edical technology is evolving right in front of our eyes. We need only open them and see.
Popular Mechanics( http://www.popularmechanics.com/ ) published a small piece about a new prosthetic limb and another about a rudimentary artificial eye.
The prosthetic limb directly interfaces with the brain, allowing it to move nearly as fast as a human limb with improved dexterity versus previous prosthetic arms. More info can be found at www.popularmechanics.com/, www.hdtglobal.com/, and http://gazette.jhu.edu/2010/07/19/apl-gets-funding-to-test-thought-controlled-prosthetic-limb/. Very I-Robot.
Now, the eye, or, more accurately, the artificial retina, is essentially a camera in the center of a pair of glasses. This is connected to a processor that sends electrical signals to the optic nerve. Again, this effectively interfaces directly with the nervous system, and sends signals to the occipital lobe, where the brain processes vision and visual association. More info can be found at http://uscnews.usc.edu/science_technology/breakthrough_award_goes_to_artificial_retina_team.html, http://www.2-sight.com/, and Popular Mechanics site also.
If I plagiarized, and I don't believe I did, all info came from the fore mentioned sites and sources, and all credit goes to the respective parties.
This is where we, as the human race, are at now. If these advances follow Moore's Law, then tech related to the prosthetic arm will advance fairly quickly. Who knows, maybe, within ten years, Bio-compatible prostheses will be on the market. Combined with some other things I have seen, prostheses could be faster and stronger than the parts they replace.
As for the retina, it may be a bit longer, twenty or thirty years, barring incredible, unforeseen advances. However, the British(?) film Doomsday offers some intriguing ideas.
Smarter, faster, Full conversion or partial...(RIFTS anyone?) Who knows? Maybe even in our lifetimes.
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Friday, November 4, 2011
Something In the Way
Evolution. "Which is, of course, what this is all about." Agent Smith, in The Matrix(1999, Fox Studios/Village roadshow pictures) faces a similar dilemma that we, as modern humans, do. He wants out of his currently restrictive existence. However, there is something in the way: Zion, the last human city. The main difference between Agent Smith and many H.Sapiens is the fact that he knows how to solve his problem. Get the codes to crack the mainframe, destroy the free humans, and he no longer needs to be inside the Matrix. It's not that easy for us.
Our Matrix, the planet Earth, holds us rather tightly. It protects us with atmosphere and magnetic field. It currently produces enough food for the human race to survive. Barring a sudden natural catastrophe, on Earth, we humans have it pretty good. Added to all that is the fact that we don't really have a need to evolve.
A 30.06 rifle is sufficient to take down any animal we consider food. A combine and tractor is more than enough to harvest all the grain we need, and our hands are perfect for gathering vegetables and fruit. A pair of boots, some rope, and minimal climbing gear are adequate to take the average human being to any part of our biosphere that has the ability to support them as an organism. There is no earthly necessity for us, as a species, to evolve. Again, this is barring unforeseen, sudden catastrophe. Our lack of need to evolve in relation to the challenges provided by our environment is the roadblock for humanity. Somethiiiiiiiiing in the way, ye-ah, mmmmmmmmm-mmmmm....(Nirvana)
Now, many die-offs in Earth's history are directly related to sudden, catastrophic events(I apologize, I so rarely use "catastrophe" in conversation, and it's such a nice word), I realize this. However, many species that have disappeared did so gradually, as they lost the fight for food, the reigning champion among reasons for evolution. I would like to think that, at least on Earth, our species has nothing to fear when it comes to competition for food sources. However, a species that no longer evolves has the annoying habit of dying off. So, where will the impetus for our evolution come from?
Ourselves. The overall problem with Natural Evolution is that it lacks the ability to adapt an organism for, say, a caldera erupting on our planet, and smothering all life in ash. This is a very likely scenario, should Yosemite decide to pop.
I believe we would survive as a species. Face masks, mre's, wind-powered hydroponics houses, and human stubbornness would see us through. Biodiversity would vanish, which would be a problem. Again, this would not necessarily be a factor that would force evolution upon us. Even if Yosemit should blow its top, it's not a guarantee that the power grid in Europe would be terribly effected. Also, coal-fired, oil-fired and nuclear power-plants do not necessarily need the sun to function. So, the possibility that humanity would have enough power to run successful, large-scale hydroponics operations coupled with indoor farms exists.
