Becoming posthuman

[mina.magpie]

Okay, so I've been intrigued by transhumanism* and just the ... idea of taking our own evolution consciously in hand with technologies like AI and genetic engineering nootropic drugs and cybernetics and the like since I was really small and saw bionic six for the first time, and it's stayed with me since.

On the one hand it's really rather ... ghoulish, kind-of like we'd be becoming less than human without really even understanding what human is or what we are truly capable of. On the other hand, the idea of being able to jack directly into a cybernetic network ... call it web 4.0 or being able to delay aging and see what the next 100 years have in store for us ... it's damn seductive.

So what do y'all think about it? Good idea, bad idee, and why? Also, how close do you think it is - imminent threat or techie pipedream?

Mina.

* Transhumanism is the process by which one becomes posthuman.

[jee]

zhheeze woman! its hard enough to be human! (specially this time of a Monday) - let us clean the house, take a bath, find that G&T and then talk about elves, pixies and cyber-eye e-books

[rustypup]

Transhumanism is the process by which one becomes posthuman.

i believe the local graveyard is packed to capacity with posthumans...

"posthuman", as a phrase meant to describe assisted-existence is a trifle silly...

[Nuke]

I always loved that idea, if I get the chance I will do it anytime. Everyone gets a basic(though differing) body template, how you edit it is upto you.

[Tribble]

I have no problem with that - jacking into technology doesn't mean we are no longer human. Or humanity lies in our compassion and love - in our ability and desire to help others. (So many of our humans are already inhumane). I would love to have immediate and constant access to everything.

[jee]

It reminds me of Anne McGaffrey's Brainship series.

[Tribble]

jee, I will have to look that one up. Not heard of it.

[RuadRauFlessa]

It reminds me of Anne McGaffrey's Brainship series.

Hmmm.... Looks like an interesting read.

[jee]

Its the most magical series where medical science "creates" a body for a malformed baby - the neurons are linked with technology, and the person's body becomes a spaceship. Linked to the Brainship is a Brawn, or the pilot and the two forms a partnership to get up to all kinds of adventures. There is off course the Brain that runs (embodies?) one of the biggest Space posts. Brilliant reading, and after reading that, i have always wanted my own Brain

[mina.magpie]

It reminds me of Anne McGaffrey's Brainship series.

Hmmm.... Looks like an interesting read.

Another really cool read, if you can get your hands on it, is Transhuman Space. It's actually a sourcebook for the GURPS roleplaying system, but a fascinating read by itself. It's hard SF, so very technical, detailed and well researched, projecting our current levels of tech and how quickly we're progressing forward by 100 years.

Also, Ian M. Banks' "Culture" books are brilliant.

Wow. I read all McCaffrey's Pern books when I was younger, but that sounds really cool.

Mina.

[jee]

A brainship is a fictional interstellar starship from the Brain and Brawn Ship series of stories by Anne McCaffrey.

In the McCaffrey universe, brainships begin from the brains and nervous systems of human beings who have been born so severely disabled that the best medical treatment would still not allow them to live independently. These people are given the choice to train as shellpersons, to eventually be hardwired into a life support system with their sensory input and motor nerves connected through a computer to a surrounding ship. Shellpersons can actually "feel" the various ship systems, wings, engines, etc, as if they were part of their own body, and react with the speed of a computer, but still use their human brains to make intelligent decisions based on their computer calculations.

Brainships serve as starship pilots while paying off their debt for education and hardware - and then in whatever capacity they choose, as free agents. The brainship is partnered with a "brawn", an ambulatory human who does the work that the immobile shellperson and ship cannot.

When asked how she came up with the idea, McCaffrey says, "I remember reading a story about a woman searching for her son's brain, it had been used for an autopilot on an ore ship and she wanted to find it and give it surcease. And I thought what if severely disabled people were given a chance to become starships? So that's how The Ship Who Sang was born

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainship

Oh noes! not Warhammer! mind, i have read the graphic novels, and my 12 year old nephew REALLY wants to play Warhammer... I have not yet decided to tell his mother if he should

I'm not sure if i would like some bionic parts tho, althoug if not able to move, and still mentally there (a tad possible at most times, i know) i would not mind having my neurons and nerves inplanted/connected/Etherneted to something large and mechanical.... mind, i love Mecha...

