you?

[nampigai]

offcourse, he's Canadian....they're allready making Frank Herberts fantasy a reality....

Ege are you still experimenting with living in a container full of cinamon gasses? Let me know the outcome will you?

[Egeides]

Well it may be alot too early in many cases, but anyway it does bring interesting questions.

Like how the human network is truly similar to our cell network. Our whole body acts in a certain way, and the whole humanity also acts in similar ways, and so on. This means that there is a general rule to all this, and there's a reason why it is similar on certain aspects.

And on this, some brang a few things. Like: what can we see about evolution of technology, where does it lead? Are we even able to predict, with probabilities, something that's not even there right now? Will it continue to accelerate at this rythm?

We also can see the evolution of human ideas on the subject, from optimistic views to pessimistic views. The Jetsons, 1984, Brave New World, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, and so on. How did the notion of progress evolved? All this field brang questions, and some are still relevant and fertile.

What's so uncorrect about seeing an interesting potential in some of these things? It certainly isn't all right, but what could we expect from something still in its start and with weak foundations? Chemistry started like this (Alchemy), psychology also (Freud), same for historical method and so on. That's a reason why I'm interested into discussing it: it may lead to some new views with a potential. And anyway, we better understand this since these questions may come back as they were there years ago, and having something to base on other than jellyfish would be useful. For now, the question is not to know if someday it will lead to whattever what, but "How will evolve science?" "To which extent are we able to predict, as humans?" "How did human thaught evolved on the subject, and how can we block further errors?", etc.

To get back to the point: I said what I thaught about all this, is there anyone else interested into giving an opinion? It's only a start like alchemy, so an evaluation is still needed to bring a possible potential.

PS and edit: Simply asking a question doesn't make you conclude, and simply reading something doesn't make you believe what you read. The error is not to read something, but to deny your capacity to understand rationally right on the start.

[Caid Ivik]

Well, Dune may seem weird in many ways, but its political culture evolution is inevitable. I think world is going now straightly to new forms of feudalism.

[Egeides]

I tend to agree it is an actual tendency, and feudalism may come back (neo-feudalism) if this tendency really keeps like that for a long time. This is still not glued.

But another aspect this website brings, while pretty weird, is that many organisms brang together are not only a bunch of organism anymore, but really organisms + 1 big macro-organism. I wonder if we could stick a few dozens squirrels together and get a macro-squirrel coat ;D What makes many organisms to become X micros + 1 macro??? Where is this macro coming from?!

[TMA_1]

I think that Dune comprises one of billions of possible futures. It is realistic in it's own idea of our universe, but isnt inevitable.

[Edric O]

Nothing is inevitable. We make our own future.

We can speculate about possible futures, but we cannot know in advance which one of them will become true. We could build a truly wonderful society (you know what I have in mind ;) ) or we could exterminate ourselves in a nuclear holocaust. Our options are open.

We can't predict the future, but we CAN strive to make it a good future. This is what I am trying to do. Keep in mind that every single human being has a role in shaping the future. It is up to you to choose whether your role will be a positive or a negative one.

[Acriku]

The end is the only thing that is inevitable - the end of ourselves, our species, and our world.

And you're not making yourself seem more credible if you keep talking like such an optimist, Edric. Your last post is as corny as they can get.

[Edric O]

Corny, perhaps. But can you point out anything actually wrong with what I said?

And if you think I'm being overly optimistic, then you must have missed the "nuclear holocaust" comment...

I'm only telling people that the future is ultimately in their hands - which is perfectly true. If you want a better future, you have to actively work to achieve it.

Of course, the end of the universe is theoretically inevitable, but that's still more than 20 billion years into the future - and can you imagine what a 20 billion year old civilization would be capable of?

[Acriku]

Edric, I didn't say anything was wrong with it, and I certainly hope you're right, but I couldn't help but cringe at the corniness of it. Perhaps it's becoming too much of a cliche nowadays.

And your last question is assuming we last 20 billion years, and the end will take that long. Those are big assumptions.

[TMA_1]

hmm I believe the future is inevitable. Think of it like this. Though there are many possible futures, we in our consciousness only experiance the future we create. No matter what we have chosen our futures. Say I have three things I can choose edric.

1: spit on the computer screen, insulting you, then realizing I just made a big mess and am a huge idiot.lol

2: agree with you even though I really dont

3: tell you what I am telling you right now

See I chose one of the paths, and no matter what we are destined to choose one of multiple paths in the future, those paths are destined to be enacted. Prophesy is a perfect example of this "destiny" though I hate that word.

[Acriku]

So what you're saying is that we are destined to do what can be done in the future, and whatever is done is our destiny. Well, duh?