The new "nature" still would not present a case for us to evolve. Nature, once our greatest cause for advancement, will be, or is, our primary impediment. So, we are stuck with the fact that we need to expand our environment in order to introduce new factors for progression.
In order to expand our environment, we would need to become a space-faring species. Radiation is the greatest problem we face as an extraterrestrial species, along with sustenance and space junk like micrometeorites, and space itself.
To ease the impact of these factors in the short run, bio-mechanical solutions can be made available in an incredibly short time. As we speak(or read, in this case), prosthetic limbs are being developed that interface with the human nervous system. This is to accomplish the task of making artificial limbs as fast as the biological limbs they seek to imitate or replace. Also, devices that provide tactile feedback to the brain are being experimented with.
By "upgrading" our bodies, we may be able to become faster, stronger, and more durable. The less outside help we need in the form of sustenance, the greater our survivability as an extraterrestrial species. In essence, we would be forcing evolution on ourselves. Going in the direction we choose. Since nature won't give us what we need to progress as a species, we will do it ourselves.
Our Matrix, the planet Earth, holds us rather tightly. It protects us with atmosphere and magnetic field. It currently produces enough food for the human race to survive. Barring a sudden natural catastrophe, on Earth, we humans have it pretty good. Added to all that is the fact that we don't really have a need to evolve.
A 30.06 rifle is sufficient to take down any animal we consider food. A combine and tractor is more than enough to harvest all the grain we need, and our hands are perfect for gathering vegetables and fruit. A pair of boots, some rope, and minimal climbing gear are adequate to take the average human being to any part of our biosphere that has the ability to support them as an organism. There is no earthly necessity for us, as a species, to evolve. Again, this is barring unforeseen, sudden catastrophe. Our lack of need to evolve in relation to the challenges provided by our environment is the roadblock for humanity. Somethiiiiiiiiing in the way, ye-ah, mmmmmmmmm-mmmmm....(Nirvana)
Now, many die-offs in Earth's history are directly related to sudden, catastrophic events(I apologize, I so rarely use "catastrophe" in conversation, and it's such a nice word), I realize this. However, many species that have disappeared did so gradually, as they lost the fight for food, the reigning champion among reasons for evolution. I would like to think that, at least on Earth, our species has nothing to fear when it comes to competition for food sources. However, a species that no longer evolves has the annoying habit of dying off. So, where will the impetus for our evolution come from?
Ourselves. The overall problem with Natural Evolution is that it lacks the ability to adapt an organism for, say, a caldera erupting on our planet, and smothering all life in ash. This is a very likely scenario, should Yosemite decide to pop.
I believe we would survive as a species. Face masks, mre's, wind-powered hydroponics houses, and human stubbornness would see us through. Biodiversity would vanish, which would be a problem. Again, this would not necessarily be a factor that would force evolution upon us. Even if Yosemit should blow its top, it's not a guarantee that the power grid in Europe would be terribly effected. Also, coal-fired, oil-fired and nuclear power-plants do not necessarily need the sun to function. So, the possibility that humanity would have enough power to run successful, large-scale hydroponics operations coupled with indoor farms exists.
The new "nature" still would not present a case for us to evolve. Nature, once our greatest cause for advancement, will be, or is, our primary impediment. So, we are stuck with the fact that we need to expand our environment in order to introduce new factors for progression.
In order to expand our environment, we would need to become a space-faring species. Radiation is the greatest problem we face as an extraterrestrial species, along with sustenance and space junk like micrometeorites, and space itself.
To ease the impact of these factors in the short run, bio-mechanical solutions can be made available in an incredibly short time. As we speak(or read, in this case), prosthetic limbs are being developed that interface with the human nervous system. This is to accomplish the task of making artificial limbs as fast as the biological limbs they seek to imitate or replace. Also, devices that provide tactile feedback to the brain are being experimented with.