[Tribble]

I shall make a plan to familiarize myself with those.

[hamin_aus]

taking our own evolution consciously in hand with technologies like AI and genetic engineering nootropic drugs and cybernetics and the like

Well I'm all for genetic engineering.
I would love to have had the genes for farsightedness, heart disease, dancing like a white guy and all my other genetic shortfalls removed while I was still just a zygote...

[mina.magpie]

Oh noes! not Warhammer! mind, i have read the graphic novels, and my 12 year old nephew REALLY wants to play Warhammer... I have not yet decided to tell his mother if he should

Well, it's originally a tabletop wargame, so it's pretty tame - basically very elaborate chess. The worst your nephew is likely to suffer is to develop the tactical sense of Alexander the Great and be labelled a geek for the rest of his life.

Both the Warhammer and Warhammer 40K universes are pretty violent and disturbing though, so the novels can get heavy. They're novels though, and most likely if your nephew reads much SF or fantasy anyway he's read much worse.

Where I would be careful is on the computer games. They portray the settings very faithfully. For an idea of what I mean, have a look at the video clip in this thread:

http://forums.pcformat.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=34056

12 is maybe just a wee bit young for that.

... dancing like a white guy and all my other genetic shortfalls removed while I was still just a zygote...

Well, as long as you can jump like Woody Harrelson, you should be fine.

Mina.

[Prime]

It reminds me of Anne McGaffrey's Brainship series.

Hmmm.... Looks like an interesting read.

Another really cool read, if you can get your hands on it, is Transhuman Space. It's actually a sourcebook for the GURPS roleplaying system, but a fascinating read by itself. It's hard SF, so very technical, detailed and well researched, projecting our current levels of tech and how quickly we're progressing forward by 100 years.

Also, Ian M. Banks' "Culture" books are brilliant.

Wow. I read all McCaffrey's Pern books when I was younger, but that sounds really cool.

Mina.

I'm still busy on the d20 Scifi stuff. I finally found a copy of dark matter


-----------------------

I've always wanted bionic legs and arms and hands and feet of course.


"who's a mechanical man? i'm a mechanical man!" RA2 anyone?

[Prime]

Oh noes! not Warhammer! mind, i have read the graphic novels, and my 12 year old nephew REALLY wants to play Warhammer... I have not yet decided to tell his mother if he should

Well, it's originally a tabletop wargame, so it's pretty tame - basically very elaborate chess. The worst your nephew is likely to suffer is to develop the tactical sense of Alexander the Great and be labelled a geek for the rest of his life.

Both the Warhammer and Warhammer 40K universes are pretty violent and disturbing though, so the novels can get heavy. They're novels though, and most likely if your nephew reads much SF or fantasy anyway he's read much worse.

Where I would be careful is on the computer games. They portray the settings very faithfully. For an idea of what I mean, have a look at the video clip in this thread:

http://forums.pcformat.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=34056

12 is maybe just a wee bit young for that.

... dancing like a white guy and all my other genetic shortfalls removed while I was still just a zygote...

Well, as long as you can jump like Woody Harrelson, you should be fine.

Mina.

Further derailing this topic: the thing about table top games is that the depth of the game is in the hands of the players and sometimes the game master. this element normally gets lost in computer games.

[mina.magpie]

Further derailing this topic: the thing about table top games is that the depth of the game is in the hands of the players and sometimes the game master. this element normally gets lost in computer games.

LOL. I think 40K is totally on topic. Space Marines are so augmented and engineered you'd be hard-pressed calling them human.

