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There are moments throughout time where evolution pushes forward and different species are capable of evolving at a faster rate than usual. However, this accelerated rate of change takes anywhere from 10,000 years to a million years to occur. With the acceleration of technology in the past 50 years it may become impossible for human evolution to keep up with the pace of technology. What do we do when evolution can't keep up with the rate of change in technology that humans are now forced to confront?
Rebecca Costa | Facebook (http://www.lisp4.facebook.com/rebeccadcosta - broken link)
Despite having access to the technology to help alleviate global problems like starvation and famine, world governments haven’t found a cost efficient way to work together to solve them. Although wealthier nations do send aid throughout the world it’s still difficult to ensure that the people who are suffering actually receive the help they need. Corruption is prevalent throughout the world and to some degree even in developed western nations. As the world continues to become more complex, Rebecca Costa discusses the reasons her book "The Watchman's Rattle", is meant to resolve these problems.
BP Oil crisis - Complexity
Why does something as simple as an oil leak turn into a full blown out crisis? Part of the reason is that British Petroleum (BP) denied world wide help until BP realized that the oil leak was much greater than they had anticipated. Rebecca Costa discusses in her book “The Watchman’s Rattle”, how difficult it is to get people, businesses and governments to work together to solve problems. Even though we have access to the technology to prevent global epidemics like famine and starvation, they still occur despite our best efforts. What might start off as a simple problem can quickly escalate into a natural disaster if the appropriate response doesn’t happen immediately.
Rebecca Costa | Facebook (http://www.lisp4.facebook.com/rebeccadcosta - broken link)
I agree with Ray Kurzweil, who predicts that humans will transcend their biological entities and merge with computers and become cyborgs or outright androids.
However, unlike Kurzweil, I disagree that it will be for humanitarian or noble ideals that we transcend - I think it will be the opposite reason; survival. We humans will be unable to survive on our home planet at the rate of natural resource depletion and pollution of the biosphere. Therefore, we will be forced to transcend. This will open up the possibility of us exploring and colonizing other worlds since by becoming androids, we will have essentially become immortal.
Since humans are responsible for technological advances, it is impossible for technology to evolve faster than the species that controls it. Logic fail.
[quote=anewhope;15503968]What do we do when evolution can't keep up with the rate of change in technology that humans are now forced to confront?
Interesting question. I can think of two technologies that could, or have, outstripped the evolution of human wisdom (if such a thing even evolves): nuclear energy and recombinant DNA. Either of those technologies provide the means for the betterment or the downfall of humanity.
This is probably a horrible example, but it's what comes to mind and hopefully it'll be funny.
In the movie Jurassic Park, the scientist's took knowledge they used for granted, and spliced dinosaur DNA. Those scientist's didn't earn the knowledge of bioengineering of genetic scientists before hand, they took something and didn't even realize what they had before they used it. And then everyone was eaten by dinosaurs.
And I suppose that's the glory of science, to take all the research and confirmation learned by other scientists, to use that knowledge and conduct research that pushes science to the edge.
I'm saying that when scientist's try to make breakthrough's in research(fringe Science), that's when our evolution won't be able to keep up with technology. Which will lead to self destruction.
One mistake and ....... suddenly we got a problem that we don't know how to fix, like say Global Warming. All we can do is try to not make it worse.
[quote=anewhope;15519477]This is probably a horrible example, but it's what comes to mind and hopefully it'll be funny.
In the movie Jurassic Park, the scientist's took knowledge they used for granted, and spliced dinosaur DNA. Those scientist's didn't earn the knowledge of bioengineering of genetic scientists before hand, they took something and didn't even realize what they had before they used it. And then everyone was eaten by dinosaurs.
First off, its a movie. They took "freedoms" with what science can/cannot actually do. If referencing a movie is the best example you can come up with, that should tell you right off the bat that your argument doesn't hold water. How about a real-world example perhaps? Yes, it was a horrible example.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anewhope
And I suppose that's the glory of science, to take all the research and confirmation learned by other scientists, to use that knowledge and conduct research that pushes science to the edge.
What is your point here? Yes, that is the point of science, to push the envelope of knowledge.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anewhope
I'm saying that when scientist's try to make breakthrough's in research(fringe Science), that's when our evolution won't be able to keep up with technology. Which will lead to self destruction.
Again with the failed logic. That is the whole idea of science...to make breakthroughs. In what way has technology outpaced our ability to control it? Also failed logic: that technologic advancement automatically leads to self-destruction.
[quote=anewhope;15519477]One mistake and ....... suddenly we got a problem that we don't know how to fix, like say Global Warming. All we can do is try to not make it worse.[quote=anewhope;15519477][/font]
How is Global Warming an example of technology that spun out of control?????
Global Warming has a straight-forward cause: Too many many machines/factories producing too much carbon dioxide trapping heat in the earth atmosphere.
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Well......I thinking that humans (more daring humans) will use that technology to evolve themselves. Whether that going to be through the use of....for lack of a better word...Mechanical means, like adding computer chips in our brains or bodies.....perhap we'll evolve into something like Borg from star trek. Or perhaps we'll evolve ourselves further through the use of our advancing biological knowledge. I have no idea what that will do to us as a species. Or perhaps it will be a combination of the both.
I think the next 1000 years will be very interesting time for the human race as long as we don't destroy ourselves or end up in a another dark age.
There are moments throughout time where evolution pushes forward and different species are capable of evolving at a faster rate than usual. However, this accelerated rate of change takes anywhere from 10,000 years to a million years to occur. With the acceleration of technology in the past 50 years it may become impossible for human evolution to keep up with the pace of technology. What do we do when evolution can't keep up with the rate of change in technology that humans are now forced to confront?
Rebecca Costa | Facebook (http://www.lisp4.facebook.com/rebeccadcosta - broken link)
"First off, its a movie. They took "freedoms" with what science can/cannot actually do. If referencing a movie is the best example you can come up with, that should tell you right off the bat that your argument doesn't hold water. How about a real-world example perhaps? Yes, it was a horrible example."
well. I wanted an example that everyone had seen and could relate too.
A more realistic example is Global Warming.
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Social Problems on a Global scale - Complexity