By "upgrading" our bodies, we may be able to become faster, stronger, and more durable. The less outside help we need in the form of sustenance, the greater our survivability as an extraterrestrial species. In essence, we would be forcing evolution on ourselves. Going in the direction we choose. Since nature won't give us what we need to progress as a species, we will do it ourselves.
Homo Sapiens Versatility as a species
 |
| The Cheetah evolved perfectly for the savannah-and nowhere else. |
Now, when one looks at nature, one may see many different examples of specialized species: praying mantis, penguin, cheetah, orca, the list goes on and on. Each animal in the animal kingdom has admirable qualities. Yet, nearly every animal in the biosphere, when taken out of their environment, is done for.
However, there is one animal that has avoided this pitfall. This animal has survival instincts so versatile, its survival is not tied to any one climate or environment type. The Homo Sapiens.
However, H. Sapiens has hit the evolutionary doldrums. Overall, our environment no longer provides factors to force large evolutionary advances. So, many of us now seek to decide where we should go as a species.
Now, science is advancing very rapidly. As science advances, so does our ability to manipulate ourselves, down to the genetic level. We are even approaching the ability to integrate mechanical advances into our bodies. Neither of these areas will stop development, as research is, overall, in the best interests of humanity. The problem here is the possibility that we will paint ourselves into a corner, so to speak.
We must monitor genetics research, as well as bio-mechanic development, in order to prevent ourselves from becoming over-specialized. If we do not, the distinct possibility arises that we may create several subspecies within H. Sapiens. This would be disastrous, as Race, a functionally dead concept, would come to the forefront once again, this time with actual basis in genetic or bio-mechanic fact. Also, every species that has become overspecialized has either succumbed to extinction, or is on the way.
We must seek to upgrade ourselves realistically, so we do not downgrade ourselves in reality.
Transhumanism In Action!
I am a Transhumanist. I believe that we, as a species, should use science and technology to advance our existence. Of course, medical technology will be at the forefront of the advancement, for obvious reasons.
There is one medical advancement that tenuously falls under the purview of transhumanism. Something that started out as a method of improving the quality of life of people who had disfiguring scars or a condition that led to a large amount of insecurity. Later, as looks began to mean everything, cosmetic surgery was turned from a medical procedure for the scar-laden insecure to an elective surgery for insecure retards with too much money. Wanna see?
Very attractive super-woman, capable of keeping an entire A-380 afloat!
Once a sex symbol, now... an... I don't know what.
The most perfect example of too much of a good thing...
How is this an improvement?
Hmmmm... Maybe mike didn't get surgery...
I'm sorry, accidentally downloaded a livestock photo....
Now, despite my previous comments, these pictures aren't here for derision, they're here to prove a point. Something that was meant to improve the lives of the unfortunate is now a monstrous addiction for the too-fortunate.
The irresponsible use of cosmetic surgery should serve as an example to those that have the knowledge to further transhumanism. It is an example of the abuses that will come. Nothing can stop that. We, as a species, tend to be completely and utterly uncaring when it comes to the consequences of our actions. Something must be done to counteract the damage we will do when we realize transhumanity. We should start fixing the problem now.
All pictures thanks to:Celebrityplasticpics.com
Plasticsergeant.com
Awfulplasticsurgery.com
LONG LIVE THE KING!
There is one medical advancement that tenuously falls under the purview of transhumanism. Something that started out as a method of improving the quality of life of people who had disfiguring scars or a condition that led to a large amount of insecurity. Later, as looks began to mean everything, cosmetic surgery was turned from a medical procedure for the scar-laden insecure to an elective surgery for insecure retards with too much money. Wanna see?
Hmmmm... Maybe mike didn't get surgery...
- from workin 9 to 5 to paying to look 95
The irresponsible use of cosmetic surgery should serve as an example to those that have the knowledge to further transhumanism. It is an example of the abuses that will come. Nothing can stop that. We, as a species, tend to be completely and utterly uncaring when it comes to the consequences of our actions. Something must be done to counteract the damage we will do when we realize transhumanity. We should start fixing the problem now.
All pictures thanks to:Celebrityplasticpics.com
Plasticsergeant.com
Awfulplasticsurgery.com
LONG LIVE THE KING!
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