I mean, here's just some of the genetic and surgical augmentations they have:

# Secondary Heart - This is the first and least difficult implant to install. The Secondary Heart increases blood supply and pumping capacity and is capable of taking over entirely should the primary heart fail.
# Ossmudula - This implant strengthens the skeleton of a Space Marine by inducing the bones to absorb a ceramic-based substance administered in a Marine's diet. Within two years after the surgery, the Marine's skeleton will be larger and exponentially stronger; and the rib cage will be fused into a solid bone plate.
# Biscopea - Implanted into the chest cavity, this implant massively bolsters muscle development and density throughout the Marine's body. This is commonly implanted at the same time as the Ossmodula.
# Haemastamen - Implanted into a main blood vessel, the Haemastamen alters the Marine's blood composition to carry oxygen and nutrients more efficiently.
# Larraman's Organ - This organ manufactures Larraman Cells. These serve the purpose of platelets, but act faster and more effectively. When a Marine is wounded, Larraman Cells are released, attached to leukocytes. At the site of the injury, they form scar tissue in a matter of seconds, effectively preventing massive blood loss and infection.
# Catalepsean Node - Implanted into the back of the brain, this implant allows a marine to not sleep, instead entering a four-hour, almost comatose trance where they "recharge". It also allows the resting of half the brain while the other remains alert, thus removing the need for total sleep. The longest known record of any space marine going without rest while on active combat duty is 319 hours by a member of the Crimson Fists.

Okay. I think I'm starting to fly my geek colours just a bit too proudly now. Laters all.

Mina.

[GreyWolf]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainship

Oh noes! not Warhammer! mind, i have read the graphic novels, and my 12 year old nephew REALLY wants to play Warhammer... I have not yet decided to tell his mother if he should

I'm not sure if i would like some bionic parts tho, althoug if not able to move, and still mentally there (a tad possible at most times, i know) i would not mind having my neurons and nerves inplanted/connected/Etherneted to something large and mechanical.... mind, i love Mecha...

nothing wrong with warhammer. it is based in such a remote setting that i doubt it would have that much of a detrimental effect on a young mind.

[Prime]

Further derailing this topic: the thing about table top games is that the depth of the game is in the hands of the players and sometimes the game master. this element normally gets lost in computer games.

LOL. I think 40K is totally on topic. Space Marines are so augmented and engineered you'd be hard-pressed calling them human.

This is true

I mean, here's just some of the genetic and surgical augmentations they have:

# Secondary Heart - This is the first and least difficult implant to install. The Secondary Heart increases blood supply and pumping capacity and is capable of taking over entirely should the primary heart fail.
# Ossmudula - This implant strengthens the skeleton of a Space Marine by inducing the bones to absorb a ceramic-based substance administered in a Marine's diet. Within two years after the surgery, the Marine's skeleton will be larger and exponentially stronger; and the rib cage will be fused into a solid bone plate.
# Biscopea - Implanted into the chest cavity, this implant massively bolsters muscle development and density throughout the Marine's body. This is commonly implanted at the same time as the Ossmodula.
# Haemastamen - Implanted into a main blood vessel, the Haemastamen alters the Marine's blood composition to carry oxygen and nutrients more efficiently.
# Larraman's Organ - This organ manufactures Larraman Cells. These serve the purpose of platelets, but act faster and more effectively. When a Marine is wounded, Larraman Cells are released, attached to leukocytes. At the site of the injury, they form scar tissue in a matter of seconds, effectively preventing massive blood loss and infection.
# Catalepsean Node - Implanted into the back of the brain, this implant allows a marine to not sleep, instead entering a four-hour, almost comatose trance where they "recharge". It also allows the resting of half the brain while the other remains alert, thus removing the need for total sleep. The longest known record of any space marine going without rest while on active combat duty is 319 hours by a member of the Crimson Fists.

Okay. I think I'm starting to fly my geek colours just a bit too proudly now. Laters all.

Mina.

Hmmm, this gives me some good ideas for a D20 campaign.


Did any of you ever read the article about reading university cybernetics department? The head professor implanted a micro chip in his arm which could interact with various things in the building.

I'll find the page if you like?

[jee]

yes, we like...

[mina.magpie]

You're talking about Dr. Kevin Warwick, I think. He controls the doors and stuff in his lab via thought.

Mina.

[mina.magpie]

Here's his homepage:

http://www.kevinwarwick.com/

and wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Warwick

Mina.

[Prime]

mina.magpie, Yup, Spot on

[Prime]

http://www.kevinwarwick.com/Cyborg2.htm

[qwiksilva666]

biomechanical augmentation? bring it on i want super-everything.